• Some special topics of interest are composites, inorganic-organic hybrids, nanocomposites, organic optoelectronics, and, in relation to the structure of materials, the investigation of grain boundaries, surfaces and structural defects. Also studied are materials synthesis and processing and solid state reactions in model systems. Many faculty are involved in electronic packaging. Numerous interactions exist with other fields at Cornell.
  • The Learning Goals of the Materials Science and Engineering Ph.D. program reflect the exceptionally interdisciplinary nature of the program. The essential goal is to train candidates to be able to execute original research in Materials Science and Engineering at a world-class level. This implies that they master the fundamentals of all core materials science and engineering topics, develop in-depth understanding of the topics that are central to their research, synthesizing knowledge from different areas, and take the course-based knowledge to the research level. Here, with guidance from their mentors and peers, they apply their knowledge to solve problems of fundamental or practical interest. In addition to becoming a world expert in the area of their dissertation topics, the candidates will be prepared for a career as a professional scientist/engineer, with all the flexibility that that implies.