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Materials Science and
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Core Faculty
TMI's core faculty lead cutting-edge research by running their grants through the institute, fostering collaboration and resource sharing.
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Graduate Program
Our Materials Science and Engineering program is one of the best in the nation, and our graduates go on to be leaders in their fields.
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Research
TMI supports interdisciplinary research at UT Austin, with over 100 faculty focusing on clean energy, nanotechnology, and advanced materials using our state-of-the-art facilities.
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Why Your Headphone Battery Doesn’t Last
AUSTIN, Texas — Ever notice that batteries in electronics don’t last as long as they did when they were brand new?
An international research team led by The University of Texas at Austin took on this well-known battery challenge, called degradation, with a twist. They’re focusing their work on real-world technology that many of us use daily: wireless earbuds. They deployed X-ray, infrared and other imaging technologies to understand the complexities of all the technology packed in these tiny devices and learn why their battery lives erode over time.
ME Advisor of the Year Award Recognizes Tanya Hutter
At the recent Mechanical Engineering faculty meeting, the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Student Board (MEGSB) awarded the Advisor of the Year honor to Tanya Hutter. This recognition highlights her exceptional mentorship and support of graduate students.
Dr. Zachariah A. Page Receives Presidential Early Career Award (PECASE)
Dr. Zachariah A. Page has been awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), one of the highest honors for early-career scientists. Announced by President Joe Biden on January 14, 2025, the award celebrates Dr. Page’s innovative research in chemistry, along with his continued exploration in the broad fields of macromolecular synthesis and materials science.
2025 Hill Prize in Physical Sciences: James Chelikowsky
Chelikowsky, who is a professor of physics, chemical engineering and part of the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, has been awarded the 2025 Hill Prize in Physical Sciences for his innovative approach to designing and discovering permanent magnets.
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Texas Materials Seminar Series
The Texas Materials Seminar Series features MSE 397 Seminars, TMI Distinguished Lectureships, and TMI Special Seminars, where leading faculty and professionals from around the world share cutting-edge innovations and advancements in materials engineering with our students.
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$12M+
In Grant Funding
20+
Research Patents
10K+
Sq. Ft. of Research Labs
News
Tushar Telmasre Receives Two Awards From 248th ECS Meeting
Tushar Telmasre, a Materials Science & Engineering graduate student, received two awards for his work and presentations during this fall's 248th Electrochemical Society Meeting, held in Chicago, Illinois in October.
Kent Zheng receives MRS Science and Technology Award for Renewable Energy
Assistant Professor Kent Zheng has received Materials Research Society’s (MRS) Nelson “Buck” Robinson Science and Technology Award for Renewable Energy, which recognizes young professionals for their ‘development of novel sustainable solutions for the realization of renewable sources of energy.’
Published by the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering
Materials Science Student Leads Article on Gas & Safer Sodium-Ion Batteries
Materials Science & Engineering (MS&E) graduate student Chen Liu, along with former MS&E graduate student Dr. Zehao Cui, and their supervisor, Dr. Arumugam Manthiram, has published a paper that digs into the gasses released during Sodium-Ion Battery (SIB) use. Exploring a variety of possible causes and solutions, the researchers studied when and why gas forms inside SIBs.
Dr. Bahadur Publishes on New Approach for Faster Desalination Process
Dr. Vaibhav Bahadur, a professor in Mechanical Engineering (ME) and an affiliate member of TMI, and ME graduate student Shanthanu Katakam, have developed a new method for designing and predicting performance of an emerging desalination technology: Osmotically Assisted Reserve Osmosis (OARO). OARO is an advanced version of well-known reverse osmosis (RO) technology, which uses membranes to separate fresh water from saline water.
Korgel Research Group Makes Glowing Nanocrystals in Record Time
Researchers from Dr. Brian Korgel's research group, including Chemical Engineering graduate student Shea Sanvordenker, have managed to create tiny, brightly glowing crystals at room temperature, in normal air, in just two minutes. Perovskite materials are notoriously unstable and often quickly degrade when exposed to air or moisture, but these crystals keep their structure and brightness for over six months, making them very stable.