Innovative Answers to Complex Problems

How can we develop lighter, stronger, and more fuel-efficient aircraft and automobiles? What new materials are needed to produce better replacement parts for the human body–bones, teeth, joints, and heart valves? What can we do to make smaller, faster computers and communications systems?

If the challenges posed by these questions interest you, consider a career in materials engineering. As a materials engineer, you will develop and produce new materials for products ranging from aircraft wings to surgical tools to bicycle frames. Because of the diversity in the field, you could work in most sectors of industry, including aerospace, transportation, electronics, biomedical systems, manufacturing, and research.

Materials Science and Engineering Profession
Materials scientists and engineers study the structure and composition of materials on scales ranging from the electronic and atomic through the microscopic to large structures. They develop new materials, improve traditional materials, and produce materials reliably and economically through synthesis and processing. They seek to understand the factors that change material properties and to predict and evaluate the performance of real materials as structural or functional elements in engineering systems.

Without materials scientists and engineers, modern devices–machines, computers, automobiles, aircraft, communications equipment, and other products critical to our growth, prosperity, and quality of life–would not exist.

More about Materials Science and Engineering at Iowa State.

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