Materials Science

Introduction

The field of Materials Science addresses the challenges of creating, understanding, and using new materials to meet the technological needs of the 21st century. Materials such as alloys, polymers, composites, and semiconductors play important roles in the modern economy where they are used in a wide range of applications, from clean energy to medicine, and aerospace to microelectronics. Materials Science is an interdisciplinary area of study exploring the broad spectrum of materials from basic atomic and molecular scales through macroscopic engineered products. At Western Washington University, Materials Science is represented through a collaborative program based on an interdisciplinary set of courses, faculty, research projects and facilities drawn from several departments.

The Materials Science minor at Western Washington University complements major degree programs such as chemistry, energy science, engineering, geology, and physics by providing an interdisciplinary perspective preparing graduates to work at the boundaries between disciplines. Students who select the minor complete lecture courses that teach fundamental materials science concepts and emerging technologies. Students also complete a lab course that emphasizes practical skills in materials preparation and characterization, and provides hands-on experience with state-of-the-art instrumentation. Courses are taught by faculty from several departments and involve a variety of facilities and instrumentation. Topics covered may include: chemical, mechanical, electronic, magnetic and optical properties; polymers, engineering alloys, ceramics, semiconductors and nanomaterials; applications of materials in modern contexts such as photovoltaics, fuel cells, microelectronics, biomaterials and geomaterials.

Students can tailor the minor to their own interests by choosing electives from a broad list of courses related to materials science which are offered through the major STEM departments. Students are also encouraged to seek out research opportunities under the guidance of an AMSEC faculty member or an internship with a partner company, which can count towards the elective credit. Students should consult with the program advisor for project approval prior to its start.

Faculty

AMANDA MURPHY (2010) Director and Professor. BS, BA, Western Washington University; PhD, University of California-Berkeley.
YING BAO (2017) Associate Professor. BE, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University; PhD, University of South Dakota.
ROBERT BERGER (2013) Professor. A.B. Chemistry, Princeton University; PhD, Cornell University.
ASMAA BOUJIBAR (2021) Assistant Professor. BS Université de Rennes 1, France; MS, PhD, Université Clermont Auvergne, France.
MARK E. BUSSELL (1990) Professor. BA, Reed College; PhD, University of California-Berkeley.
SUSAN M. DEBARI (1998) Professor. BA, Cornell University; PhD, Stanford University.
STEVEN R. EMORY (2001) Professor. BS, California Lutheran University; PhD, Indiana University.
MILTON FROM (1998) Associate Professor. BSc, University of Manitoba; MSc, PhD, McGill University.
PENG GAO (2023) Assistant Professor. BS, Tsinghua University; MS, Lehigh University; PhD, Lehigh University.
JOHN GILBERTSON (2008) Professor. BA, Augustana College; MS, PhD, University of Oregon.
DEBORAH GLOSSER (2021) Assistant Professor. BA, The Ohio State University; MS, University of Pittsburgh; PhD, Oregon State University.
NIPUN GOEL (2021) Assistant Professor. B.Tech, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, India; MS, PhD, Lehigh University.
NICOLE HOEKSTRA (1998) Professor. BSME, MSME, University of Minnesota, Institute of Technology.
BERNARD A. HOUSEN (1997) Professor. BS, University of Washington; MS, PhD, University of Michigan.
ALIA KHAN (2019) Associate Professor BSPH, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill; MS, University of Colorado - Boulder; PhD, University of Colorado – Boulder.
TIM KOWALCZYK (2014) Professor. BS, University of Southern California; PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
MICHAEL LARSEN (2018) Associate Professor. BA, Colorado College; PhD, University of Washington.
NICOLE M. LARSON (2005) Professor. BSME, Bradley University; MSME, University of Washington.
JANELLE LEGER (2009) Professor. BS, University of California-Davis; PhD, University of California at Santa Cruz.
STEPHEN MCDOWALL (2001) Professor. BS, MS, University of Cantebury, New Zealand; PhD, University of Washington.
G MCGREW (2015) Senior Instructor. BA, University of Southern California; PhD, University of Pennsylvania.
JOHN MISASI (2015) Associate Professor. BS, Western Washington University; PhD, University of Southern Mississippi.
MANUEL D. MONTAÑO (2018) Associate Professor. BS (chemistry), Colorado School of Mines; PhD (applied chemistry), Colorado School of Mines.
SEAN MULCAHY (2015) Associate Professor. BSc, Virginia Tech; PhD, UC Davis.
GREGORY O’NEIL (2008) Professor. BS, Boston College; PhD, University of Colorado-Boulder.
DAVID L. PATRICK (1996) Professor. BS, University of California-Davis; PhD, University of Utah.
MARK PEYRON (2014) Associate Professor. BS, University of Idaho; PhD, University of Washington.
ARMIN RAHMANI (2016) Associate Professor. PhD, Boston University.
MELISSA RICE (2014) Associate Professor. BA, Wellesley College, PhD, Cornell University.
DAVID RIDER (2010) Professor. BSc, Simon Fraser University; PhD, University of Toronto.
ANDREAS RIEMANN (2006) Professor. BS, MS, University Halle, Germany; PhD, Free University Berlin, Germany.
MARGARET SCHEUERMANN (2015) Associate Professor. BA, Scripps College; PhD, University of Washington.
TAKELE SEDA (2002) Professor. BS, Asmara University (Eritrea); MS, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia; PhD, University of Witwattersand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
PETER SHERWOOD (2012) Affiliate Professor of Chemistry and Physics. PhD, Cambridge University. Affiliate Professor of Chemistry, University of Washington. Emeritus Dean and Emeritus Regents Professor of Physics, Oklahoma State University. Emeritus University Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, Kansas State University.
RUTH M. SOFIELD (2003) Professor. BA, West Virginia University; MS, McNeese State University; PhD (environmental science and engineering), Colorado School of Mines.
JAMES R. VYVYAN (1997) Professor. BS, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire; PhD, University of Minnesota.
KRISTINA WALOWSKI (2021) Assistant Professor. BS, University of California; PhD, University of Oregon.

Research Associates

MAI SAS (2019) BA, BS, University of Nevada; MS, Western Washington University; ABD, University of Auckland.

Other Departmental Information

Facilities and Resources

The Materials Science minor at Western Washington University is administered by the Advanced Materials Science and Engineering Center (AMSEC), a collaborative, interdisciplinary program within the College of Science and Engineering. In addition to its educational programs, AMSEC provides leadership in academic research and scholarship while maintaining strong relationships with regional companies. The Center includes faculty and students from across the College involved in researching a wide range of advanced materials, such as polymers, composites, geological and magnetic materials, inorganic catalysts, nanomaterials, and materials for clean energy. Projects range from theory and modeling to synthesis and characterization of new materials. The Center also operates a shared, open access Materials Characterization Laboratory where users are trained in the safe operation of state-of-the-art instrumentation including X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, microscopy, mass spectrometry, particle size analysis, and materials processing equipment.

Programs

Undergraduate Minor

Materials Science Minor

Courses

Materials Science

Courses numbered X37; X97; 300, 400 are described in the University Academic Policies section of this catalog.