MSE News: Fall 2023

NEWS FALL 2023

ON THE COVER

2 MCF Marks 25 Years

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Welcome Message from the Department Head Dear MSE alumni, students, parents, and friends, As another academic year is underway, I am pleased to share many recent accomplishments of our department’s students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

In May, we celebrated the achievements of our most recent graduates at the MSE Diploma Ceremony. Seeing this new group of MSE alums who are so very bright, determined and excited to start their next chapter after much hard work is always a joyful event. Many of the graduates are continuing their education and moving onto M.S. and Ph.D. programs, while others have chosen to enter the workforce at companies including Pratt & Whitney, Texas Instruments, Microvast, Apple, Intel, Samsung and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to name a few. No matter the path they are on, we know they will do great things with the foundation they received in MSE at CMU. Our MSE faculty and students continue to expand the forefront of materials science research, as evidenced by new multidisciplinary research programs highlighted in this issue of our newsletter, including the NASA Space Technology Research Institute for Model-based Qualification and Certification of Additive Manufacturing led by Professor Tony Rollett. We are also excited to highlight Professors Cohen-Karni’s and Feinberg’s research on self-sustaining bio-actuators within a new Department of Defense Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI), and Professor Pistorius’ research on steel manufacturing decarbonization in collaboration with Professor Valery Karplus in CMU’s Department of Engineering Public Policy. These research initiatives, among others highlighted in this newsletter, showcase the incredible creativity of our faculty, and these programs provide our students unique and rich opportunities to drive cutting-edge science and engineering.

As our students take what they learn from their education into the world as alumni, they continue to innovate in a variety of fields. I think you will enjoy hearing about the incredible achievements of several alumni featured in this newsletter. As I continue to interact with our alumni community at events such as Spring Carnival and the Saltminers’ Dinner, I am impressed by their individual and collective accomplishments and readiness to assist fellow alumni and students. The members of our Alumni Advisory Council featured in this issue highlight the dynamic cross-section of the careers that our graduates pursue. I encourage our alumni to shine a light on their successes within our CMU MSE community, whether by emailing us, mentioning our social media pages, or sharing a post on our LinkedIn Alumni group. By sharing your successes, you inspire our students, the next generation of materials science leaders, to pursue a variety of career and research paths.

Thank you for your ongoing interactions with and commitment to the MSE department at CMU and as another year comes to a close, I wish you all a joyous and happy holiday season and a healthy and prosperous 2024.

Sincerely,

Beth Dickey Teddy & Wilton Hawkins Distinguished Professor and Department Head of Materials Science & Engineering

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Fall 2023 mse.engineering.cmu.edu

02 ON THE COVER

2 MCF Marks 25 Years

RESEARCH 2

Materials Characterization Facility Marks 25 Years

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Improving Patient Care Through Ingestible Sensing Capsules

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Carnegie Mellon to Lead NASA Space Technology Research Institute

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Novel Ferroelectrics for More Efficient Microelectronics

10 Multi-University Team Building Actuators for Next Gen Bio-Bots

12 STUDENTS 12 A Slice of Summer in MSE 14 The International Research Experience for Students PUBLISHER

Department of Materials Science and Engineering EDITOR

Monica Cooney, Communications Manager

16 Undergraduate Research Makes a Full Court Press 18 MSE Students Win Big with Doctoral Research at 3MT Championship 19 Student Honors 20 2023 Diploma Ceremony

21 FACULTY & STAFF 21 Lisa Porter to lead Faculty and Graduate Affairs

WRITERS

Hope Reveche, Bridget Decker, Sarah Bender, Susan Endres, Sara Vaccar, Kaitlyn Landram, Monica Cooney DESIGN

Debra Vieira, Senior Multimedia Designer, College of Engineering

22 Faculty Awards & Recognitions 23 Staff News

24 ALUMNI 24 MSE Alumna Named to Forbes “30 Under 30” in Energy Meet The 2023-24 MSE Alumni Advisory Council 26 Engineering Alumni Double Team Innovation in Sport 28 MSE Alum Earns Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences

Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate in admission, employment, or administration of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap or disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, ancestry, belief, veteran status, or genetic information. Furthermore, Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate and is required not to discriminate in violation of federal, state, or local laws or executive orders.

Inquiries concerning the application of and compliance with this statement should be directed to the university ombudsman, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, telephone 412-268-1018.

Obtain general information about Carnegie Mellon University by calling 412-268-2000.

30 Family, Colleagues Honor Harry Paxton

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RESEARCH

MATERIALS CHARACTERIZATION FACILITY MARKS 25 YEARS In 1998, the Materials Characterization

Throughout its history at the University,

Facility (MCF) at Carnegie Mellon opened

the MCF has stayed at the forefront of

its doors in Roberts Engineering Hall,

materials research, constantly improving

bringing together resources in both X-ray

upon its offerings and technologies

diffraction and microscopy that were not

available, most recently evidenced by its

housed in a centralized location at the

expansion to the second floor of

time. Twenty-five years later, the

Hamerschlag Hall with the addition of a

world-class facility houses a variety of

new X-Ray laboratory. Officially open for

tools for the structural and chemical

faculty and student use in December

characterization of materials and is a

2022, the space formerly housed the

worldwide leader, supporting cutting-

Claire and John Bertucci Nanotechnology

edge research of nearly 60 groups from a

Laboratory, now located in Scott Hall.

wide range of disciplines across the university and enabling enhanced data analysis for researchers in 30 countries.

The MCF X-Ray lab includes two new pieces of equipment*, the Xenocs Xeuss 3.0 SAXS and ZEISS Xradia Crystal CT®, as

One of the primary goals of the materials

well as three X-ray Diffractometers that

science and engineering field is the

had previously been situated on the first

creation of new materials that will

floor of Roberts Hall. The addition of this

perform in a predictable way when they

equipment and updated space allow for

are exposed to external influences. The

further opportunities for partnerships

materials scientist engineers the internal

across disciplines and with industry

material microstructure, so that the

partners.

desired properties and performance can be achieved. The MCF provides a series of state-of-the-art tools that allow researchers to visualize the internal structure of materials at very high spatial resolution, which enables them to understand and eventually improve material behavior.

“The past 25 years have seen a tremendous increase of computerized characterization tools which benefit all MCF users,” said Marc De Graef, Faculty Director of the Materials Characterization Facility.

“This collaborative model, which has been very successful at attracting users from local industry and research labs, will continue to impact local industry by making advanced X-ray characterization capabilities available,” said De Graef.

The Xeuss SAXS 3.0 boasts automation capabilities that include robotic sample handling for high-throughput data acquisition in solution studies and the ability to utilize remote operation.

Additionally, multiple sample holder options are available for powders, solids and gels as well as a multi-refillable capillary holder with temperature control (10°C to 80°C).

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Students work in the MCF in its early days in Roberts Hall.

While offering conventional micro Computed Tomography (CT), the ZEISS Xradia CrystalCT® is a crystallographic imaging system that can transform the way polycrystalline materials, such as metals, alloys, and ceramics can be studied, as it can map larger volumes and a wider variety of sample geometries at higher throughput.

“Researchers can see the internal structure of materials non-destructively with the CrystalCT system,” said MCF Managing Director Betsy Clark. “They can perform an experiment, for instance a heat treatment, and then come back to the instrument to see how the microstructure changed by a simple direct comparison.”

While the MCF provides extensive research support, the equipment available in the facility also offers a range of training opportunities for students across engineering disciplines.

“A student can learn a great deal in this space because X-ray diffraction involves crystallography, microscopy covers imaging, and between the two, you really apply a lot of material sciences concepts on a wide range of equipment,” said Jason Wolf, who held the role of x-ray lab supervisor in the facility from its opening until 2015.

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IMPROVING PATIENT CARE THROUGH INGESTIBLE SENSING CAPSULES

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“THE FUTURE GOAL IS THAT PATIENTS COULD USE THIS DEVICE AT HOME WITHOUT A CLINICIAN ADMINISTERING THE PROCEDURE AND HAVE MORE REAL-TIME, COMPREHENSIVE DATA” -GAURAV BALAKRISHNAN, MSE PH.D. STUDENT For people living with gastrointestinal (GI) conditions

to determine ways in which computational methods

such as Crohn’s disease, the primary route of diagnosis

could be implemented to continue the research.

and ongoing monitoring is endoscopy, an invasive procedure that allows a doctor to view a person’s digestive system and retrieve tissue samples for analysis.

These procedures can be painful and require anesthetics, limiting how frequently they can be performed.

Ingestible sensing capsules that perform diagnostic tasks as they travel through the digestive system are a promising alternative to endoscopic procedures.

While there are currently rigid ingestible diagnostic capsules on the market, a team of researchers in the College of Engineering led by professor of materials science and engineering and biomedical engineering

“It was clear that some of the mathematical models my group is well-versed in, particularly in regards to impedance sensing, could be applied to analyze the experiments that this group was performing,” said Khair. “We utilized and extended these models to successfully interpret this experimental data.”

Persisting beyond these limitations, using polymer and material science, the team worked to adapt electrode devices into a capsule material with both essential mechanical properties and the ability to degrade at the desired rate.

Chris Bettinger, is seeking an option with fewer risks

As one of the few laboratories in the country working

and more convenience through digestible gelatin-

on ingestible medical devices, projects such as

based sensors. Their article “Gelatin-Based Ingestible

this can serve as a template of what opportunities

Impedance Sensor to Evaluate Gastrointestinal Epithelial

are for designing devices with specific application

Barriers,” published in Advanced Materials highlights a

in mind of replacing invasive endoscopies.

model for a potential path forward for this technology.

“The future goal is that patients could use this device at

A person’s GI tract is semi-permeable, and ideally only

home without a clinician administering the procedure

necessary nutrients are absorbed, but with Crohn’s

and have more real-time, comprehensive data,”

and other inflammatory conditions, this barrier can

said Gaurav Balakrishnan, a materials science and

be compromised, causing increased intercellular

engineering Ph.D. student who worked on the project.

dilation. Following an endoscopy, the tissue is imaged to determine whether it is healthy or diseased. Through this group’s work, it is proposed that an ingestible sensor could perform this task by measuring a tissue’s electrochemical properties, or how ions flow within the tissue in response to an electric field.

“The GI tract is a critical organ system that is susceptible to inflammatory disorders that are often difficult to diagnose because of the complex

Not only did the research team bring together students across disciplines in engineering - biomedical, chemical, and materials science- but it also provided undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to collaborate on the project.

Undergraduate chemical engineering student Julie Kim took advantage of the opportunity to be mentored

by Ph.D. students while contributing to the project.

milieu of chemicals in the gut,” said Bettinger, whose

“My time in the lab allowed me not only to gain

research group has led this project. “Ingestible

research skills, but also to explore various aspects of

devices that can measure the physical and electrical

graduate school life and helped me decide that I want

properties of tissue barriers can provide valuable

to continue my studies after graduation,” said Kim.

insight into the progression of certain diseases.”

The path forward for this research is multi-faceted,

While this project was initially conceived in 2019 through

as there are possibilities for replacing other invasive

work in Bettinger’s laboratory, it had to pivot in response

medical procedures associated with chronic conditions,

to COVID restrictions, as students could not conduct their

as well as prototyping a device that is fully wireless and

research in-person. The group sought the expertise of

could eventually communicate with a smartphone.

chemical engineering professor Aditya Khair in order

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RESEARCH

“The STRI affords us an opportunity for a major collaboration through which we can construct the models that our partners at NASA very much need in order to do their work.”

-- Tony Rollett, professor of materials science and engineering

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CARNEGIE MELLON TO LEAD NASA SPACE TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE In space travel, custom parts for vehicles such as

said Rollett. “The STRI affords us an opportunity

rockets and satellites are often needed quickly to

for a major collaboration through which we can

accommodate changes in design, as well as for repair

construct the models that our partners at NASA

and functionality purposes. Additive manufacturing

very much need in order to do their work.”

is an ideal technology to meet these needs, as components can be made through a relatively short cycle of design, build, and test. However, this cycle must be continually refined in order to ensure the quality and reliability of the 3D printed parts.

Over the course of five years, the institute will develop detailed computer models, or digital twins, for additively manufactured parts that have been validated against experimental data, verified against physical mechanisms, and subjected to rigorous

A new NASA Space Technology Research Institute

uncertainty quantification protocols. The models will

(STRI) led by Carnegie Mellon University seeks to

evaluate fatigue response of spaceflight materials

shorten the cycle required to design, manufacture,

that are currently used for 3D printing, as well

and test parts that can withstand the conditions of

as introducing and qualifying new materials.

space travel through the development of models for qualification and certification (Q&C).

First set up in 2016, the overall STRI program aims to strengthen NASA’s ties to the academic community through long-term, sustained investment in research and technology development, while also fostering talent among highly-skilled engineers, scientists, and technologists.

The project outcomes will serve as a vital resource for NASA partners, as the models will enable them to better predict the parts’ performance abilities.

The Institute will also serve as a catalyst for recruiting and training students and post-docs to have a comprehensive understanding of the additive manufacturing Q&C process and be the future leaders in the field. Students from across institutional

The $15 million project, Institute for Model-

partners will be mentored by both STRI team members

based Qualification & Certification of Additive

and NASA researchers throughout the project.

Manufacturing (IMQCAM), will be co-directed by Tony Rollett, a professor of materials science and engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, and Somnath Ghosh, a professor of civil and systems engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

“In order to make a printed product have predictable properties, we need to understand more about what its internal structure is, how it depends on the printing process, and what properties it has,”

MSE faculty members Mohadeseh TaheriMousavi and Bryan Webler, as well as courtesy MSE faculty Sneha Prabha Narra, will also contribute their expertise to the institute.

Additional institutional partners on the project include Vanderbilt University, University of Texas at San Antonio, University of Virginia, Case Western Reserve University, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Southwest Research Institute, and Pratt & Whitney.

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RESEARCH

NOVEL FERROELECTRICS FOR MORE EFFICIENT MICROELECTRONICS When we communicate with others over

allow for the integration of new power-

wireless networks, information is sent

efficient devices for applications such as

to data centers where it is collected,

non-volatile memory, electro-optics, and

stored, processed, and distributed. As

energy harvesting. One of the biggest

computational energy usage continues to

challenges of wurtzite ferroelectrics

grow, it is on pace to potentially become

is that the gap between the electric

the leading source of energy consumption

fields required for operation and the

in this century. Memory and logic are

breakdown field is very small.

physically separated in most modern computers, and therefore the interaction between these two components is very energy intensive in accessing, manipulating, and re-storing data.

“Significant efforts are devoted to increasing this margin, which demands a thorough understanding of the effect of films’ composition, structure, and architecture on the polarization switching ability at practical

MSE faculty member and department

electric fields,” said Carnegie Mellon post-

head, Beth Dickey, is working with

doctoral researcher Sebastian Calderon,

partners at Penn State University to

who is the lead author of the paper.

explore materials that could possibly lead to the integration of the memory directly on top of the transistor. By changing the architecture of the microcircuit, processors could be much more efficient and consume less energy. In addition to creating proximity between these components, the nonvolatile materials studied have the potential to eliminate the need for computer memory systems to be refreshed regularly.

Their recent work published in Science explores materials that are ferroelectric, or have a spontaneous electric polarization that can be reversed by the application of an external electric field. Recently discovered wurtzite ferroelectrics, which are mainly composed of materials that are already incorporated in semiconductor technology for integrated circuits,

The two institutions were brought together to collaborate on this study through the Center for 3D Ferroelectric Microelectronics (3DFeM), which is an Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) program led by Penn State University through funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) office of Basic Energy Science (BES).

MSE MAGAZINE

Carnegie Mellon’s materials science

of interest of this project,” said Jon-Paul

of how such novel ferroelectric materials

and engineering department, led

Maria, professor of materials science and

switch at the atomic level. As research in

by professor Elizabeth Dickey, was

engineering at Penn State University.

this area progresses, the goal is to scale

tapped for this project because of its background in studying the role of the structure of materials in the functional properties at very small scales through electron microscopy.

Together, the research team designed an experiment combining the strong expertise of both institutions on the synthesis, characterization and theoretical modeling of wurtzite

“Professor Dickey’s group brings a

ferroelectrics. By observing and

particular topical expertise in measuring

quantifying real-time polarization

the structure of these materials at very

switching using scanning transmission

small length scales, as well as a focus

electron microscopy (STEM), the study

on the particular electronic materials

resulted in a fundamental understanding

the materials to a size in which they can be used in modern microelectronics.

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RESEARCH

MULTI-UNIVERSITY TEAM BUILDING ACTUATORS FOR NEXT GEN BIO-BOTS Animals have long served as inspiration for robotics. However,

Biohybrid actuators will make it possible for future robots to grow,

many of the mechanical properties, physical capabilities, and

develop, and heal as they operate in the real world. The nature

the behavioral flexibility seen in animals have yet to be achieved

of the material will make them biodegradable and sustainable.

in robotic platforms. Enter biohybrid robotics—artificially engineered structures combined with living bio-systems.

“This research lays the foundation to move these actuators to translation,” said Webster-Wood. “We hope to get living

MSE faculty Adam Feinberg and Tzahi Cohen-Karni, as

muscle-based actuators to the point where they are reliable

well as courtesy appointed faculty member Lining Yao, will

and predictable enough that someone can select one, just

contribute to a team led by Victoria Webster-Wood, assistant

like they would a motor, and put them to use in a robot.”

professor of mechanical engineering to improve the strength, lifespan, and control of biohybrid actuators. Researchers from Northwestern University and The Georgia Institute of Technology will also contribute to the project, supported through a $6.25 million Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) grant from the Department of Defense.

Over the course of five years, the project aims to identify how to combine living materials, protein-based materials, and engineered materials to build larger scale, self-sustaining bio-actuators; understand how to keep these materials alive in a real-world environment, and determine how to leverage computational design strategies to improve peak performance.

“Right now our bio-hybrid robots run around in petri dishes and in sterile incubators,” explained Webster-Wood. “Through this project we hope to leverage our understanding of living muscle to create stronger, more useful muscle-based actuators.”

With support from researchers across labs at the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy, the team intends to keep the idea “how do we move toward translation” at the center of the project to make sure that their work is constantly progressing toward real-world use.

“We are excited to work with this cross disciplinary team to push the boundaries of soft robotics towards new applications, such as bio prosthetics,” said Feinberg. “Our lab will contribute our FRESH 3D bioprinting technology to build muscle tissue and soft materials together into integrated living machines with novel capabilities.”

Additionally, Cohen-Karni’s lab will develop materials and tools to monitor the biohybrid robots’ health and state. Working closely with Rivnay group from Northwestern University, his research group will identify ways to sustain engineered tissues for a prolonged period through locally produced nutrients.

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STUDENTS

A SLICE OF SUMMER IN MSE In materials science and engineering,

designs. Shi hopes to take the lessons

that tie into modeling, testing, and

students and recent graduates took

learned through this experience into her

analyzing the degradation of a key

advantage of a wide variety of experiences

final year of the undergraduate program,

component in Starlink Satellites, which is

over the summer- from internships to

both as she takes on the senior capstone

the battery pack that stores and delivers

research to working in their communities.

project and explores future career

power for the satellites in orbit.

Jessica Shi, a rising senior, spent the

opportunities.

“I built physics-based and empirical models

summer as a Product Designer (PD) at

“The internship was a great opportunity

to simulate the degradation of our battery

Apple in Shanghai, China, where her main

for me to explore this career path and find

pack in the future, and thus inform Starlink

responsibilities included solving design and

my niche in the broad MSE field. I picked

on when and how to deorbit its satellites,”

manufacturing problems.

up many useful skills like CAD, 3D printing,

said Maheshwari.

“I was assigned to a few projects, and my job was to explore the lab equipment and software resources to find creative solutions,” said Shi. Throughout her experience, she had the opportunity to see the inside of products she uses as a consumer and has become acquainted with the employees behind their

and design for manufacturing. I think this is a very helpful experience to have for future research in MSE.”

She hopes to use the skills that she has developed to further explore computational material science, as well as

For Shagun Maheshwari, the opportunity

materials and material properties within

to work at SpaceX has been a long-time

a battery as she returns to campus this

dream that came to fruition this summer.

fall. Maheshwari has been intrigued by

During her time in Redmond, Washington,

the interdependency of various disciplines

Maheshwari worked on several projects

among her colleagues at SpaceX, learning

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that in addition to practicing materials

Cohen was tasked with making sure

development of new materials, through

science, projects may entail employing

individuals know how to use the newly

cutting-edge technology”

electrical engineering, computer science, or

acquired 3D printer located in the Materials

mechanical engineering.

Discovery Platform, which can be utilized

“At SpaceX, your discipline does not define or limit you,” Maheshwari noted. “Even if you don’t currently possess another discipline’s engineering skillset, there is a huge emphasis on learning on the job. This culture and mindset of extreme ownership and being an all-rounded engineer is one I deeply resonate with.”

In addition to pursuing internships among industry and governmental organizations, many students worked on campus, taking on various projects and research. Jared Cohen, who recently completed his MSE undergraduate degree and is working toward a master’s degree in biomedical engineering, collaborated with professor Vincent Sokalski on the operationalization of the Materials Discovery Platform, part of the department’s current space in Doherty Hall, that will be designed to help professors, researchers, and students visualize their crystals with cutting-edge technology.

to make models of molecules and crystals, and a near-infinite array of other objects and tools. Additionally, Cohen developed a program that visualizes the user’s chosen atoms, molecules, and crystals through a state-of-the-art Augmented Reality machine, the Microsoft Hololens 2. He will continue his work on this project alongside

Rising sophomore Sarah Bridgeman also chose to pursue a non-industry path, as she worked as a counselor with the iDTech summer programs. Though she spent most of the summer working at Lake Forest College in Illinois, she also spent time at the University of Michigan and at the GEMS World Academy in Chicago as a visiting instructor.

a senior capstone group during this

In this role, Bridgeman taught 7-12 year

academic year.

olds game design in Roblox Studio and its

“Virtual reality and app development have been unique topics that I have been interested in learning about, due to its applications across disciplines.

programming language, Lua. She chose to pursue this opportunity because of the program’s emphasis on the empowerment of young women in STEM.

However, I figured my knowledge in this

“I’ve gained a love for teaching, so much

field would not grow during my time as

so that I’ve begun considering pursuing

an undergraduate because of my career

academia sometime in the future,” said

path and other priorities,” said Cohen.

Bridgeman.

“Through this project, I was able to achieve a goal of mine, while learning new skills and providing a unique opportunity for students to understand crystallography, a topic integral to material science and the

As these students returned to their studies full-time this fall, they do so with the knowledge gained from these experiences to serve them both in the classroom and as they navigate their career paths.

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THE INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS Eight materials science and engineering students took

“Since the project required a lot of background knowledge

advantage of the opportunity to spend the summer at the

that I didn’t have, I learned to be more efficient with how I

University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom, conducting

did my literature review to try to cover all the bases relevant

research among members of the international community.

to my project,” said Chen. “This experience also boosted my

Through support from the National Science Foundation,

confidence and proficiency in specific fields like crystallography,

students from CMU have had the opportunity to participate

and electrochemistry.”

in International Research Experience for Students (IRES) since 2021, with the last two years held in-person after one year of the program being held remotely.

In addition to expanding their research experiences, students were able to network with leading researchers and peers in the materials science field abroad.

MSE student Eileen Hung had a unique opportunity to

While the program grant is in its final year, its impact is longlasting.

“Students that have participated in the IRES program return to campus with a global understanding of opportunities within materials science, as they’ve enhanced their connection between classroom and real world applications,” said department chair Beth Dickey.

work with University of Sheffield’s School of Management in partnership with their department of materials science. Their research was a life cycle assessment of ceramic tile production in the United Kingdom, which involved breaking down the manufacturing process into its component steps and calculating the energy and CO2/water emissions at each step.

“I now have a greater knowledge base in both ceramics and spreadsheet-based modeling/data manipulation,” said Hung.

“This experience has shown me the different kinds of work that MSE majors have available to them post-graduation, and thus will help me focus my future courses and commitments.”

Junior student Melinda Chen applied for the program because she wanted to gain experience doing hands-on laboratory work with electronic materials for an extended period of time, particularly as she decides whether to pursue a graduate degree.

Her work on characterizing potential lead-free ceramic dielectric materials included synthesizing, processing, and running tests (e.g. X-ray diffraction, capacitance measurements, impedance spectroscopy, scanning slectron microscopy) to identify both the underlying structure of the material as well as its electrical properties.

The students attending this year’s program included (back left to right) Katherine Eisenman, Josiah Shuman, Jay Kunselman, Michael Chen, (front left to right) Melinda Chen, Eileen Hung, Jennifer De La Torre, and Abigail Wong.

MSE MAGAZINE Students toured the Translational Energy Research Centre (TERC), which works to develop green energy solutions for a decarbonized future.

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UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH MAKES A FULL COURT PRESS Multisport courts are used in facilities across the country to

material because of its ability to withstand the mechanically

accommodate a variety of activities, such as soccer, flag football,

demanding environment associated with multisport courts, as

basketball, and pickleball in a single space. These courts typically

well as its ability to be processed into different shapes needed

have many lines indicating various boundaries specific to each

for the various lines.

sport, which can be confusing to participants as they try to determine which lines are meant for their activity. While some facilities are able to use LED lighting to remedy this issue, the costs associated with this option are prohibitive.

An undergraduate materials science and engineering team advised by MSE Professor Vincent Sokalski used their capstone project as an opportunity to demonstrate a more affordable solution to making multisport courts less confusing, creating a model that showcases the feasibility of the idea.

Senior students Alan Gallardo, Kacy Liang, Abby Ngowe, and Justin Ryu used a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) film, which is part of a special class of materials known as electrochromics whose optical properties can be changed by exposure to an electric field, to showcase this approach. PDLC films embedded into a stack of conductive polymer layers allow for its changing from transparent to opaque with the flip of a switch. Traditionally used in privacy glass, the team used this

The capstone class, a requirement for all undergraduates, affords the opportunity for students in their senior year to take what they have learned thus far and apply it to a hands-on learning project.

“This project was the best practical application of classroom taught knowledge obtained from past courses,” said Liang. “For example, we utilized American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards to structure our material tests and conducted tensile testing on the Instron, a machine we used in a previous lab course.”

Using a compression test apparatus, the group found that PDLC fails when pressure exceeds about 7000 psi - far more pressure than the court’s typical use would be exposed to. The team also examined the change in optical properties as the material was exposed to more force, as well as the impact on opacity when stacking layers of the material.

MSE MAGAZINE

“THIS PROJECT WAS THE BEST PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF CLASSROOM TAUGHT KNOWLEDGE OBTAINED FROM PAST COURSES.” - KACY LIANG, MSE’23

Following these initial tests, the group members developed a two-court version prototype that had basketball court dimensions scaled to an NBA court, as well as a pickleball court.

Using maple hardwood along with PDLC film lines connected to a battery, the model examined the differences between one and two layers of PDLC. “This experience taught me about the high-level planning that is required to bring a project from ideation to execution,” said Ngowe. “It helped me advance my skills in setting long-term and short-term deliverables that would resemble those encountered in a professional environment.”

Lastly, the group conducted a feasibility study reviewing patent novelty, environmental impact, installation, maintenance and cost considerations. They proposed developing a mold for the line shapes and dimensions in order to contain costs and covering with polyurethane and wax to best maintain the lines over time.

Participating in the capstone course effectively prepares students for their next step after completing their degree, whether it is in continuing their education or entering the workforce.

“It is important for undergraduates to gain experience working with peers in a project setting to build effective and productive mindsets and habits that will prepare them for whatever professional endeavors they choose to take,” said Gallardo.

This project will continue to be further developed as future capstone classes work with faculty to identify solutions that have potential for real world application.

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MSE STUDENTS WIN BIG WITH DOCTORAL RESEARCH AT 3MT CHAMPIONSHIP Eight doctoral students explained their complex research and

second consecutive year. By participating, he hopes to inspire the

its importance in under three minutes during the championship

audience with the knowledge that failure is a part of research.

round of Carnegie Mellon University’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition was held in the Spring 2023 semester. Of the eight finalists, three were MSE students. Of the eight finalists, three were Materials Science and Engineering students.

“Research doesn’t involve solving things that are easy,” said Karra, who opened his presentation by highlighting the victims of the 1986 Challenger Space Shuttle breakup, including CMU alumna Judith A. Resnik, before diving into his work with new

First place overall, as well as the People’s Choice Award—selected

materials for space technology. “The process is about engaging

by the audience in the theater—was awarded to MSE’s Durva Naik.

with things that are difficult, that don’t work, and trying to

Naik is researching devices to slowly dispense medication from the

understand why they are failing and how to make them succeed.”

villi of the small intestine. She said that the biggest challenge she

After attending last year’s 3MT Championship as part of the

overcame when writing her award-winning speech was choosing

audience, MSE Ph.D. student Yingqiao Wang also participated in

language that was simple enough for a general audience to

the championships, highlighting the use of light and nanomaterial

understand—while still conveying the importance of her work.

to control the brain, in place of bulky bioelectronic implants.

“Not many people even know about intestinal villi,” she

The 3MT event, which is in its eighth year at Carnegie Mellon,

said. “Knowing that people don’t know about it, I had to

started at the University of Queensland in 2008 and has

find a way to work it into the presentation. I wanted the

been adopted by over 900 universities across more than

audience to walk away understanding why these devices

85 countries worldwide. Helen and Henry Posner, Jr. Dean

are going to completely transform the medical industry.”

of the University Libraries Keith Webster, who brought

Amaranth Karra of MSE was selected as the Alumni Choice Award winner by online votes from alumni watching the livestream for the

the competition to CMU, served as host of the finals.

MSE MAGAZINE

STUDENT HONORS

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MSE Students Earn Honors at TMS Meetings A CMU team that included Lukas Glist, Phylicia Ma, Chase Guida, and Nicholas Lamprinakos placed second in the Materials Bowl competition held at The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS) annual meeting in San Diego.

Ph.D. candidate Rajib Halder earned second place in The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS) Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) Student Poster Contest for his presentation of “Mechanical Anisotropy of Additively Made Ti64 Wall Explained via Texture and Simulated using VPSC.” 15th Annual Graduate Student Symposium In April, the Graduate Student Advisory Committee (GSAC) hosted its 15th Annual Student Symposium, featuring technical talks, a poster session, and a keynote address from alumna Michelle Wolf (BS ‘14).

Congratulations to this year’s winners: Technical Talks - First place: Katrina Ramirez-Meyers; Second place: Gaurav Balakrishnan and Srujana Rao Yarasi (tie); Third place: Ayesha Abdullah; People’s choice award: Ayesha Abdullah Ph.D. Poster presentations - First place: Junwon Seo; Second place: Evan Adcock; Third place: Inkyu Lee; People’s choice award: Amaranth Karra Masters’ Poster presentations - First place: Bozhong Zhuang & Aditya Rohan Narra (tie); People’s choice: Nattavipa (Cindy) Chongvimansin MSE student Zipeng Xu, who was recognized by the American Ceramic Society as a Diamond Awardee at the Graduate Excellence in Materials Science (GEMS) Awards during the Fall MS&T Meeting.

Student Capstone Project Recognized by TechSpark Rohan Parekh and Jerry Su, received the “Best Design Award” at the TechSpark Engineering Exposition for their presentation of their group’s capstone project, “Characterizing of Fiberglass length and Mechanical Properties of 20% Glass-Filled Polycarbonate Materials.” The team tested Covestro Medical Glass-Filled Polycarbonate (GFPC), known as Makrolon®, with the goal of gathering more mechanical property data in order to provide recommendations on how to fine tune the way they process and implement GFPC into their future products.

CMU Paper Earns AIST Honors Ph.D. student Panwen Su (and advisor Chris Pistorius) won the Ladle and Secondary Refining best paper award from the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST).

20

STUDENTS

2023 DIPLOMA CEREMONY The William W. Mullins Undergraduate Award Rohan Parekh Hubert I. Aaronson Undergraduate Award Ziyao Luo James W. Kirkpatrick and Jean Kirkpatrick Keelan Scholarship Mia Ritter William T. Lankford Jr. Memorial Scholarship Terry Feng ASM Outstanding Senior Matthew Frame ​​Award for Research Excellence in the Masters Program Yi Yang The Paxton Award for Best Doctoral Dissertation Materials Science and Engineering Maria Stang

MSE MAGAZINE

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LISA PORTER TO LEAD FACULTY AND GRADUATE AFFAIRS Lisa Porter came to Carnegie Mellon as

service to societies and conferences has

an assistant professor of materials science

strengthened scientific programs central

and engineering in 1997. Since that time,

to the electronic materials community.

she has amassed a record of consistent and high-level achievement as a teacher, advisor, mentor, and researcher. n August, she added college administrator to that list when she became Associate Dean for Faculty and Graduate Affairs for the College of Engineering.

Her research on the processing and properties of metal-semiconductor contacts and interfaces in wide bandgap semiconductors is internationally recognized. The impact of her work is evidenced in many ways, such as through more than 60 invited presentations and

In her new role, Porter will provide

seminars, a keynote and a plenary talk,

strategic direction and manage matters

two patents, and as a sought-after author

related to graduate students, postdoctoral

for her comprehensive review articles.

fellows, and faculty in the college.

Bill Sanders, dean of the College of Engineering and Elias Towe, professor of materials science and engineering

Her many honors and awards include

and electrical and computer

Dean Bill Sanders said, “Lisa is an

a National Science Foundation Career

engineering were among the

exceptionally thoughtful and effective

Award, Visiting Professor for Women in

124 new members inducted

leader who has built strong working

the Engineering Sciences awarded by

into the National Academy of

relationships across campus and has

the Swedish Research Council, and the

Engineering (NAE) during their

demonstrated exceptional commitment

Carnegie Mellon Order of the May.

annual meeting.

Lisa will fill the position that was

NAE members are elected by

previously held by Shelly Anna, professor

their peers, and membership is

She led the 2012 ABET accreditation

of chemical engineering, who was recently

one of the highest professional

process for the Materials Science and

selected as the new vice provost for

honors accorded an engineer.

Engineering Department, represented the

faculty.

Members have distinguished

to Carnegie Mellon and the broader academic community.”

College of Engineering as faculty chair, and served on numerous other committees including having served as chair of the University Faculty Review Committee.

“A large and impressive group of candidates were nominated for this important position, which is an undeniable indication of the strength and vibrancy

She is a fellow, active member, and

of our college,” remarked Sanders, who

past president of the American Vacuum

added that he was grateful for the search

Society. She has been elected to

advisory committee who rose to the

numerous positions for the Electronic

challenging task of narrowing the pool of

Materials Conference, most recently

nominees to a group of highly qualified

as conference chair. Her two decades

finalists.

of continuous, extensive professional

themselves in business and academic management, in technical positions, as university faculty, and as leaders in government and private engineering organizations

22

FACULTY

FACULTY AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS Pistorius Collaborates on Decarbonization Initiatives

a course, innovating new materials, or exploring a new

Chris Pistorius and colleagues were awarded a $1.5 million

pedagogical approach. Through her award, Krause will expand

grant from the National Science Foundation Partnerships

the learning objectives of a junior-level core MSE course,

for International Research and Education. With this money,

“Microstructure & Properties I,” in order to further support

they have created the Industrial Decarbonization Analysis,

students in developing their creative problem-solving skills.

Benchmarking, and Action (INDABA) partnership which aims to accelerate industrial decarbonization on both a regional and global scale.

Pistorius, along with Valerie Karplus (Engineering and Public Policy), will also lead a $3.1 million grant from the Department of Energy in partnership with United States Steel Corpoartion, Nucor, and Purdue University Northwest aimed at decarbonizing the steel industry. The project “Scaling Hydrogen-Direct Reduced Iron Pathways to Decarbonize Iron and Steelmaking” will explore a hydrogen-based system for eliminating the process emissions involved in reducing iron ore into direct reduced iron (DRI)—a key feedstock in zero-carbon steel production.

Feinberg Lab Joins International Heart Disease Research Collaboration Adam Feinberg and his international colleagues have been awarded $23.6 million by the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund Transformation program to develop cutting-edge regenerative therapies for heart disease.

Feinberg’s contribution focuses on 3D-bioprinting a functional heart, and in total, 22 leading laboratories will be involved in the effort across 10 research institutions in four countries (Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel).

Rollett Earns International Honors Tony Rollett received the International Freeform and Additive Manufacturing Excellence (FAME) Award sponsored by the International Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium at their annual gathering in Austin, Texas. This significant accomplishment recognizes outstanding contributions to the field in additive manufacturing.

Krause Selected as Wimmer Faculty Fellow Mandie Krause was awarded one of four Wimmer fellowships for the 2023-24 academic year by the Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence and Educational Innovation. The program, supported by a grant from the Wimmer Family Foundation, is given to junior faculty members interested in enhancing their teaching through concentrated work designing or redesigning

MSE MAGAZINE

FACULTY NEWS & PROMOTIONS Marc DeGraef has been named the John and Claire Bertucci Distinguished Professor in Engineering.

Tzahi Cohen Karni has been promoted to professor.

Department Head Elizabeth Dickey received the Robert B. Sosman Award, the highest recognition of scientific accomplishment given by the American Ceramic Society Basic Science Division. The award recognizes outstanding achievement in basic science of an area that results in a significant impact to the field of ceramics.

Amanda Krause, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, has been awarded a five-year National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER grant for her research in ceramic materials. Her work investigates the process in which grains, microscopic crystals that compose most ceramics, grow in high temperature conditions. Grain size is important for controlling material properties such as crack resistance, which is needed to improve the performance and lifetime of high-tech devices like airplane engines and microprocessors. A better

WELCOME TO OUR NEW STAFF MEMBERS IN MSE! Annie Brinkerhoff, Office Manager Reed Hoffmeier, Facilities Coordinator

understanding of grain growth processes when heated

Andrew Nickischer, Materials

will help develop newer and more effective processing

Characterization Facilities Specialist

methods for ceramics and hopefully yield tougher and more reliable products. Krause’s research also focuses on building a creative workforce via educational programs, both for engineering and pre-collegiate students. The aim of this outreach is to spark divergent thinking and offer interdisciplinary training that will create innovative ceramic engineers that are capable of solving future materials challenges.

Neal Lewis, Materials Characterization Facilities Specialist

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24

MSE ALUMNA NAMED TO FORBES “30 UNDER 30” IN ENERGY

MEET THE 2023 MSE ALUMNI ADVISORY COUNCIL

Forbes recently named Olivia Dippo BME/MSE ’15 to its 30 Under 30 in Energy list for her innovative developments as CEO and co-founder of Limelight Steel.

Dippo recalls how her undergraduate Introduction to Materials Science class combined “hands-on lab experience with the theory to understand how atomic-scale phenomena affected human-scale materials behavior.”

After gaining an initial interest in steel and metallurgy from her professors and Pittsburgh’s rich history, she joined professor Tony Rollett’s lab. She credits him with being an encouraging mentor who inspired her to follow in his footsteps and secure a job at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Dippo and her co-founder and friend, Andy Zhao, discussed their initial ideas for Limelight Steel at weekly meetups over coffee.

Together, their expertise in their respective fields allowed them to realize they had a solution for lowering CO2 emissions in the iron and steel industry by targeting the blast furnace that is currently used for steelmaking. The current method is responsible for 8-10% of global CO2

The MSE Alumni Advisory Council is composed of

emissions, a number Dippo hopes to reduce to zero in the future.

approximately 8-10 alumni from our department.

“Steel demand continues to grow as the world continues to industrialize, so it’s imperative that we decouple the steel that’s used for infrastructure, automobiles, and so many more applications in our daily lives, from CO2 emissions,” Dippo says.

Limelight Steel’s laser furnace technology uses approximately 40% less

Each member serves a three-year term. The council provides a forum for dialogue between our alumni, students, faculty, and staff, and is intended to create mechanisms for our students to benefit from the experience of our alumni in industry, government, and academia. If you are interested in connecting with MSE alumni, we invite you to join our “Carnegie Mellon University Materials Science & Engineering Alumni” group on LinkedIn.

energy than current methods

2023 council members include: (L-R Back row) Morgan

and does not use fossil fuels,

Trexler (BS ’03), Miles Hinderliter (BS ’02), James Rogers

creating almost no emissions

(BS ‘07), Bill Slye (BS ‘92, MS ‘95, Ph.D. ‘00), Sean

at all. Dippo believes that

Donegan (BS ’10, MS ’11, Ph.D. ’13), Michelle Wolf (BS

through her company’s

‘14) (L-R Front Row) Matthew Willard (BS ’96, MS ’97,

efforts, they will contribute

Ph.D. ’00), Craig Hillman (BS ’91), Lisa Salley (BS ’87)

to keeping the planet a clean and habitable place.

Not pictured: Ankur Gupta (BS, MS ‘10)

MSE MAGAZINE

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B ARR Y GOR D ON M SE ’69, ’71 As a student, Barry enjoyed the subject of corrosion science. He graduated top of his class.

Accomplished in his field, he has been chosen as a Fellow in the National Association of Corrosion Engineers.

Barry and his wife Aldene have created a lasting legacy at Carnegie Mellon through a gift in their estate plan that will provide scholarship support to undergraduate students in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in perpetuity.

The couple have also created a second scholarship in the School of Drama because of their love of the arts.

Barry serves as the Carnegie Mellon University Admission Council chairperson, where he often reflects on the rewards and demands of a Carnegie Mellon education.

Barry and Aldene enjoy competitive cycling. They organize the Cat’s Hill Classic race in Los Gatos, CA each year.

G I VE S T RAT E G I CALLY , S U PPORT G E NE ROU SLY. Learn how easy it is to achieve your philanthropic vision through a planned gift by visiting giftplanning.cmu.edu.

Contact the Office of Gift Planning today at 412.268.5346 or askjoebull@andrew.cmu.edu.

26

ALUMNI

ENGINEERING ALUMNI DOUBLE TEAM INNOVATION IN SPORT One of the most common complaints among consumers

Mississippi at the time. Nadine and Dave quickly became

who purchase and use inflatable balls is that they

acquainted and continued to connect sport to their

inevitably go flat. An airless solution to remedy this

work as they followed similar trajectories in their Ph.D.

issue in basketballs is in progress with two Carnegie

programs, international internships and fellowships, and

Mellon materials science and biomedical engineering

published research, and eventually married in 2017.

alumni at the forefront of its development.

They most recently collaborated on a prototype

As students, Nadine Lippa and Dave Krzeminski

of Wilson’s 3-D printed basketball that debuted at

relied on their interest in sport to keep them balanced

this year’s NBA all-star Dunk Contest. Lippa, who is

as they pursued their degrees. Nadine spent one

currently innovation manager at Wilson Sporting

year on the women’s soccer team as a walk-on,

Goods says the project initially launched in 2018

was a buggy pusher for PIKA for four years, and

in response to three issues faced by Wilson and its

took up trail running and yoga, while Dave was a

consumers: consistency in play that is impacted by ball

member of the men’s swimming team, capturing

inflation, sustainability, and production limitations.

the NCAA title for 200-yard butterfly in 2007.

From a sustainability perspective, an airless basketball

Despite the fact that their time as students in MSE

has many benefits. There is less waste with its

overlapped, it wasn’t until after they had graduated

production via additive manufacturing, as only one

that they were able to connect thanks to professor

material is used to create this ball, as opposed to many

Mike McHenry. Nadine saw McHenry during Carnival

materials procured globally in a conventional basketball.

weekend after she had graduated and inquired if

Its ability to be produced anywhere with 3-D printing

he knew of anyone working in the area of sports

capability reduces shipping costs, further contributing

materials engineering.

to environmental impact. From a business perspective,

“The combination of MSE and BME really set the stage to go into sports engineering,” said Lippa. “The electives

making basketballs through additive manufacturing reduces lead times and order fulfillment can take place in a more real-time fashion, eliminating supply chain issues currently encountered by limited production sites.

that fell between those two

While the final product may appear as though it

majors, such as studying

was easy to make, it took years of testing to find

physiology with Dr. Campbell,

the right material for the airless basketball.

along with my MSE base, made me well-rounded going into my career.”

McHenry provided an introduction to Dave, who was completing his Ph.D. at University of Southern

“We faced the challenge of the interplay between the mechanical design and the material of the ball, as it needed to be soft enough to catch, but also capable of bouncing,” said Lippa.

She and her team at Wilson reconnected with EOS during COVID shutdowns when other aspects of business slowed down and identified a material

MSE MAGAZINE

that matched the specifications ultimately used in

pursuits, particularly as the project involved multiple

the prototype - a material that was not yet available

iterations before landing on a prototype that

when the project was initially conceived.

could meet all of the required specifications.

“There’s a lot of intricacy that went into printing an

“Unless you’re unbelievably lucky, you have

object that’s completely spherical and performs

to learn to respond quickly amidst failure

equally in every direction at all times,” said

and adversity,” said Krzeminski, as he likened

Krzeminski. “It took a lot of engineering of not just

experiences as an athlete and a researcher.

the powder material, but also of the process, in order for the latticed design to serve its purpose.”

While the prototype had a successful launch earlier this year, the overall project is still in progress as the

While some digital testing was possible, testing various

design is further refined and Wilson hopes to have a

outcomes by printing samples was necessary in order

small batch release in 2024 through which they can

to understand if the basketball was acting as it was

gather more user insights. The airless basketball is

intended. From there, the team had to weigh several

just one of several projects that Lippa is working on at

factors from performance to economics to translating

Wilson to reinvent inflatable ball sports. Additionally,

athlete feedback into technical engineering action.

Dave is involved with other sporting goods, medical

The mentality required by their athletic endeavors has transferred to their academic and professional

devices, and sustainable energy companies using both polymer and metal additive manufacturing.

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28

ALUMNI

MSE ALUM EARNS BREAKTHROUGH PRIZE IN LIFE SCIENCES “CLIFF IS AN EXTREMELY CREATIVE PERSON. HIS CREATIVITY IS JUST AT SUCH AN EXTREMELY HIGH LEVEL, AND THAT REALLY SEPARATES HIM FROM SO MANY PEOPLE.” PHIL LEDUC, PROFESSOR OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AND FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR THE MECHANICS AND ENGINEERING OF CELLULAR SYSTEMS

journey that started in the humanities

though it is a core concept in material

at Carnegie Mellon led alumnus

science and engineering. Brangwynne

Cliff Brangwynne (MSE ’01) to discover

compares it to water condensing on a

and elucidate a cellular process with the

cold glass of iced tea on a humid summer

potential to revolutionize treatments for

day, or rain forming in the atmosphere.

neurodegenerative diseases like ALS,

In both cases, the water molecules

among other clinical applications.

existed in the air as a gas or vapor before

Brangwynne’s discovery—that living cells

undergoing phase transition into a liquid.

organize not just through structures defined

But instead of water molecules, Brangwynne

by membranes, but also through liquid-liquid

discovered biomolecules condensing into

phase separation—was published in Science

liquid-like droplets distinct from the watery

in 2009. That paper gained traction over the

buffer that surrounded them inside the cell.

years with more scientists recognizing its significance, and this year Brangwynne and co-author Anthony Hyman were awarded a $3 million Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, the world’s largest science awards.

“I am very fortunate to have been able to work with fantastic collaborators to found this new field,” Brangwynne said, referring to his former colleagues at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and

Often likened to the way oil and water

Genetics and his more recent collaborators

refuse to mix, phase separation had not

and trainees at Princeton University.

previously been associated with cell biology,

The field has continued to expand as

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“PEOPLE GET EXCITED AND INSPIRED BY WHAT CAN BE DONE IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING. AND I’M REALLY EXCITED AND VERY HAPPY TO PLAY MY PART IN THAT.” - CLIFF BRANGWYNNE, MSE’01 more researchers explore the discovery’s

and nurses” in the Boston area before

engineering in materials, and living cells

implications in different contexts. “I’ve had

becoming a first-generation college student

and living materials,” Brangwynne said.

a very front row seat in something that has

unsure of what to study. Now a professor

grown much bigger than what any set of

of chemical and biological engineering at

individuals can do. And that’s really amazing

Princeton University and the director of

to see, to watch that grow and evolve.”

the Princeton Bioengineering Initiative, he

According to the Breakthrough Prize announcement, “Their discovery is a fundamental advance in our understanding

said he began questioning the material make-up of living cells as an undergraduate at Carnegie Mellon University.

He encourages Carnegie Mellon students to seek their own paths. “I think you have to be a little bit bold and brave maybe, and follow your heart and your interests even if they don’t necessarily make perfect sense to everyone else,” he said.

Making an impact

of cellular organization, and is likely to lead

He didn’t know he would eventually pursue

to clinical applications in the future, including

engineering—as a first-year student, he

Brangwynne hopes his research will have a

for neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS.”

was vaguely interested in psychology,

broader impact than its direct findings would

Spanish, and biology. He decided to take

suggest, by encouraging other people to

the Introduction to Materials course solely

explore new connections across disciplines.

Phil LeDuc, a Carnegie Mellon professor of mechanical engineering and founding director of the Center for the Mechanics and Engineering of Cellular Systems, said Brangwynne “absolutely, totally deserved” the Breakthrough Prize for advancing thought on how cells organize themselves.

A layperson might think of cells as being like a soup filled with a few noodles, “but it’s more like a jungle,” LeDuc said. Despite having such a packed environment, cells can function efficiently with organizational mechanisms including phase separation.

because of an interesting conversation he had as a high schooler with an acquaintance who happened to be a materials science and engineering (MSE) graduate student at MIT. Brangwynne was quickly drawn into the MSE discipline; however, he took an unusual path.

Even while majoring in MSE, he minored in physics and worked in a lab conducting biology research under associate professor Fred Lanni at the Mellon Institute during his

As for the Breakthrough Prize, Brangwynne said he was “incredibly honored and humbled” to receive it. One of the best things about such recognition is that it raises the profile of science, he said.

“People get excited and inspired by what can be done in science and engineering. And I’m really excited and very happy to play my part in that because it’s important,” he said.

second semester and the following summer.

LeDuc said Brangwynne’s impact goes

Brangwynne decided to take a year off of

beyond the science. The two first met

Before Brangwynne’s work, LeDuc said

college after his sophomore year and ended

at Harvard where LeDuc was a postdoc

very few people were connecting the two

up spending much of that time working in a

at the same time Brangwynne took

concepts. “He’s defined an area inside of

Harvard lab that grew his interest in cells.

his gap year to work in the lab.

At first, Brangwynne’s MSE coursework

“There is something beautiful when a

didn’t seem to have any connections with

scientist of this extremely high talent level

the biology research he was conducting.

is also a wonderful person,” LeDuc said.

He said in many ways his career has been

“Particularly to me at Carnegie Mellon where

about trying to bridge the two disciplines,

we tremendously, highly value people as

and “it all started at Carnegie Mellon.”

well as their science, that makes him a

(the field) that’s super powerful and also has really taken it to some really fantastic levels of thinking,” LeDuc said, adding, “Cliff is an extremely creative person. His creativity is just at such an extremely high level, and that really separates him from so many people.”

A unique path

“I’m excited about seeing the intersection

Brangwynne grew up in a working-class

of those two areas—the thinking about

family full of “plumbers, painters, electricians,

materials and the science and physics and

wonderful alumnus. He can do the science at an extremely high level, but he also affects lots of people in a very positive way.”

30

ALUMNI

“Teaching for him was not work; it was love.

Science was a love of his. He always said, ‘I was just lucky to find something that I love doing.’”

-Sally Paxton, daughter of Harry Paxton

Pictured: Harry Paxton, with his wife Ann.

MSE MAGAZINE

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FAMILY, COLLEAGUES HONOR HARRY PAXTON For Sally Paxton, creating a scholarship honoring her late father means so much more than a financial commitment; it represents giving students an opportunity to do something they couldn’t otherwise do.

“I think Dad would have loved it,” she said, fondly.

The endowed scholarship, created in her

could work towards that,” she said.

Chris Magee (MSE ‘62, ‘65, ‘67) was also inspired

by Paxton, who was his advisor during his time at CMU. Magee has established an endowed graduate fellowship to recognize Paxton’s contributions to the field of metallurgy, the university, and to his students.

father Harry Paxton’s name, works to

“He had an influence on my interest in the entire

increase diversity among undergraduates in

process of technological change,” Magee said. “He

materials science and engineering (MSE).

always had an interest in the full range from science

“I was given every opportunity to do whatever I wanted,

to invention to very practical engineering.”

and what I hope to do with the scholarship, in some way,

Sally said the family was “incredibly touched” when

is to open up that opportunity for others,” Sally said. “I

Magee established the fellowship in her father’s name.

would love it if people would look at my dad’s life and understand more of what he stood for. And if that’s inspirational to them, that would be incredibly rewarding.”

Harry Paxton was an integral part of the Carnegie Mellon University community for nearly 70 years.

Paxton began his career at CMU (formerly Carnegie Tech) in 1953 as an assistant professor of metallurgical engineering. Later, he served as head of the MSE

Magee also noted how Paxton was talented at seeing the complexity within a variety of research endeavors and projects.

“He never lost sight of the fact that to really change the world, it takes a lot,” he said. “That was important for me to learn because I always wanted to make a practical difference, as well as a scientific difference.”

department and director of the Metals Research

He hopes that by awarding a fellowship to MSE

Laboratory. He retired from active teaching in 1994

graduate students in Paxton’s name, his legacy

and was named a University Professor, the highest

will not only inspire recipients, but also motivate

designation a faculty member can receive at CMU.

them to engage in quality education.

Paxton was internationally recognized in the field

Sally said she first got the idea to establish an

of metallurgy and served as an industry consultant,

undergraduate scholarship from her father himself, as

visiting professor at Imperial College in London and

he had created one in his wife’s name in CMU’s College

the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a

of Fine Arts, a program of which she was a graduate.

co-author of the book, Alloying Elements in Steel.

“I thought that I should set up a scholarship that

“One of the things that always struck me is that

honors my father and honors the way he wanted

Dad was endlessly curious,” Sally said. “He always

science to include more people,” Sally said.

wanted to understand something. He read a lot; he thought a lot about issues that were much broader than his scope of metals and material science.”

In addition to his accomplishments, Sally said her father was always able to see the big picture.

“He really saw how the work that he was doing fit into the greater good and how he

She emphasized the importance CMU held both within her parents’ lives and her own.

“He did some other things, but he always came back to CMU,” she said. “Teaching for him was not work; it was love. Science was a love of his. He always said, ‘I was just lucky to find something that I love doing.’”

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Mark your calendars now for next year’s Carnival Weekend!

April 12-14, 2024 More details on the full Carnival Weekend schedule are available at cmu.edu/carnival.

It was great to resume the tradition of our MSE deck party during this year’s Carnival Weekend.

Thank you to our alumni who joined us. We hope you enjoyed reconnecting with your fellow alumni as well as MSE faculty and staff.

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SAVE THE DATE FOR GIVING CMU DAY 2023: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28 Giving CMU Day is 24 hours of generosity in which the CMU community comes together to support the areas of CMU that mean the most to them. Students, alumni, parents, faculty and staff and friends give, share the excitement of the day on social media, and see their impact multiplied through Giving CMU Day-exclusive matches and challenges.

We hope you will join us in supporting MSE on this important day! givingcmuday.cmu.edu

SUPPORT THE MSE STUDENT IMPACT FUND We pride ourselves in giving students a hands-on learning experience by training them on cutting-edge equipment and offering a wide range of opportunities for professional development. Your gift to the MSE Student Impact Fund helps the department maintain important instruments, invest in state-of-the-art equipment, upgrade essential software, and facilitate participation in conferences—giving our students a competitive advantage in their field.

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