NC State Materials Science

Researchers at NC State have discovered that van der Waals forces, the weak interactions that help hold materials together at the atomic scale, can play an important role in shaping the properties of ferroelectric thin films.

The team led by Assistant Professor Yin Liu and Ph.D. student Yueyin Wang found that these forces can influence a material's thickness, strain and domain architecture, all characteristics that affect electronic performance. They also demonstrated that using a monolayer of molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) as a substrate produced larger, higher-quality tin selenide (SnSe) thin films with fewer defects.

The findings could help researchers develop new materials for smaller, more energy-efficient electronic devices.

The study was published in ACS Nano by researchers from NC State, the University of Florida, Pennsylvania State University, Argonne National Laboratory and Texas A&M University.

Read more: http://ncst.at/2jeF50Za9cZ

Big congratulations to Dr. Farhan Ishrak on successfully defending his Ph.D. dissertation at NC State MSE.

Dissertation title: “Solid-State Design of SmCo5-Based Metal-Matrix Structural Magnetic Composites”

Farhan was advised by Professor Bharat Gwalani.

Join us in celebrating this major academic milestone and wishing Dr. Ishrak continued success in research and engineering.

Congratulations to the MSE Class of 2026! 🎓

On Friday, May 8, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering celebrated 65 graduates during its spring ceremony at Hunt Library.

The graduating class included:
🔴 5 doctoral graduates
🔴 19 master's students
🔴 41 undergraduate students

Members of the Class of 2026 are heading into industry positions, internships and graduate programs across the country. We are proud to welcome these talented engineers and scientists into the MSE alumni community.

Additional ceremony photos will be added to the Flickr album as photographers continue sharing images from the event. The current preview gallery features photography by Charlie Dickens.

View the photo gallery, ceremony recording and graduation program at the link below. ⬇️

Exciting News! We are thrilled to announce that Tatiana Proksch will be defending her Ph.D. thesis for the Doctorate in Materials Science and Engineering tomorrow, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.

Thesis Title: "Nanoscale Insight into Coupled Electro-chemo-mechanical and Thermo-(electro-)mechanical Responses in Functional Materials"

Join us for this insightful defense in Engineering Building 1 (EB1) conducted in person.

📅 Date: Tuesday, May 12, 2026
🕒 Time: 1:00 p.m.
📍 Location: 3018 EB1
👩‍🏫 Advisor: Professor Nina Balke

Let's come together to support Tatiana in this significant academic milestone! 👏

Today’s Senior Design Showcase and awards delivered standout creativity, color and collaboration across every team.

MSE’s signature twist sets this event apart: students do not just name awards, they design and build them. Teams create each award using low-fidelity materials, which pushes ingenuity and sharpens storytelling. Pipe cleaners, pool noodles, Dixie cups and hot glue become the medium. The simpler the materials, the stronger the ideas.

This year’s awards captured that spirit:

Slide 1: The Relentless Refiners Award (Team Georgia Pacific)
Slides 2: Sisyphus Award (Team Kymera International)
Slides 3: Professionally Spoken Award (Team American Woodmark)
Slide 4: Crafty Characterization Award (Team Hallman Foundry)
Slides 5: Artificially Articulate Award (Team TE Connectivity)
Slide 6: Industry Baby Award (Team Georgia Pacific)
Slides 7: Aesthetic Appeal Award (Team Wolfspeed)
Slides 8: Concise Creation Award (Team Wolfspeed)
Slides 9: Characterization Collectors Award (Team Georgia Pacific)
Slides 10: Individual Award, Happy to Be Here Award (Taylor Sharp)

Each build reflected clear thinking, strong teamwork, and resourceful ex*****on under constraints.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026. Your work shows how creative problem-solving translates from the lab to real-world impact. We look forward to what you build next after graduation on Friday.

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering is excited to celebrate the accomplishments of our graduating undergraduate, master's, and Ph.D. students! We welcome friends and family to join us as we honor the Class of 2026.

📅 Friday, May 8, 2025, at 2:00 PM | Doors open at 1:30 PM
📍 Hunt Library Auditorium, NC State Centennial Campus
🍽️ Reception in the First Floor Atrium of Engineering Building 1 after the ceremony

🅿️ Parking is FREE on Centennial Campus during the event.
🎟️ Each graduate is guaranteed 6 guest seats, with the option to request more.
♿ Accessible seating available: no notice or special tickets required.

Let’s celebrate our newest MSE grads in true Wolfpack style! 🐺❤️🖤

A full house for the 15th Annual Davis Lecture!

We were proud to welcome Yury Gogotsi, a global leader in nanomaterials research, who shared insights on “Building Blocks for Technology of the Future: MXenes and Beyond.”

Our students had the opportunity to engage with cutting-edge research and see how materials science is driving advancements in areas like energy, electronics and beyond.

The Davis Lecture continues to be an important way we bring leading voices in the field to campus by connecting our community with the ideas and innovations shaping the future.

Link to the article is on our linktree.

Congratulations to our 2026 MSE Senior Award winners! 🎉

Each year, the NC State Department of Materials Science and Engineering celebrates graduating seniors who go above and beyond in leadership and scholarly achievement.

🏆 Grace Harvey received the MSE Senior Award for Leadership for her work strengthening the MSE community as Lead Undergraduate Ambassador, expanding outreach to Engineering First-Year students and helping many discover materials science and engineering for the first time.

🔬 Eli Rodrigues received the MSE Senior Award for Scholarly Achievement for his exceptional academic record and his research on advanced oxide materials in the Xu Research Group, including twisted oxide membranes and next-generation electronic materials.

Both Grace and Eli will represent MSE as nominees for the NC State College of Engineering Senior Awards.

We are proud of their accomplishments and can’t wait to see where their paths take them next.

Read the full story at http://ncst.at/KLec50YBby6