Materials Science and Engineering Historical Timeline

Over the last decade, the Department of Materials Science & Engineering has flourished, becoming the largest materials science department in the southern United States. This growth is in response to the increasing demand for materials science degrees in various sectors such as energy, microelectronics, semiconductors, transportation, and advanced manufacturing industries.

Materials Science & Engineering Milestones

2023 Celebrating 10 Years

Ten years of "Materializing Our Future!" Standing out in a review of the growing program is the high quality of faculty hires. From a faculty of five in 2013 to 24 in 2023, the department is poised to continue to excel in materials science and engineering research and education.

2022 First ABET Accreditation Review

The department had its first ABET Accreditation Review visit and accreditation was approved with flying colors.

2021 First Undergrad Cohort of Graduates

Thirty-two undergraduates became our first cohort to graduate.

2018 Inaugural Undergraduate Classes Begin

In the Fall, the first undergraduates enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and Engineering.

2017 Faculty numbers increase

Standing out in reviews of the growing program is the quality of faculty hires. The faculty grew to 17 in 2017 and the department is poised to enter the top 20 status among U.S. universities for graduate research and education.

2013 Department Opens Its Doors

The approval process was finalized in March, and on June 1, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering opened its doors as the only department at Texas A&M to hold the distinction of being jointly administered by the College of Engineering and the College of Science. Starting with a core of five full-time faculty members, the department was designed to utilize collaborative courtesy appointments across departments to support the interdisciplinary nature of materials science and engineering.

2012 Formal Request to Create Department

A very positive external review of the materials science and engineering doctoral program recommended adoption of a departmental structure to strengthen the growing program. Acting on this recommendation, deans of the Colleges of Engineering and Science established an interdisciplinary committee to explore creation of a Department of Materials Science and Engineering. In September, guiding principles for the establishment of the department and a five-year growth plan were submitted to the College of Engineering and the College of Science. In December, a formal request for creation of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering was submitted to the provost.

2011 Number of Students Increases

The number of students steadily increased, reaching a total of 95 students, which included 63 doctoral students and 32 masters students. By the Fall, the program had 50 faculty members from 10 departments in two colleges.

2010 Dr. Ibrahim Karaman Begins as Chair

Dr. Ibrahim Karaman took over as the chair after Dr. Joseph H. Ross of the Department of Physics and Astronomy and Dr. Tahir Cagin of the Department of Chemical Engineering. The materials science and engineering program was housed in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

2004 Students Enrolled in Program

Ten doctoral and three master's of science students were enrolled in the program.

2003 First Students Enter Program

The first graduate students entered the program in the Fall. Dr. Dimitris Lagoudas, Department of Aerospace Engineering, served as the first chair of the interdisciplinary program.

2002 Proposal Approved for Program

Although the original poposal was declined, a subsequent proposal signed by Dr. Robert M. Gates, president of Texas A&M University in 2002, was approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on July 17, 2003.

1999 Proposal Created for New Graduate Program

A committee of faculty from the Colleges of Science and Engineering created a proposal for a new graduate program in materials science and engineering.

1997 Faculty Senate Approves Multidisciplinary Faculty

The Faculty Senate approved the formation of an interdisciplinary faculty of materials science and engineering, first comprised of 96 faculty from six colleges: science, engineering, geosciences, medicine, veterinary medicine and agriculture and life sciences.

1994 Large NSF Grant Awarded

Under the leadership of Dr. Abraham Clearfield (retired), the faculty of the materials science and engineering group received a large National Science Foundation grant to purchase many materials characterization instruments including a scanning tunneling microscope, superconducting magnetometer and laser ablation system.

1990 Proposal Declined by the State

In response to the Regent's Commitment of Texas, the College of Science prepared a proposal to establish a materials science and engineering graduate program, which was declined by the state.

1986 Materials Science and Engineering Program Formed

The Materials Science and Engineering program was formed by a group of interdisciplinary faculty, "Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering," to address the growing efforts in materials research at Texas A&M University.