College of Engineering News • Iowa State University

Lin Zhou explores the atomic realm at the Sensitive Instrument Facility

The Sensitive Instrument Facility (SIF), a part of Ames National Laboratory, boasts two-feet thick concrete floors with built-in vibration-dampening layers, aluminum-plate lined bays, and fiberglass reinforced concrete for electro-magnetic isolation and vibration-free heating and ventilation. These features help ensure that state-of-the-art instrumentation housed in the SIF achieves the most accurate results.

From uncertain to passionate, Erik DeMeyere found his path in materials engineering

“I was really struggling with what path I wanted to take. I enjoyed physics and chemistry in high school but knew I didn’t want to be a chemist or physicist,” DeMeyere said. “And then I saw materials engineering listed, which, at the time, I didn’t even know existed. After doing some research, I realized I had been interested in materials science all along.”

Jacob Wheaton gains international collaboration through MSE

“I like the fact there are a lot of different problems to solve in engineering,” Wheaton said. “There is always something to work towards, and it’s very satisfying when you find the solution. And I just really enjoy learning, and with materials engineering, it is easy to do a deep dive into a range of topics.”

Peter Collins and Richard LeSar to lead multi-university team for ONR-funded metallic gradient materials project

The Office of Naval Research has funded a new project to conduct critical fundamental research on gradient metallic materials. The project, “Design and Manufacture of Metallic Gradient Materials,” is a three-university, five-year research partnership led by Iowa State University.

Exceptional contributions: Mufit Akinc and Ick-Jhin Rick Yoon inducted into MSE Hall of Fame

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering inducted two new members to the Materials Science and Engineering Hall of Fame in a ceremony on Friday, Oct. 13 – honoring both for outstanding achievement and contributions to the discipline.

Brad Swan is finding the right balance between classes, research and family

“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.”

Quantum mechanics and machine learning: Qi An is unlocking the secrets of strong and ductile materials 

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. 

Forty years of dedication, Martha Selby retires with outstanding educator award

That dedication to students over her career led to Selby being awarded the 2022 Michael Ashby Outstanding Materials Educator Award by the American Society for Engineering Education. The award recognizes distinguished and exceptional contributions in materials science and engineering education. It is intended to honor an individual with demonstrated notable leadership in the materials education area.

Goldwater winner Nicholas Oldham’s undergrad research experiences provides confidence to pursue passions

Nicholas Oldham, sophomore in materials engineering, was one of four Iowa State students to be chosen for the prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship, which is the premier undergraduate scholarship in mathematics, natural sciences and engineering in the U.S. 

Paige Wogahn and Skyler Burke’s award-winning business idea: Lint rollers, but for broken glass

The sixth annual Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship college-by-college pitch off was held in March, and two Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) students won first place in the College of Engineering’s “new idea” competition.

MSE seniors Skyler Burke and Paige Wogahn started out by competing against other engineering students who created new products, winning first place for the College.

Innovation at Work: Nearly four decades of study filling 46 lab notebooks – all for better batteries

Steve Martin has seven plaques hanging above his office windows, each commemorating an invention or co-invention, each showing off the front page of an official U.S. patent.

As you’d expect, a patent is a technical document. Just browse those plaques in Martin’s Hoover Hall office, most of them related to new glassy materials…

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