Graduate Faculty: Brostow, D'Souza, El-Bouanani, Gnade, Kim, Reidy, Wallace.
Adjunct Faculty: Castaño, Coffer, Hess, Krishnamurthy, Menard, Okabe, Sees.
Associate Members: Braterman, Conlin, Golden, Gross, Hu, Kallman, Kelber, Kozak, Marchand, Marshall, Matteson, Mauldin, McDaniel, McNeil, Morgan, Mirshams, Mueller, Neuberger, Ordonez, Perez, Pirtle, Watt, Weathers.
The Department of Materials Science addresses the educational and technological challenges of creating, applying and characterizing new materials for manufacturing products for the 21st century. The department is committed to training students at the graduate level in all aspects of modern materials including metals, ceramics, polymers, electronic and optical materials, and materials characterization. Students have opportunities for hands-on research with modern equipment and facilities. The department has strong collaborative programs with other Metroplex universities and with corporations throughout the world. Students have many opportunities to develop highly marketable skills for high-technology companies in electronics, chemical, electric power, automotive, aviation, biomedical and environmental industries, and academia.
Teaching assistantships funded by the department and research assistantships funded by individual faculty research grants support the majority of students. Out-of-state and international students who are funded at least half-time are eligible for in-state tuition rates. Contact the chair of the Department of Materials Science regarding assistantships. Contact Student Financial Aid and Scholarships for student loan information.
The Laboratory of Polymers and Composites works on reliability and prediction of service performance, polymer liquid crystals and their blends, fiber reinforced composites and polymer solutions. Mechanical, thermophysical and rheological properties are investigated using computer simulations, statistical mechanics and a variety of experimental techniques (DMTA, TMA, TSD, DSC, TGA, P-V-T relations, computerized tension, compression, friction and impact testing).
The Electron Microscopy Laboratory is currently investigating a wide variety of materials including quantum-confined semiconductor nanoparticles, integrated circuits, steels used in electric power generation plants, and aluminum alloys for aerospace applications. Equipment includes a Hitachi H-9000 high resolution transmission electron microscope, a JEOL 200CX analytical electron microscope, a JEOL 100CX analytical transmission electron microscope and a JOEL T-300 scanning electron microscope. In addition, the laboratory is developing a portable X-ray diffractometer for measurement of remaining fatigue or creep life of critical structural components.
The Mechanical and Rheological Laboratory is engaged in investigations of interrelationships between morphology and mechanical properties through the influences of time and temperature of polymers, composites and polymer reinforced cement. A Mechanical Testing System (MTS810) equipped with an environmental chamber (-150 to 600C), video, photoelastic fringe analysis and thermal wave imaging provide stress pattern-temperature relationships around propagating cracks and estimate residual stresses. A Torsional Rheometer provides visuelastic and rheological property evaluation. Reliability of dielectric property retention is being examined through simultaneous effects of radiation and electrical fields using thermally stimulated depolarization currents and thermoluminescence.
The Materials Synthesis and Processing Laboratory has research interests focused on the development of aerogels, and other novel ceramics for dielectric, sensor, and high temperature applications. A complete synthesis laboratory is available with several spin coaters for thin film development and with a BET surface area/pore size analyzer for structural characterization as well as high temperature furnaces and a critical point dryer.
The Display Materials Laboratory works on field emission displays based on field emission and cathodoluminescence. Display performance is currently restricted by several materials-related limitations. We are investigating these materials-related issues, including low work function materials, thin-film getters, and novel spacer materials.
The Laboratory for Electronic Materials and Devices is a cross-disciplinary laboratory performing basic and applied research on novel materials for advanced electronic devices of all kinds. The laboratory includes a Group IV molecular beam epitaxy system, a 3 MV ion beam accelerator, a comprehensive surface science system and several scanning probe microscopes. The primary areas of research include advanced dielectric materials, high electric field chemical reactions and molecular electronic devices.
Federal support of research projects in the department includes funding from the National Science Foundation, the Army Research Office, DARPA, U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center, and the Department of Education. Other research support has been granted by the Texas Advanced Research Program, the Texas Advanced Technology Program, the Texas Energy Research in Applications Program, Texas Instruments, the Baylor College of Dentistry, Texas Utilities Electric, the Southwest Research Institute, Spire Corporation, Eastman Kodak, Sematech, the U.S. Army Harry Diamond Research Laboratory, and many small high-technology companies in the Metroplex.
The student must apply for and be granted admission through the office of the dean of the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies; admission requirements applicable to all departments are found in the Admission section of this bulletin.
Departmental forms for applying for financial aid and information concerning evaluation of credit in materials science may be obtained from the chair of the Department of Materials Science.
For admission, students must present acceptable scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Contact the department or the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies concerning standardized admission test requirements. International applicants must also provide a minimum of 550 on the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam. Complete college transcripts and two letters of recommendation are required. An entrance interview and proficiency examination concerning fundamental preparation in materials science is required of all students. The interview is used as an aid in placement. Further details may be obtained from the departmental office.
The Department of Materials Science offers graduate programs leading to the following degrees:
The applicant seeking a master's degree with a major in materials science will plan a degree program with the assistance of the student's major professor and the advisory committee. A graduate major must present credit for at least 32 semester credit hours. The student must maintain a B average in all formal materials science courses.
The graduate credit requirement for the Master of Science degree is 32 semester hours chosen in the following manner.
1. Five of the following seven materials science core courses (15 semester credit hours): MTSC 5000, 5100, 5200, 5300, 5400, 5500, 5600.
2. Nine semester credit hours may be chosen from materials science or related fields, as approved by the major professor and the advisory committee.
3. Six semester credit hours of MTSC 5950 (Thesis). Work for the master's thesis is comprised of independent and original studies that may be experimental, computational, theoretical or a combination of these. As part of these requirements, the student must present a formal written report that must be approved by the major professor and the advisory committee and filed in the graduate dean's office. Reports for MTSC 5950 must be submitted in a form prescribed by one of the common refereed materials science journals, such as the manuscript form of the American Institute of Physics (see AIP style manual, current edition).
4. Seminar in Materials Science and Engineering, MTSC 5700. A minimum of 2 semester credit hours.
The graduate credit requirement for the Master of Science degree is 36 semester hours chosen in the following manner.
1. Six of the following seven materials science core courses: MTSC 5000, 5100, 5200, 5300, 5400, 5500, 5600.
2. Thirteen hours may be chosen from materials science or related fields, as approved by the major professor and the advisory committee.
3. Six semester credit hours of MTSC 5920 and 5930 (Problems in Lieu of Thesis). Research problems in lieu of thesis are independent, original studies that may be experimental, computational, theoretical or a combination of these. As part of the requirements for each problems course, the student must present a formal written report of the work done in the course, which must be approved by the major professor and the advisory committee and filed in the graduate dean's office. Reports for MTSC 5920-5930 must be submitted in a form prescribed by one of the common refereed materials science journals, for example, in the manuscript form prescribed by the American Institute of Physics (see AIP style manual, current edition).
4. Seminar in Materials Science and Engineering, MTSC 5700. A minimum of 2 semester credit hours.
All graduate students are expected to attend MTSC 5700 during each semester of full-time graduate study. Candidates for a Master of Science (thesis) degree must present their work during the regularly scheduled departmental seminar prior to the oral examination before the graduate committee. Candidates for the Master of Science (problems in lieu of thesis) must give a seminar based on the reports written for MTSC 5920-5930 and obtain a minimum grade of B for the seminar. The thesis/problem adviser must be present for the seminar presentation.
An entrance interview and proficiency examination concerning fundamental materials science is required of all students. The results are used for advisory, placement and remedial purposes.
An oral presentation of the master's thesis is required. A decision on acceptance of the thesis will be made by the student's advisory committee after an oral examination is successfully completed. A decision on the acceptance of a written report based on problems in lieu of theses will be made by the student's advisory committee. Guidelines for thesis preparation are available from the department secretary.
The Doctor of Philosophy degree represents the attainment of a high level of scholarship and achievement in independent research that culminates in the completion of a dissertation of original scientific merit. Hence, it cannot be prescribed in terms of a fixed semester credit hour requirement.
Course work and research amounting to the equivalent of two academic years beyond the master's degree or three years beyond the bachelor's degree may be considered the minimum.
Generally, the degree consists of 90 semester credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree or 60 semester credit hours beyond the master's degree, with 12 semester credit hours allocated for the dissertation.
It is expected that the candidate will have published at least one original research article in a refereed journal prior to graduation.
Departmental admission to the doctoral program in materials science (as distinguished from admission to candidacy for the PhD program) requires a satisfactory score on the written and oral sections of the qualifying examination. This is normally taken after completion of the basic curriculum, after the second year. Enrollment in MTSC 6950 will not be allowed until the student has completed this requirement.
An entrance interview and proficiency examination are required of all graduate students in materials science, as described above under the master's examinations. The following examinations apply to the Doctor of Philosophy degree.
1. A qualifying examination consisting of both written and oral components taken after completion of the core curriculum courses over the contents of these courses. The departmental examination committee will schedule and administer the exam one time per year in the summer.
2. The second part of the qualifying examination consists of the student's oral presentation to the graduate advisory committee. The presentation will detail a proposed dissertation topic and will demonstrate familiarity with both laboratory equipment and the theoretical basis of the phenomena to be studied. Upon acceptance of the proposal by the student's advisory committee, the applicant applies to the dean of the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies for admission to candidacy.
This oral examination is primarily a defense of the dissertation, which must be submitted in final form to the final examination committee at least 7 days prior to the scheduled oral examination. At least one final examination committee member must be from a department other than the Department of Materials Science. Guidelines for dissertation preparation are available from the department secretary.
For the student who has not had previous graduate study, the approximate requirements follow.
1. Six of the seven materials science core courses: MTSC 5000, 5100, 5200, 5300, 5400, 5500 and 5600.
2. Sixty hours may be chosen from materials science or related fields, as approved by the student's major professor and the advisory committee.
3. Twelve semester credit hours of MTSC 6950 (Doctoral Dissertation).
4. Seminar in Materials Science and Engineering, MTSC 5700. A minimum of 2 semester credit hours.
All doctoral students are expected to attend MTSC 5700 during each semester of full-time graduate study. A seminar based on the student's dissertation research must be given during the regularly scheduled class time prior to and in addition to the formal defense of the dissertation.
All courses of instruction are located in one section at the back of this catalog.
The "Course and Subject Guide," found in the Courses of Instruction section of this book, serves as a table of contents and provides quick access to subject areas and prefixes.
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