2023
A Word from Dr. Chris Cornelius: Chair of Materials Science and Engineering
“In the Iowa State University Department of Materials Science and Engineering, our faculty, students and staff strive to make scientific, engineering and practical breakthroughs impacting many disciplines and people. Our advances in metals, ceramics and polymers are improving the materials we need to tackle and solve the big engineering challenges we face –helping improve the lives of those around us.
Our department is more than just understanding and creating new materials. It is a place where all are welcome to learn, discover and grow – together. Whether our materials engineers are world-recognized researchers already, joining us right out of high school as undergrads or as graduate students looking to advance their careers, we all believe that materials matter, and so do the people that make up our department.
I am proud to share just a few Iowa State Materials Science and Engineering student and faculty stories that continually make our department so great to be a part of today.”
Brad Swan: Finding the right balance between classes, research and family
“After finishing my undergrad studies at Drake University, I headed to industry, living in Minnesota where I met my wife. It was shortly after that when we returned to Iowa to pursue a higher degree. It was there that we started a family, and I became familiar with the MSE program at Iowa State. I knew I had wanted to be in academia; I wanted to teach. I found out quickly that the jobs I was finding were not going to fulfill my passions. I realized I was forgetting that dream I had, of teaching and being in academia.
After reaching out to past professors, I was able to connect with a former Iowa State professor and I am now in Dr. Chris Cornelius’ research group. I wanted to come to the MSE program at Iowa State because my background is in chemistry. The greatest challenge was finding the balance of time between classes, research and family so that I could succeed professionally while still being a devoted father and husband. I was fortunate to find Dr. Cornelius, and he understands the challenges as a father and as an atypical student. It is all about communication and grace when finding the right program. I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of this department and get great support from the faculty and staff.”
Belle Finney: Cutting-edge opportunities at a national lab
“I originally got my bachelor’s degree in chemistry. Over time, I became more interested in metals and materials science rather than the more organic/bio side of chemistry. I chose Iowa State due to the opportunities with Ames National Lab and the metallurgy faculty.
It was nice coming from a smaller college to a department in a larger university that still maintains the support and communication of a smaller college. Working with Iver Anderson has been great; he is responsive no matter how busy he is and is always helpful when solving problems and finding solutions.”
From industry to grad school: Katie O’Donnell found what she was looking for at Iowa State
“After getting my bachelor’s in MSE, I moved into industry, getting a job at a materials testing company. Near the end of my time there, we started to get additive manufactured parts more frequently, which piqued my interest and prompted me to return to grad school. When choosing grad schools, the MSE department at Iowa State specifically really caught my interest after I did a campus visit. I was able to have a discussion with Pete about his research group, which was right in line with what I was looking for and seemed to be interesting, relevant work.
I joined the Collins group immediately on coming to Iowa State, and eventually joined a multi-university research initiative, that is focused on gaining a fundamental understanding of metal additive manufacturing. My research is focused on defects and compositional variations in additively manufactured titanium.”
Katie O’Donnell is a graduate student in Pete Collins’ research group. She comes to Iowa State after working in the industry for three years.Goldwater winner
Nicholas Oldham’s undergrad research provides confidence to pursue passions
Materials engineering sophomore Nicholas Oldham was chosen for the prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship, which is the premier undergraduate scholarship in mathematics, natural sciences and engineering in the U.S. “When I started looking at engineering programs at Iowa State, the MSE department looked really appealing and the interactions I had with them before applying were so good that I really wanted to come here. I wanted something that is science based, but also an intersection of all the things I was interested in. When I came to Iowa State and learned about materials engineering, I realized these people were already doing what I had been doing in my head, thinking about how chemistry interacts with physics.
Research has been incredibly helpful to inform my decisions on my engineering future. The people I have been working with and the grad students in the lab have been amazing in their mentorship and knowledge of performing research and of graduate school. The stepping stone process of building your knowledge is incredibly satisfying, and I cannot understate the influence of all the mentors I have had during my time on campus. Hands-on research and supportive mentorship gave me the confidence to pursue the Goldwater and, after graduation, to pursue a Ph.D. in my passion: sustainable energy materials.”
“My professors and classmates have given me something to look forward to every single day – just by being themselves. There’s no way to quantify the impact I have had on the people around me, but if it’s anywhere close to how they have influenced me, then that is something I am very proud of.”
Georgia Wimmer: Dean’s Student Leadership Award winnerBiomedical innovations:
Shape-changing implants, bioprinted tissues and next-gen adhesives.
Alina Kirillova runs the Active Polymer Materials Lab with the goal of using polymer-based materials for biomedical applications. She is a member of the biomedical engineering (BME) faculty team for the brand-new BME major being offered through MSE and other departments at Iowa State. She has three directions her lab pursues, one of which is shape-changing biodegradable materials for biomedical implants.
“These materials could be used to restore damaged tissues or organs, fix or treat bone fractures and support minimally invasive surgeries,” Kirillova said. “There are limited options for functional, shape-changing biodegradable soft materials, so I would like to build these new polymers with my background in chemistry.”
Another focus is bioprinting for tissue engineering applications. Kirillova said the ultimate goal is to develop new hydrogels to make them mechanically robust enough to bio-print complex tissues and, eventually, organs. Her final focus is advanced adhesives for biomedical applications. One of the directions is developing a “bone glue,” which could help facilitate bone healing and, with it being bioresorbable, wouldn’t stay in a patient’s body indefinitely.
Quantum mechanics and machine learning: Unlocking the secrets of strong and ductile materials
Associate professor Qi An focuses on using quantum mechanics and data-based computational methods to study materials science. In recent studies conducted by An and his team, significant progress was made in the field of ceramics. One of their works focused on improving the ductility of superhard materials. Normally, these materials have high strength but limited plasticity.
“By introducing a small amount of aluminum, we were able to enhance the ductility of a superhard material,” An said. “We developed a machine-learning potential that accurately predicted the atomic interaction and deformation mechanisms of aluminum doped boron carbide. This breakthrough has potential applications in developing materials with both high strength and ductility.”
In another study, they discovered a way to control the motion of dislocations in crystalline materials using an external electric field. This finding unlocks new possibilities for manipulating the properties of crystalline solids and designing nanoscale field-effect devices. These advancements contribute to our understanding of materials science and offer potential avenues for developing innovative materials and technologies.
Intelligent roadmap: Collaborative, cutting-edge methods to create new alloys
Anson Marston Distinguished Professor Duane Johnson and professor Jun Cui have been working together for years, collaborating on finding solutions for real-world problems while improving materials and research processes. “We have been working on designing refractory multi-principal element alloys,” Johnson said. “We spent two years working together building an approach to predict the behaviors of these alloys very quantitatively.”
These alloys developed by Cui and Johnson show enhanced performance at higher temperatures for clean-energy applications. Adding six or seven elements to an alloy and finding the correct combo could take a lifetime, so Johnson has devised an approach that can predict what could actually work on the computer, without having to create each one. He provides a composition of possibilities that Cui then goes into the lab to create.
“Once Johnson provides the composition of space, my team moves in to experimentally explore possibilities,” Cui said. “And once I have my results, we use those to iterate and get closer to the sample that will work and continue to test.” The pair has a few different patent applications for new alloys in the works, and this is just one of many collaborations between the metals faculty at Iowa State.
www.mse.iastate.edu
2240 Hoover Hall | 528 Bissell Road | Ames, IA 50011-2103
Email: mse@iastate.edu | 515 294-1214
Copyright © 2023, Iowa State University of Science and Technology. All rights reserved.
Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Veteran. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to Office of Equal Opportunity, 3410 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, Tel. 515 294-7612, Hotline 515-294-1222, email eooffice@iastate.edu.
