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About IMSE
IMSE leverages the full potential of interdisciplinary materials research by bringing together researchers from engineering, physics, chemistry, earth and planetary sciences and the medical school.
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IMSE research
IMSE researchers develop and apply advanced materials to address challenges in clean energy, medicine and environmental sustainability.
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IMSE facilities
IMSE currently has approximately 14,000 net ft2 of facility space which includes a nanofabrication facility and a materials characterization facility. It is supported by 3.75 FTE professional technical and administrative staff.
Materials Science & Engineering is the interdisciplinary field focused on the development and application of new materials with desirable properties and microstructures. Disciplines in the physical sciences and engineering fields frequently play a central role in developing the fundamental knowledge that is needed for materials studies. The discipline of Materials Science & Engineering integrates this knowledge and uses it to design and develop new materials and to mate these with appropriate technological needs.
IMSE facilities
The majority of the IMSE user facilities are located in the basement of Scott Rudolph Hall (Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences), including a 14,000 net square foot facility opened in Fall 2013, which includes a nanofabrication facility and a materials characterization facility. These facilities are available for use by researchers both inside and outside the university. Please email the relevant point of contact regarding user fees, training and scheduling.
Graduate program
The IMSE offers an interdisciplinary PhD program in Materials Science and Engineering designed to allow students to easily work across departmental boundaries. Student apply directly through the McKelvey School of Engineering, pursue coursework offered by several of the member departments and conduct their thesis research with the mentorship of interdisciplinary faculty teams. This allows our students to take advantage of the rich breadth of materials science expertise and facilities across the university.
WashU Materials Research in the News
Geoscientist Catalano awarded $2M to investigate critical elements
IMSE acquires new facility for fabricating nanomaterials
Oxygen-delivering hydrogel accelerates diabetic wound healing
Kelton awarded $1.46 million to study nucleation in microgravity environment
A new way to deliver vaccines to the elderly without inflammation
Yang to study two-dimensional quantum materials
Microbially produced fibers: stronger than steel, tougher than Kevlar
Wastewater treatment system recovers electricity, filters water
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Katherine Flores
IMSE Director
Interim Chair, Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering
Professor, Mechanical Engineering & Materials ScienceNew metallic glass research brings in artificial intelligence
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Erik Henriksen
Associate Director of IMSE facilities
Associate Professor of Physics, Department of Physics -
Lan Yang
Edwin H. & Florence G. Skinner Professor, Electrical & Systems Engineering
Faculty spotlight
IMSE brings together more than 50 faculty and student researchers from engineering, the physical and natural sciences and the medical school to discover new materials, understand how they behave and envision innovative applications.