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Detailed Information

Programs of Study

There has never been a more exciting time to study materials science and engineering. Recent breakthroughs in materials research are making the traditional distinctions among classes of materials obsolete and are creating new technological opportunities. The Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MS&E) offers graduate students unique opportunities for personal, one-on-one interaction with faculty members who are at the forefront of this groundbreaking research.

Current research themes focus on discovering, synthesizing, processing, and characterizing novel materials for pivotal and emerging technologies and understanding atomistic- and molecular-level phenomena and relating them to key properties (e.g., mechanical, electronic, magnetic, thermal, optical) through experiment and computational modeling. Examples include nanomaterials, biomaterials, electronic materials, metals, polymers, ceramics and glasses, and composites in bulk and thin-film forms. These have applications in nanoelectronics, optical and magnetic devices, high-strength and high-temperature structures, biochemical sensing, thermal management, and energy generation, conversion, and storage. In addition to impacting many key commercial technologies, the Department’s research programs serve as platforms for multidisciplinary learning and collaborations across many fields of science and engineering. More information on specific research programs can be found at http://www.eng.rpi.edu/mse/research.cfm.

The Department offers Master of Science (M.S.), Master of Engineering (M.Eng.), and Ph.D. degree programs. All graduate students must complete an 18 credit core curriculum (five courses, in mechanical behavior, thermodynamics, kinetics, structure, and electronic properties). Both the M.S. and the M.Eng. degrees require the completion of a minimum of 30 credit hours. Both M.S. and M.Eng students must complete 6 additional course credits (two courses) beyond the core courses. For students in the M.S. program, 6 credits of research work leading to an M.S. thesis are also required. Students pursuing the M.Eng degree are required to complete a capstone independent study project.

In addition to the core course requirements, Ph. D. students are required to complete three additional graduate-level science or engineering courses. The student must pass an oral preliminary examination and an oral candidacy examination as well as the final examination on the Ph.D. thesis.

Research Facilities

Research is supported by state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, including the Rensselaer Libraries, whose electronic information system provides access to collections, databases, and the Internet from campus and remote terminals; the Rensselaer Computing System, which permeates the campus with a coherent array of more than 7,000 nodes of distributed laptops, desktops, advanced workstations, and servers; a shared toolkit of applications for interactive learning and research and high-speed Internet connectivity; one of the country’s largest academically based, class 100 clean room facilities; high-performance campuswide computing facilities that allow for serial or parallel computation; and five core laboratories for molecular biology, proteomics, bioimaging, and tissue engineering.

Rensselaer’s research capabilities have been enhanced with the addition of the Computational Center for Nanotechnology Innovations (CCNI). The result of a $100-million collaboration with IBM and New York State, the CCNI is the world’s most powerful university-based supercomputing center and a top-ten supercomputing center of any kind in the world. The CCNI is made up of massively parallel Blue Gene supercomputers, POWER-based Linux clusters, and Opteron-based clusters, providing more than 100 teraflops of computational muscle and approximately a petabyte of shared online storage.

Other facilities and research centers include the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies; the George M. Low Center for Industrial Innovation; research centers for integrated electronics, terahertz science, nanotechnology, fuel-cell and hydrogen research, lighting research, science and technology policy, and infrastructure and transportation studies; the Geotechnical Centrifuge Research Center; the Darrin Fresh Water Institute; and the Scientific Computation Research Center. In addition, academic departments and faculty laboratories have extensive discipline-specific research capabilities and equipment.

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering faculty members work in many interdisciplinary research centers, including the National Science Foundation Center for Directed Assembly of Nanostructures; the Center for Advanced Interconnect Systems Technologies; Center for Automation Technologies and Systems; Computational Center for Nanotechnology Innovations; Center for Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Research; Center for Future Energy Systems; Center for Integrated Electronics; Center for Multiphase Research; the Rensselaer Nanotechnology Center; Focus Center–New York, Rensselaer; Multiscale Science and Engineering Center at Rensselaer; and the Scientific Computation Research Center.

In addition, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering has extensive discipline-specific research capabilities and equipment, including high-resolution TEM and SEM instrumentation, proximal probe facilities, extensive thermal analysis and spectroscopy facilities, and an array of synthesis and processing equipment for nanoscale and traditional metals, polymers, and ceramics.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available in the forms of teaching and research assistantships and fellowships, which include tuition scholarships and stipends. Rensselaer assistantships cover the academic year, with summer support available in many departments. University, corporate, or national fellowships fund many of Rensselaer’s full-time graduate students. Outstanding students may qualify for university-sponsored Rensselaer Graduate Fellowship Awards, which carry a minimum stipend of $22,000 and a full tuition and fees scholarship. All fellowship awards are calendar-year awards for full-time graduate students. Low-interest, deferred-repayment graduate loans are available to U.S. citizens with demonstrated need.

Cost of Study

Full-time graduate tuition for the 2008–09 academic year is $36,950. Other costs (estimated living expenses, insurance, etc.) are projected to be about $13,680. Therefore, the cost of attendance for full-time graduate study is approximately $50,630. Part-time study and cohort programs are priced differently. Students should contact Rensselaer for specific cost information related to the program they wish to study.

Living and Housing Costs

Graduate students at Rensselaer may choose from a variety of housing options. On campus, students can select one of the many residence halls and immerse themselves in campus life or choose from a select number of apartments designed for graduate students only. There are abundant, affordable options off campus as well, many within easy walking distance.

Student Group

Of the 1,176 graduate students, 29 percent are women, and 92 percent are full-time with 75 percent of fulltime graduate students studying at the doctoral level.

Student Outcomes

Rensselaer’s graduate students are hired in a variety of industries and sectors of the economy and by private and public organizations, the government, and institutions of higher education. Their starting salaries average $74,807 for master’s degree recipients and $82,750 for Ph.D. recipients.

Location

Located just 10 miles northeast of Albany, New York State’s capital city, Rensselaer’s historic 275-acre campus sits on a hill overlooking the city of Troy, New York, and the Hudson River. The area offers a relaxed lifestyle with many cultural and recreational opportunities, with easy access to both the high-energy metropolitan centers of the Northeast–such as Boston, New York City, and Montreal, Canada–and the quiet beauty of the neighboring Adirondack Mountains.

The Institute

Recognized as a leader in interactive learning and interdisciplinary research, Rensselaer continues a tradition of excellence and technological innovation dating back to 1824. Rensselaer has five schools–Architecture, Engineering, Management, Science, and Humanities and Social Sciences–that offer more than 100 graduate programs in over forty-eight disciplines that attract top students, researchers, and professors. The discovery of new scientific concepts and technologies, especially in emerging interdisciplinary fields, is the lifeblood of Rensselaer’s culture and a core goal for the faculty, staff, and students. Fueled by significant support from government, industry, and private donors, Rensselaer provides a world-class education in an environment tailored to the individual.

Applying

The admission deadline for the fall semester is January 1. Basic admission requirements are the submission of a completed application form (available online), the required application fee ($75), a statement of background and goals, official transcripts, official scores on the GRE General Test, TOEFL or IELTS scores (if applicable), and two recommendations.

The Faculty and Their Research

• Douglas B. Chrisey, Professor; Ph.D. (physics), Virginia. Novel laser-based processing of all materials, tissue engineering, nanomanipulation and fabrication, directed self-assembly harnessing biological molecules. (chrisd@rpi.edu)
• David J. Duquette, John Tod Horton Distinguished Professor in Materials Engineering; Ph.D. (metallurgy and materials science), MIT. Physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of metals and alloys, with special reference to studies of environmental interactions and semiconductor device microfabrication processes: aqueous and elevated-temperature corrosion, chemical mechanical planarization, and electrodeposition of microdevice wiring. (duqued@rpi.edu)
• Daniel Gall, Associate Professor; Ph.D. (physics), Illinois. Nanotechnology; electronic materials; thin-film deposition; development of new vacuum deposition techniques to create nanostructure assemblies with novel electronic, optical, mechanical, and thermal properties and functionalities. (galld@rpi.edu)
• Liping Huang, Assistant Professor; Ph.D. (materials science and engineering), Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Utilizing a combination of computational and experimental techniques to investigate the structure-property relationship at the atomic level in order to develop a basic understanding for the rational design of traditional materials like oxide glasses and ceramics with superior properties, as well as newly emerged nanostructured materials for energy, environment, and biology-related applications.
• Robert Hull, Henry Burlage Jr. Professor of Engineering and Department Head; Ph.D., Oxford. Nanoscaled materials, electronic materials, semiconductors, interfaces, crystalline defects, nanofabrication, materials characterization, electron microscopy and focused ion beams. (hullr2@rpi.edu)
• Pawel Keblinski, Professor; Ph.D. (physics), Penn State. Using atomic-level computational methods to study structure-property relationships in various materials, with a focus on modeling of mechanical response; mass and thermal transport in interfacial and nanostructured materials, including carbon- and silicon-based systems, polymer nanocomposites, suspension of nanoparticles (nanofluids), and solid-solid interfaces related to microelectronic applications. (keblip@rpi.edu)
• Dan Lewis, Assistant Professor; Ph.D. (materials science and engineering), Lehigh. Physical metallurgy, solidification, wetting behavior, phase transformations, materials for fuel-cell systems. (lewisd2@rpi.edu)
• Robert W. Messler Jr., Professor; Ph.D. (physical metallurgy), Rensselaer. Development and characterization of environmentally friendly Pb-free solders, including thermomechanical fatigue; laser-based soldering; hybrid welding and adhesive bonding, i.e., weld-bonding; joining of dissimilar combinations of metals, ceramics, and intermetallics using exothermic chemical reactions (e.g., combustion synthesis) under pressure. (messlr@rpi.edu)
• Aleksandar G. Ostrogorsky, Professor; Sc.D. (mechanical engineering), MIT. Materials processing and related heat and mass transfer phenomena occurring on earth, in space (microgravity), and under strong magnetic fields. (ostroa@rpi.edu)
• Rahmi Ozisik, Associate Professor; Ph.D. (polymer science), Akron. Processing, characterization, and modeling of polymeric systems: coarse-graining methods and multiscale modeling, modeling of polymers using Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics, structure and dynamics of nanoparticle-filled polymer composites, surfaces and interfaces of polymer nanocomposites. (ozisik@rpi.edu)
• G. Ramanath, Professor and Director Center for Future Energy Systems; Ph.D. (materials science and engineering), Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Directed synthesis and assembly of mesoscale heterostructures from nanoscopic building blocks; thin-film interface engineering; emphasis on creating new materials, creating architectures to access novel properties for future devices and energy applications, and understanding atomic- and molecular-level relationships between structure, chemistry, and properties. (ramanath@rpi.edu)
• Linda S. Schadler, Professor; Ph.D. (materials science and engineering), Pennsylvania. Properties of polymer nanocomposites with an emphasis on designed interfaces for tailored properties, including mechanical, optical, and electrical response. (schadl@rpi.edu)
• Yunfeng Shi, Assistant Professor; Ph.D. (materials science and engineering), Michigan. Computational material science, elucidation of molecular-level mechanisms in advanced materials systems and design of active nanostructures for energy applications, molecular motors, nanoporous materials, energetic materials, metallic glasses and metal-semiconductor interfaces.
• Richard W. Siegel, Professor and Director, Nanotechnology Center; Ph.D. (metallurgy), Illinois. Synthesis and processing, characterization, properties, and applications of nanostructured materials, including ceramics, metals, composites, and biomaterials; creation of nanoscale building blocks, especially inorganic nanoparticles. (rwsiegel@rpi.edu)
• Christoph O. Steinbruchel, Associate Professor; Ph.D. (chemical physics), Minnesota. Electronic materials: processing and characterization of thin films, particularly the deposition of films with desired structure and properties, and the carving out of miniature devices from such films by plasma and ion beam etching; interactions at surfaces and at the interface between two films. (steinc@rpi.edu)
• Minoru Tomozawa, Professor; Ph.D. (metallurgy and materials science), Pennsylvania. Origin of memory effect of glasses, measurement of fictive temperature of glasses, effect of fictive temperature on mechanical strength of glasses, glasses with fictive-temperature-independent properties, indentation size effect of glasses, mechanism of water diffusion, rare-earth doped glasses, measurement of defects in glasses, structural relaxation of glasses, ion-exchange of glasses. (tomozm@rpi.edu)
• Roger N. Wright, Professor; Sc.D. (metallurgy), MIT. Mechanical and thermal processing of materials, with emphasis on data and physical understanding needed for process modeling: friction–lubrication–surface-quality interactions in metalworking, particularly with regard to drawing of copper and aluminum wire, and forming of steel sheet for automotive applications. (wrighr@rpi.edu)
• Adjunct Faculty
• Pulickel M. Ajayan, Director, Focus Center–New York; Ph.D. (materials science and engineering), Northwestern. Carbon nanotubes; synthesis of nanostructures and the study of their structure and properties in relation to size and confinement using nanostructures as templates and molds for fabricating nanowires, composites, and novel ceramic fibers. (ajayan@rpi.edu)
• Glenn A. Eisman, Ph.D. (physical inorganic chemistry), Northeastern. Fuel-cell and electrolytic processes, biofuel cells, materials and processes for hydrogen storage and generation. (eisman@rpi.edu)
• Mutsuhiro Shima, Ph.D. (materials science and engineering), Maryland, College Park. Nanostructure and properties relationship of novel magnetic and magnetoelectronic materials, including multilayered, patterned, and self-assembled nanoscale structures, wires, and particles, for future applications such as data storage and sensor devices. (shima@rpi.edu)
• Emeritus Faculty
• Chan I. Chung, Professor; Ph.D. (materials science), Rutgers. Polymer processing, polymer melt theology, relaxation behavior in polymer solids. (chungc@rpi.edu)
• J. B. Hudson, Ph.D., Rensselaer. Adsorption on solid surfaces, structure and reactivity of solids, physics and chemistry of surfaces, nanocrystal growth.
• R. J. MacCrone, D.Phil., Oxford. Electric properties of polymers and oxides, polarons, electron paramagnetic resonance and magnetic behavior of glasses, phase transformations, nucleation, electrical properties of thin oxide and nitride films, one-dimensional conductivity.
• Cornelius T. Moynihan, Professor; Ph.D. (chemistry), Princeton. Thermodynamic, transport, electrical, and optical properties of glasses and liquids; investigation of whether many of the characteristics of the glass transition are due to the fact that small regions of varying density in the liquid can rearrange independently and on different time scales. (moynic@rpi.edu)
• Shyam P. Murarka, Professor; Ph.D. (chemistry and metallurgy and materials science), Agra (India) and Minnesota. Electronic materials and their processing, especially in metallization and dielectrics for semiconductor device and circuit applications. (murars@rpi.edu)
• Interdisciplinary Research Centers
• Center for Advanced Interconnect Systems Technologies (CAIST): This center synergistically combines the expertise of 21 principal investigators and their coinvestigators from twelve universities to address critical technology innovations and processing advances required for Si scaling (extendibility of Cu/low-K technology), the integration of heterogeneous Si systems, and the introduction of optical interconnects. The categories of research at CAIST are metallization, dielectrics and barriers, surfaces and interfaces, reliability and optical interconnections, and novel programs.
• Center for Automation Technologies and Systems (CATS): The CATS provides a means for industry to utilize an extensive pool of knowledge and expertise at RPI in the science and technology of automation. Students and more than 30 faculty members in ten departments participate in the research and educational programs of the center. The traditional engineering of automated systems is frequently addressed by conservative overdesign or by experience-based trial and error. However, the steady advances in computational power and miniaturized sensors and actuators make feasible new strategies: the broad application of an integrated systems approach, which promises higher performance, efficiency, robustness, and reliability.
• Center for Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Research (CFCHR): Today’s fuel-cell and hydrogen-related research and development initiatives will generate solutions for alternative energy technologies when fossil-based fuels become less attractive. The initiatives and potential solutions will impose significant challenges for years to come as new forms of energy management come into play. Since the changes represent paradigm shifts, many of the solutions will emerge from a spectrum from fundamental materials advancements to applied engineering. CFCHR is well positioned to address such challenges. Rensselaer has a substantial technical base in materials science, physics, chemistry, and engineering from which to tap.
• Center for Future Energy Systems: The activities at the Center for Future Energy Systems are initially concentrated on two main themes: energy efficiency and new energy sources. The mission of the Center for Future Energy Systems is to benefit the energy industry of New York State by focusing on research and development, technology transfer, economic development, workforce training, and entrepreneurial support.
• Center for Integrated Electronics (CIE): The CIE was created to carry out industry-oriented research and development in semiconductor (electrical) devices and circuits, their design and manufacturing, on-chip interconnect, and the development and utilization of electronic media. A complement of about 50 faculty members, 100 students, and 15 full-time research staff members conduct research activities in fundamental areas of materials processes, semiconductor devices, design, fabrication, packaging, and characterization related to integrated electronics, electronics manufacturing, and electronic media. These projects serve to develop new technologies and real solutions to industrial problems. State-of-the-art facilities enhance research opportunities and include a class 100 microfabrication clean room with processing capabilities both for Si and III-V base devices/circuits, extensive computer resources from such companies as Apple, AT&T, Digital, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, and Sun.
• Center for Multiphase Research (CMR): Rensselaer’s CMR is the premier group in the country for performing multiphase research. This center has assembled a large and dynamic group of scientists and engineers dedicated to exploring and exploiting new developments in every conceivable aspect of multiphase flow and heat-transfer technology. The CMR coordinates the diverse activities of these researchers and facilitates the cross-disciplinary exchange of information, as well as technology transfer to industry. CMR’s research includes any process or system involving more than one phase from solid to liquid to vapor. The goal is to model, predict, and optimize product design that controls efficiency, reliability, safety, and product life, cost-effectively creating the most competitive products on the market. Some examples of the types of research activities found in the CMR are an auto engine lighter than aluminum but stronger than steel, smaller but more powerful energy systems, and safe nuclear power and propulsion sources.
• Computational Center for Nanotechnology Innovations (CCNI): The nanoelectronics industry is reaching physical limits and the technical and cost constraints are limiting growth. At the same time, advances in biotechnology and nanotechnology, as well as experimental and simulation science, are expanding scientists’ understanding of processes from the atomic scale. However, engineering practice has lagged behind and does not offer the ability to take advantage of this new understanding. Rensselaer, IBM, and New York State joined together to establish this unique research and computational center to provide leadership in nanotechnology modeling and simulation. CCNI is the world’s most powerful university-based supercomputing center. The center focuses on a range of issues, from reducing time and costs associated with design to manufacturing and producing new integrated predictive design tools for nanoscale devices.
• Focus Center–New York, Rensselaer: FC-NY, RPI is part of the IFC (Interconnect Focus Center). The IFC focuses on the discovery and invention of new solutions that will enable the U.S. semiconductor industry to transcend known limits on interconnects that would otherwise decelerate or halt the rate of progress toward gigascale integration. Its aim is to act as a fully integrated, long-term, visionary research and development resource for the creation of the science and technology base for future generations of integrated circuitry (IC) products. Its targeted portfolio of high-tech products ranges from the more "traditional" microprocessor and memory-type computer chips to the emerging areas of biochips, micro- and nano-systems, and ultra-high-frequency communication devices and associated equipment. These research projects are facilitated by considerable support from the state of New York in addition to the funds from MARCO/DARPA and by collaborations with other universities, particularly SUNY Albany.
• Multiscale Science and Engineering Center at Rensselaer (MSEC): The primary objectives of MSEC are to promote ongoing research in multiscale science and engineering, to develop new synergies, and to pursue new funding opportunities. A collaborative effort between Rensselaer faculty in multiscale mathematics, modeling, simulations, optimization and domain experts in materials, biosciences, nanotechnology, electronics and energy and other areas has been established to address the following barriers: What is the information that needs to be transferred from one model or scale to another? What are the optimal ways to achieve such transfer of information? What physical principles must be satisfied during the transfer of information? What are the experimental techniques needed for multiscale model validation? How to quantify variability of physical parameters at multiple scale, and how to account for it to ensure design robustness?
• Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center (NSEC): The NSEC is focused on discovering and developing the means to assemble nanoscale building blocks with unique properties into functional structures. Part of the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative, the program is housed within the Rensselaer Nanotechnology Center and forms a partnership between Rensselaer, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Los Alamos National Laboratory. NSEC’s mission is to integrate research, education, and technology dissemination and to serve as a national resource for fundamental knowledge in directed assembly of nanostructures. Researchers are learning to incorporate nanomaterials, including carbon nanotubes, into composites that have the potential to create superior protective coatings, mechanical parts, electrical insulation, and even human bone replacements. They also are conducting fundamental scientific studies to learn how to assemble nanoscale-sized objects into structures that could be used as stand-alone devices or incorporated into complex electronic or biomechanical instruments.
• Scientific Computation Research Center (SCOREC): The SCOREC is focused on the development of reliable simulation technologies for engineers, scientists, medical professionals, and other practitioners. These advancements enable experts in their fields to employ, appraise, and evaluate the behavior of physical, chemical, and biological systems of interest. SCOREC research focuses on high-performance computing strategies to improve understanding of physical phenomena, provide new modeling and simulation techniques, and support computational experimentation. Current projects include automated adaptive techniques for solving PDEs, parallel computation techniques, and procedures for critical applications.

Correspondence and Information

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
110 8th Street
Troy, New York 12180-3590
Telephone: 518-276-6372
Fax: 518-276-8554
Email: materials@rpi.edu