Every innovation begins with
At the center of all human advancements, materials have shaped what is possible. Today, Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) serves as the hub of every major scientific and technological breakthrough, from transportation to energy, from medical implants to AI and quantum computing. Materials Science and Engineering is where chemistry and physics come together to invent the materials of the future.
The MSE program offers the complexity of scientific rigor, the breadth of an interdisciplinary program, and direct access to world-class research tools. MSE students at Penn are equipped with the ability to think critically and advance to diverse careers, becoming start-up founders, management consultants, scientists and engineers, investors, policy makers, patent attorneys, and more.
Our students learn to create the materials that influence the future, all within a dynamic and close-knit department influenced by Benjamin Franklin’s belief that knowledge should serve humanity and a keen interest in applied scientific inquiry. Undergraduates can tailor their education to explore anything, from AI to inventing new products to launching their own venture, to conducting novel research to making art in our makers spaces.
Eric Stach has been named Chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), effective July 1, 2026.
Stach is the Robert D. Bent Professor of Engineering in MSE and holds a secondary appointment in Electrical and Systems Engineering. He is an internationally recognized leader in materials characterization and electron microscopy, with interests focused on developing and applying electron microscopy techniques to solve a wide range of materials problems, with the most recent emphasis on catalysis, energy storage materials, solar photovoltaics and nanostructure growth.
Researchers at Penn Engineering have developed tiny, soft robots using opposable materials that are capable of leaping meters into the air with flexibility, responsiveness, and programmability.
Vanessa Chan’s course, Applying Your Thesis to the Real World, is helping Penn Engineering Ph.D. students move beyond technical discovery to understand how research becomes real-world impact. Through industry mentorship, stakeholder interviews and commercialization frameworks, students learn to identify the market, policy and adoption barriers that determine whether promising technologies succeed outside the lab.
When Lucy Norris arrived at Penn from Santa Cruz, California, she didn’t have everything figured out, but through community, curiosity, and perseverance, she found her place. From leading student organizations to researching submarine welding and sustainable materials, her journey reflects the growth that comes from embracing uncertainty and taking the first step forward.
Anna Hallac’s Penn experience spans far more than a single field of study. From award-winning sustainability research and startup development to interning in Germany and a future career in mergers and acquisitions, Hallac has built a path defined by intellectual curiosity, adaptability, and a commitment to lifelong learning.
Congratulations to the Department of Materials Science and Engineering students and postdoctoral researchers who have been recognized with this year’s awards. These honors celebrate their outstanding scholarship, service, research, teaching, leadership, and contributions to the Penn Engineering community.
On Friday, April 24, 2026, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering hosted its 2026 Senior Design Showcase, celebrating the hard work, creativity, and technical expertise of our MSE students. Five teams: Polygraft, InFusion, Foam the Future, ThermaPave, and Bean Sprouts, presented innovative materials-based solutions to critical societal challenges.
Penn Engineering proudly celebrates the election of two distinguished faculty members, Karen Winey, Harold Pender Professor, and Nader Engheta, H. Nedwill Ramsey Professor, to the National Academy of Engineering, one of the profession’s most respected and time-honored distinctions. Their selection reflects a longstanding tradition of excellence in scholarship, discovery and service that continues to shape the future of engineering while building on the strong foundations of the past.
CarboWells has been named the grand prize winner of the 2026 Y-Prize, the University of Pennsylvania’s annual innovation competition challenging students to transform breakthrough research into real-world impact. Built around a pioneering carbon-capturing concrete technology developed at Penn Engineering, the team’s solution reimagines how abandoned oil wells can be sealed to reduce methane leaks and combat climate change.
