Materials Science and Engineering focuses on the discovery of new materials, the tailoring of materials systems for optimum performance in a given technological application, and the design of novel materials solutions for emerging technologies. MSE is an interdisciplinary field incorporating elements of chemistry, physics, biology and/or engineering to derive and control the connections between structure (at length scales ranging from sub-atomic to macroscale), the processing necessary to achieve that structure, the fundamental properties (electrical, optical, thermal, mechanical, etc.), and the performance. These correlations are investigated using advanced materials characterization techniques and theoretical/computational analysis. Many of the most pressing scientific and technological challenges faced by humanity are constrained by the limits of currently available materials. The discovery, design and development of enabling materials is at the core of solving current and future scientific and engineering grand challenges, and benefit industries involved in electronics, advanced sensors, communications, human health, transportation, manufacturing recreation, energy conversion and storage, and environmental sustainability.
Recent advances in electron microscopy allow materials scientists to perform experiments in real time with atomic resolution. The MSE department has access to state-of-the-art electron microscopy facilities at Irvine Materials Research Institute (IMRI). Specific research areas: In situ and high resolution atomic-scale analysis of ferroelectric materials, In situ battery material characterization, In situ testing of mechanical properties on micro- and nano-scale , In situ characterization of photovoltaic thin films, Deformation mechanism in materials
