MSE Research
Research in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering is as diverse as our faculty interests. Our faculty is active in innovative research across all areas of Materials Science and Engineering, a truly interdisciplinary field.
Faculty research labs extend beyond the main campus to the nearby Advanced Materials Research Laboratory, allowing access to cutting-edge equipment and facilities. Research is distributed across six major research groups, with each group further branching into individual focus areas. All research groups have broad collaborations - with industry, national labs, and universities around the world. The Materials Science & Engineering Research Portfolio highlights the research interests of several faculty members.
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Biomaterials
- Energy Materials
- Polymer Structure and Design
- Photonic, Electronic & Magnetic Materials
- Resilient Materials in Extreme Environments
Research Centers and Services
In the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, we hold our industry connections in very high regard. Not only do we educate and train future materials professionals, but we also develop and utilize leading technology that advances the boundaries of the profession. Research Centers span the state, allowing for collaboration within a wide variety of areas. As a department, we are able to offer the services of our Materials Characterization and Processing Center, which provides analytical and physical testing, manufacturing, fiber extrusion, and processing support and services.
Designed for students who see beyond the exterior of an object, Clemson's Materials Science and Engineering program is an excellent fit for those with an avid interest in how and why materials behave a certain way. Research opportunities explore the building blocks of materials to discover the next revolutionary material.
- ✓ Developing automotive and aerospace components.
- ✓ Lighting the way for revolutionary photonics research.
- ✓ Creating high-performance biomimetic materials and processes.
- ✓ Transforming the earth's mineral and organic materials into advanced engineering materials and specialized products.
Starting her first year, Sarah Sandler began working with undergraduate research projects that interested her — a journey that led her to meet Thompson Mefford. The Mefford group studies nanoparticle synthesis and the development of surface modification with functional polymers. She joined his Creative Inquiry course, investigating ferrite nanoparticles, a field of health research technology that shows promise for fighting bacteria and shrinking tumors.
The work did more than inspire her. It helped her identify her academic zeal for research and prepared her for a postgraduate career to continue to develop her research in nanoparticles and, ultimately, her Ph.D. thesis on nanostructures at the University of Cambridge.
“I ended up deciding to major in materials science and engineering because of that [Creative Inquiry] project. If I hadn't come to Clemson, I wouldn't have discovered my passion for research.”
Sarah SandlerB.S. '19
Academic and Research Facilities
Sirrine Hall
The Polymeric Materials concentration is primarily housed in Sirrine Hall. Sirrine Hall contains six instructional laboratories. The laboratories include an optical microscope/ microscopy sample preparation area, a physical property testing laboratory and an analytical testing laboratory. Focus Areas: Analytical Testing, Physical Testing, Fiber Formation, Stimuli-responsive Polymers
Olin Hall
The Ceramic and Materials Engineering program is primarily housed in Olin Hall. Olin Hall contains six instructional laboratories and a computer laboratory. The laboratories include an optical microscope, microscopy sample preparation area, mechanical property testing laboratory, materials fabrication areas and physical property measurement laboratory. Focus Areas: Ceramics, Electronic Materials, High-temperature Materials, Metals
Advanced Materials Research Laboratory
AMRL is a state-of-the-art facility that houses internationally recognized research programs in optoelectronics, chemistry, and materials science. It also houses one of the nation's most outstanding electron microscopy facilities and a professional staff that provides services to private industry and academic clients. Focus Areas: Colloidal Materials, Optics, Photonics
