Engineering Career Exploration: Materials Engineering

Summary

The School of Materials Engineering at Purdue University cultivates innovative professionals who excel in material science, crucial for industries like aerospace and medical devices. Graduates are equipped with a blend of fundamental knowledge and practical skills, gained through hands-on lab courses and real-world projects. With a focus on material processing, characterization, and property measurement, students are prepared for careers in manufacturing, design, and testing, with opportunities in sectors ranging from steel production to NASA.

Takeaways

• 🏫 The School of Materials Engineering at Purdue prepares students to be innovators in various industries by emphasizing the importance of materials in all products.
• ✈️ Materials innovation is critical for industrial development, as exemplified by the development of composite materials for the Boeing Dreamliner.
• 🌟 Materials Engineering graduates are highly sought after due to the ubiquity of materials in every industry, from aerospace to medical devices.
• 🔬 Materials Engineers specialize in understanding and controlling the relationship between material processing, structure, and properties.
• 🏭 They are involved in the production of bulk materials and in industries where material property control post-processing is essential.
• 🛠️ The curriculum includes hands-on learning, with lab courses and independent research opportunities, focusing on material processing, characterization, and property measurement.
• 🎓 Graduates often pursue advanced degrees or careers in diverse fields such as business, law, or medicine after gaining foundational knowledge and practical skills.
• 👩‍💼 The program offers a supportive learning environment with a close-knit community, facilitating extensive student-faculty interactions and research opportunities.
• 📈 Seniors participate in a year-long, industry-sponsored design project, which helps them gain real-world knowledge and develop crucial business and problem-solving skills.
• 🌐 A degree in Materials Engineering from Purdue opens doors to a dynamic career in engineering and the opportunity to contribute to future innovations in the field.

Q & A

What is the primary goal of the School of Materials Engineering?

The primary goal is to prepare students to be innovators who excel in their careers by understanding and innovating with materials, which are critical in all industries.

How does the development of composite materials impact industries like aerospace?

The development of composite materials, such as those used in Boeing's Dreamliner, enables industries like aerospace to create lighter and more efficient aircraft, which is a significant innovation in the field.

What does the phrase 'We make the “stuff” that “things” are made from' imply?

This phrase implies that Materials Engineering is about creating and understanding the fundamental materials that constitute all manufactured products.

How do Materials Engineers control the properties of materials?

Materials Engineers control the properties of materials by manipulating their processing methods, atomic and microscopic structures, which in turn affect their electronic, optical, mechanical, and biological properties.

In which industries are Materials Engineers typically found?

Materials Engineers are found in a wide range of industries including production of bulk materials, industries requiring precise control of material properties after processing, and those involved in testing and verifying material performance.

What types of real-world problems do Materials Engineers solve?

Materials Engineers solve real-world problems such as hardening wear surfaces on gears, ensuring the functionality of lasers under heat, and selecting appropriate materials for 3D printing.

What career opportunities do Materials Engineering graduates have after graduation?

Graduates can work in various industries like aerospace, semiconductors, steel production, medical devices, or governmental agencies. They may also pursue advanced degrees, MBAs, or even attend medical or law school.

How does the School of Materials Engineering provide a hands-on educational approach?

The school offers a supportive learning environment with fundamental principles teaching and practical skill development through laboratory courses and independent research opportunities.

What kind of equipment and platforms do students have access to for their studies?

Students have access to lab classes for casting molten metal, running x-ray diffraction, and using cutting-edge computational materials tools on the world-class nanoHUB platform.

What foundational courses are covered in a sophomore year for Materials Engineering students?

Sophomore year courses include thermodynamics, mechanics, and lab and lecture courses introducing materials engineering.

How does the capstone project for seniors prepare them for their professional careers?

The capstone project is a year-long, industry-sponsored design project that provides real-world knowledge, business writing, networking, presentation skills, and hones problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

What is the student-faculty interaction like in the Materials Engineering program at Purdue?

The program offers a close-knit family atmosphere with faculty doors always open for help and over 50% of undergraduates participating in mentored independent hands-on research.

Outlines

00:00

🔬 Materials Engineering: Innovating the Future

The School of Materials Engineering at Purdue University is dedicated to shaping the next generation of innovators in the field of materials science. The program emphasizes the critical role of materials in all industries, highlighting the importance of materials innovation, such as the development of composite materials for the Boeing Dreamliner. Graduates are highly sought after due to the versatility of materials engineering, which spans from steel production to medical device manufacturing. The curriculum is designed to teach students how to manipulate material properties through processing, understanding the interplay between atomic structure and material performance across various applications. The school also prides itself on its hands-on approach, offering lab courses, independent research opportunities, and a supportive learning environment. Graduates often pursue careers in aerospace, semiconductors, steel production, medical devices, and even government agencies like NASA or the military. The program's practical focus includes a year-long, industry-sponsored design project for seniors, which hones business, networking, and presentation skills, alongside problem-solving and critical thinking. The close-knit community within the department fosters extensive student-faculty interactions, with over 50% of undergraduates participating in research before graduation.

Keywords

💡Innovators

Innovators are individuals who introduce new ideas, devices, or methods. In the context of the video, students at the School of Materials Engineering are prepared to become innovators in their careers, excelling through the development and application of new materials. The script emphasizes the importance of materials innovation in various industries, such as the aerospace industry with the development of composite materials for the Boeing Dreamliner.

💡Materials Engineering

Materials Engineering is a field of engineering focused on the discovery, design, and development of new materials. The video script highlights that graduates from this field are sought after due to the ubiquity of materials in every industry. It underscores the role of materials engineers in controlling the relationship between processing, structure, and properties of materials, which is crucial for advancements in technology and manufacturing.

💡Composite Materials

Composite materials are made from two or more different materials that, when combined, produce a material with characteristics different from the individual components. The script mentions composite materials as an example of materials innovation, specifically referencing their use in enabling the construction of the Boeing Dreamliner, showcasing the impact of materials engineering on modern product development.

💡Processing

Processing in materials engineering refers to the methods and techniques used to manipulate materials into desired shapes, structures, or properties. The script discusses how materials engineers understand and control the processing of materials, which is essential for determining their final properties and applications, such as hardening a wear surface on a gear or choosing materials for 3D printing.

💡Properties

Properties in materials engineering describe the characteristics of a material, such as its electronic, optical, mechanical, and biological attributes. The video emphasizes the importance of understanding and controlling these properties to ensure materials perform as intended in various applications, from steel production to the development of new materials for high-tech devices.

💡Bulk Materials

Bulk materials refer to large quantities of substances like steel, aluminum, or polypropylene that are used in manufacturing. The script mentions that materials engineers are involved in the production of bulk materials, where controlling the properties after processing is crucial for their performance and quality.

💡Characterization

Characterization in materials engineering involves the analysis and measurement of a material's structure and properties. The video script highlights the importance of materials characterization in understanding how the 'stuff' (materials) behaves and performs, which is vital for material selection and failure analysis.

💡Internships

Internships provide students with practical work experience in their field of study. The script mentions that the skills learned in materials engineering courses open up many internship opportunities across various industries, allowing students to gain real-world experience and prepare for their future careers.

💡Capstone Project

A capstone project is a culminating academic task that demonstrates the skills and knowledge acquired during a course of study. The video script describes a year-long, industry-sponsored design project that seniors participate in, which provides them with real-world knowledge and skills, such as business writing, networking, and presentation, that are crucial for their professional success.

💡NanoHUB

NanoHUB is a world-class platform for computational materials tools. The script mentions that sophomores at the School of Materials Engineering use NanoHUB, indicating the integration of advanced computational tools in the curriculum to prepare students for the modern demands of materials engineering.

💡Recycled Polymer

Recycled polymer refers to polymer materials that have been reprocessed for reuse. The script uses the example of recycled polymers being tested for performance in new eyeglass lenses, illustrating the role of materials engineers in evaluating and improving sustainable materials for various applications.

Highlights

The School of Materials Engineering prepares students to be innovators in their careers, emphasizing the importance of materials innovation in various industries.

Materials innovation is crucial in modern industry, as demonstrated by the development of composite materials used in Boeing's Dreamliner.

Materials Engineering graduates are highly sought after, with opportunities in nearly every industry due to the universal need for materials.

Materials are not just catalog items; materials engineers control the relationship between processing, structure, and properties.

Materials engineers play a vital role in industries that require precision in material properties, such as bulk materials (steel, aluminum) and advanced manufacturing (3D printing).

Materials engineers are involved in testing and verifying performance in industries ranging from automotive (race car tires) to eyewear (recycled polymer lenses).

Purdue’s Materials Engineering program offers hands-on learning through lab courses, practical skills development, and independent research opportunities.

The curriculum covers essential courses in thermodynamics, mechanics, materials processing, and characterization, with a focus on real-world applications.

Graduates of Purdue’s Materials Engineering program often find employment in aerospace, semiconductors, steel, medical devices, and even government agencies like NASA.

Many graduates pursue advanced degrees, MBAs, or even careers in medicine or law, leveraging their engineering background in diverse fields.

Purdue's close-knit Materials Engineering community graduates about 50 students per year, fostering strong student-faculty relationships and collaboration.

Over 50% of undergraduates participate in mentored, hands-on research projects, working closely with faculty on cutting-edge materials research.

Senior students engage in industry-sponsored design projects, gaining real-world experience, business writing, networking, and critical thinking skills.

Materials engineers solve critical industry questions, such as selecting materials for specific applications while balancing environmental and financial factors.

The program emphasizes the need for materials engineers in everyday challenges, from improving material performance to troubleshooting failures in real-world applications.

Transcripts

The School of Materials Engineering prepares students to be innovators who excel in their

careers.

Because all things are made from materials, materials innovation is critical in industry.

Just think about the development of composite materials that enabled Boeing to build the

Dreamliner.

Because all things are made from materials, Materials Engineering graduates are sought

after to work in almost any industry.

We like to say that we make the “stuff” that “things” are made from.

Materials are not just things ordered from a catalog, or things that have properties

you can look up in tables, and Materials Engineers know how to control the relationship between

how you process materials, their atomic and microscopic structure, and their properties,

from electronic to optical to mechanical and biological.

Materials engineers are found in the production of bulk materials like steel, aluminum, or

polypropylene.

We are found in industries where the control of properties of materials after processing

is crucial.

How do you harden a wear surface on a gear, ensure the laser works when the system heats

up, or choose the right material to use in that 3D printer?

We’re found in industries that test and verify performance.

How do you know race car tires how will perform on a hot day versus a cold day, or how will

a recycled polymer perform as new eyeglass lenses?

In short, Materials Engineers are present in manufacturing, design, testing, and assessment

of almost anything you’ve used today.

Each year we send our graduates to work in a variety of industries – from aerospace

companies to semiconductor companies from steel producers to medical device companies,

and even governmental agencies like NASA or the United States Military - materials engineers

are in demand!

Many of our graduates go on to pursue advanced engineering degrees, earn an MBA after beginning

their career in industry, and some even attend medical or law school after completing their

undergraduate degree.

Materials Engineering is known for its hands-on educational approach; providing a supportive

learning environment that teaches the fundamental principles of the field, while developing

practical skills through laboratory courses and opportunities for independent research.

We’re a place where you still “make stuff”; it’s real-world materials engineering.

That is why students pick Materials Engineering at Purdue, and why employers return year after

year to get ready-to-work students that have a unique blend of fundamentals and practice.

From lab classes where every student is casting molten metal or running x-ray diffraction,

to having our sophomores using cutting-edge computational materials tools in the world-class

nanoHUB platform, Materials Engineering places an emphasis on processing materials along

with characterization and properties measurements.

How do you get something into the form which you would like to use?

How do you choose the best materials for a particular application while simultaneously

considering environmental, financial and other factors?

What do you do when a material fails?

Materials Engineers are needed to answer these and other important questions in the real

world every single day.

Your sophomore year lays down a foundation for your major with courses in thermodynamics

and mechanics in addition to lab and lecture courses that introduce you to materials engineering.

Junior courses provide greater depth with courses in among others, in addition to laboratory

courses each semester, one in materials processing (how you make stuff) and materials characterization

(probing the structure and properties of the stuff you made).

These skills open up many internship opportunities across industry for the summer.

All seniors participate in a year-long, industry- sponsored design project to gain real-world

knowledge that prepares them to succeed in a rapidly growing and changing profession.

During this capstone project, students gain business writing, networking and presentation

skills and hone problem-solving and critical thinking skills, skills that our industrial

advisory board tells us are crucial for success.

Purdue is a large university, but because Materials Engineering graduates about 50 students

per year it has traditionally provided students with a close-knit family atmosphere where

faculty doors are always open and someone is always willing to help.

Our extensive student-faculty interactions are especially evident in our research activities

where over 50% of our undergraduates participate in mentored independent hands-on research

with our professors before they graduate.

A degree in Materials Engineering is a springboard to an exciting career in engineering.

We are looking forward to you joining Materials Engineering alumni as they pave the way for

new and exciting innovations in Materials Engineering.