Materials Science and

Engineering—Trends and Issues

Reza Abbaschian
NMAB
October 21, 2002
 Outline
• Educational Trends and Issues
• Structural Trends and Issues
• Splintered Professional Certification
• Incoherent professional Representation
• Reduced Core Funding(e.g. DOE)
• Blurred Boundaries
Core elements of Materials Science and Engineering

Source: Materials Science and Engineering for the 1990s, NRC, 1989
Materials Science and Engineering Core, including the end-user

Source: Materials science and engineering—forging stronger links to users, NRC 1999
 BROADENING OF MATERIAL FIELD

Empirical
Basic Sciences Materials Science
knowledge and
and engineering and Engineering
Societal Needs

Educational Challenges

Integrated Education

Balanced Science and Engineering Education

 Undergraduate Curricula
Based on 11 departments

• Science topics: 28-37 credits, average 33

• Humanities: 31-37, average 24
• Engineering: 13-19, average 16
• Materials: 27-53, average 37
• Tech Electives: 8-24, average 11
• Free Electives: 0-15
• Specialization: yes and no
 Core Topics for MSE Curriculum
• Introduction to Materials
• Experimental Techniques
• Thermodynamics
• Transport Properties
• Phase Equilibria
• Phase Transformation
• Kinetics
• Structure
• Characterization
• Mechanical Behavior
• Electronic, Magnetic, and Optical Behavior
• Synthesis, Processing, and Manufacturing
• Materials Selection and Design
• Failure Analysis
 UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
Basic Sciences
Basic Engineering
Materials Core
(Processing-Properties-Structure-Applications of All Materials)
Specialization

Materials Science and Engineering

Materials Science and Engineering

Processing*
Vertical Integration

Properties
Structure
Applications
Ceramics Electronics Metals Polymers
Horizontal Integration

* Synthesis-Processing-Manufacturing continuum
 MATRIX COVERAGE OF
MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(UF Model)

Energetics/Kinetics Transformations

Stability

Intro Materials Characterization Selection/Failure 2 courses

Research/Design

Mechanical Behavior
6 - 9 Hours Electives
Mats Lab

15 - 18 semester hours in one specialization

Metals Engineering
Metals Specialization
Ceramics Engineering
Ceramics Specialization
Polymers Science
Polymer Specialization
Electronic Behavior
Electronic specialization
 Curricula have become shorter as universities have been forced
to reduce B.S. degrees to a maximum of 128 credits.
At the same time, the topic matter has broadened with
the introduction of coursework on all classes of materials.
Thus, subjects common in the 1960’s are often missing from MSE and Metallurgical curricula today.
Analytical Chemistry
Physical Chemistry
Statistics
Static
Strength of Materials
Mass and Energy Balances
Deformation Processing
Joining
Melting and Refining
Thermal Processing

The larger departments can afford to offer many courses as electives

and have enough students to justify them. Smaller departments cannot.
Source: ASEE Engineering Statistics 2001
Source: ASEE Engineering Statistics 2001
Source: ASEE Engineering Statistics 2001
Source: ASEE Engineering Statistics 2001
Source: ASEE Engineering Statistics 2001
Source: ASEE Engineering Statistics 2001
 Materials degrees per year

1000

900

800

700
Number of Degrees

600
B.S. Degrees
500 M.S. Degrees
Ph.D. Degrees
400

300

200

100

0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Year
 B.S. Degrees granted in Metals/Materials /CeramicsFields

1400

1200
Combined

1000
Number of Degrees

800
Met./Materials

600

400

Ceramic
200

0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Year
 Ceramic Engr. Trend

400

350

300
Number of degrees per year

250
B.S.

200

150

100
M.S.

50
Ph.D.
0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Materials Programs offering Undergraduate Education

Total Programs = 69

Degree titles:

Metallurgical Engineering 11
Metallurgical and Materials Engr. 5
Materials Engineering 12
Materials Science 4
Materials Science and Mineral Engr. 1
Materials Science and Engineering 25
Materials Option under Chemical Engr. 4
Materials Option under Mechanical Engr. 5
Ceramic Engineering 7
Polymer Science & Engr. 4
 Faculty size
Average Faculty FTE 15.1 for 28 represnetative
departments
35
Equivalent Full Time

30
25
20
Average
15
10
5
0
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27
Department number
Source: UMC

Faculty Head Count Average of 107 Departments:

16.4 in 1993 vs 18.3 in 2000
Source: ASM Education yearbook, 1993 and 2000
Source: ASEE Engineering Statistics 2001
Source: ASEE Engineering Statistics 2001
 Consolidation of Departments
• Between 1993 and 2000, fifteen departments out
of 107 in North America were merged or
consumed by other departments. Examples:
– Mat Sci and Eng Chemical &Materials Eng
– Interdisciplinary Program
– Chemical & Biochem Eng
– Mat Engineering Mech & Mat Eng
– Met & Mat Eng Mech, Mat & Aero Eng
Source: ASM Education Yearbook, 1993 and 2000
 Trends in ABET Accreditation
Ceramic Programs

Total

Glass Engineering Science

Ceramic Option in MSE

2002
Ceramic Science and Engineering
1989

Ceramic Engineering Science

Ceramic Engineering

Ceramic and Materials

Engineering

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
 Diversity and Trends in ABET Accreditation
Metallurgy & Materials Programs

Total
Plastics Engineering
Mineral Process Eng option in MSE
Mineral Processing Eng
Mienerals Engineering
Metals Science & Eng
Met Eng & Mat Sci 2002
Metallurgical Engineering 1989
MSE option in Met Eng
Mat Sci and En(Metals Option)
Mat Sci and En(Electronics Option)
Mat Sci and En(ceramics Option)
Materials Science and Engineering
Materials & Met Eng
Materials Engineering
Extractive Met Eng
Electrical Eng/MSE
Composites

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
((In comparison, over 99% of around 230 ME departments are accredited in Mech Eng.))
 MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH APPROACH

Applications

AEMES, Civil, Electrical &

Chemical Engineering, Dental
Mechanical Engineering

Synthesis & Properties

Processing

Chemistry, Medical Physics, Electrical

Engineering

Structure
Source: ASEE Engineering Statistics 2001
 Academic Research Obligations:FY 1999

Field NSF NASA DOD DOE DHHS DOA

Total S&E 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Total sciences 81.6 83.3 59.8 87.9 99.3 96.6
Physical sciences 21.1 41.9 10.5 58.9 1.5 4.7
Chemistry 6.9 2.1 3.7 9.1 1.4 4.6
Physics 8.1 15.7 6.0 49.7 0.1 0.0
Other 4.1 3.4 0.6 0.1 0.0 0.0
Computer sciences 13.4 3.8 20.6 0.6 0.2 0.0
Life sciences 17.6 7.6 15.7 13.2 88.9 81.6
Biology (excluding environmental) 12.9 3.2 6.3 9.1 47.8 19.7
Total engineering 18.4 16.7 40.2 12.1 0.7 3.4
Aeronautical 0.0 5.3 3.3 0.0 0.0 0.0
Astronautical 0.0 5.3 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0
Chemical 2.0 0.2 1.3 3.3 0.0 0.1
Civil 1.8 0.0 0.2 0.8 0.0 0.0
Electrical 2.2 1.2 13.6 0.5 0.0 0.0
Mechanical 0.3 1.4 5.2 1.6 0.0 0.0
Materials 5.4 2.1 9.9 2.9 0.0 0.0
Other 6.6 1.2 6.6 2.9 0.7 3.3

Source: Science & Engineering Indicators-2002

Appendix table 5-13.
Federal academic research obligations provided by major agencies, by field: FY 1999
(Percentages)
National Department
Six- National Aeronautics Department Department of Health Department
agency Science and Space of of and Human of
Field total FoundationAdministration Defense Energy Services Agriculture
Total S&E 100.0 16.3 5.8 7.7 4.4 62.0 3.8
Total sciences 100.0 14.4 5.3 5.0 4.2 67.0 4.0
Physical sciences 100.0 33.1 23.6 7.8 25.0 8.8 1.7
Chemistry 100.0 37.4 4.1 9.6 13.5 29.6 5.9
Physics 100.0 26.9 18.6 9.4 44.4 0.6 0.0
Mathematics 100.0 63.8 1.0 15.3 10.7 8.9 0.2
Computer sciences 100.0 52.9 5.4 38.7 0.6 2.5 0.0
Total engineering 100.0 36.5 11.9 38.0 6.5 5.5 1.6
Aeronautical 100.0 0.0 54.8 45.2 0.0 0.0 0.0
Astronautical 100.0 0.0 96.5 3.5 0.0 0.0 0.0
Chemical 100.0 55.0 2.3 17.3 25.0 0.0 0.5
Civil 100.0 85.2 0.3 3.7 10.6 0.0 0.2
Electrical 100.0 23.9 4.6 70.0 1.6 0.0 0.0
Mechanical 100.0 9.0 13.0 66.0 11.9 0.0 0.1
Materials 100.0 46.3 6.6 40.5 6.6 0.0 0.0
Other 100.0 45.7 3.0 21.5 5.4 19.2 5.2

NOTES: Academic research includes both basic and applied research. The six agencies shown are the only ones that report their
research obligations to academia by S&E field; they represent approximately 97 percent of academic research obligations.
Source: Science & Engineering Indicators-2002
SOURCES: National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Studies (NSF/SRS), Federal Funds for Research and
Development: Fiscal Years 1999, 2000, and 2001 , Detailed Statistical Tables, Vol. 49, NSF 01-328 (Arlington, VA, 2001); and NSF, annual
series.
 MSE Employment Profile(all degrees)
Data based on 620 UF-MSE graduates
25 1971 - 1980
1981 - 1990
1991 - 2000
20 Total (71 - 00)

15
%

10

0
Government

Sales/Services
Metals

Plastics

Self Employed
Law/Medical
Electronics
Chemical
Biomedical
Auto

Ceramics

Academia
Aerospace

Employment Sector
Source: Occupational Outlook, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2002-2003
Source: Occupational Outlook, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2002-2003
 Summary
• Materials Science and Engineering has expanded greatly in
recent years and will continue to do so, most likely at an even
faster pace.
• Various studies show that MSE is crucial to the quality of life, to
the the national defense, and to the economic security and
competitiveness of the nation.
• The broadening of MSE educational and research activities
requires an integrated and well-balanced science and
engineering education that covers all materials.
• MSE departments are challenged by lack of visibility, cohesion,
small enrollment, shrinking faculty, consolidation, and reduced
research in the core areas.
• Lack of a unified professional representation makes it more
difficult to address issues necessary to sustain the education and
training in this crucial discipline.