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October 1, 2024

MS&E Laboratory Campaign

Written By: Emma Conway

Departments:

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Every student, every lab

Over the next five years, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering is fundraising for its lab campaign. Read more about our campaign below.

DEPARTMENT STANDINGS

  • UW-Madison has the 9th ranked undergraduate program for MS&E, according to U.S. News.
  • The average size of an MS&E graduating class is 15 students.
  • There are 24 faculty members, meaning there is a 3:1 student to instructor ratio.
  • Research areas include advanced materials design and manufacturing, energy, sustainability and environment, engineering healthcare, intelligent systems and communication.
  • The average piece of MS&E lab equipment is 30 years old.

ENROLLMENT CHALLENGES

  • The current lack of undergraduate instructional laboratory instrumentation.
  • Poor awareness about the MS&E among college-applicants and at UW-Madison.

ACTION PLAN

  1. Revise and expand laboratory curriculum, so that it is attractive to a broader base of students.
  2. Implement measures at the college, campus and state level to increase awareness of MS&E.
  3. Modernize and expand its undergraduate laboratory instrumentation and facilities to make a broader curriculum possible, provide improved student outcomes and increase enrollment capacity.

WHY SUPPORT

In MS&E, every student will touch every piece of lab equipment – meaning your contribution will positively impact each and every student within the department. As MS&E looks to teach the next generation of engineers for the state, nation and world, replacing 30-year-old lab equipment is essential. Not only will this equipment be used in MS&E’s current space, but it will also be moved to a brand new, modern facility come 2028. To learn more about the new building, read the story here.

Two Materials Science and Engineering Students work in Franklin Hobb's lab the first week of classes.

DEPARTMENT GOALS

  1. Create a state-of-the-art laboratory experience for our students through education, training and recruitment.
  2. Increase laboratory capacity, so that we can increase our enrollment in two phases: the first being up to 50 graduating students per year, and the second being up to 90 graduating students per year.

LABORATORY IMPORTANCE

Laboratory education is an essential part of undergraduate curriculum. These courses provide students with hand-on experience that lecture courses cannot alone. By critically connecting theory to real-world problems, students learn how to apply techniques and use machines that employers value.

That is why MS&E undergraduate students participate in the following laboratories:

  • First year students directly admitted into MS&E may enroll in an optional lecture and laboratory course.
  • All students will take a three-course laboratory sequence completed in their third-fifth semester.
  • All students will take a two-course, senior design sequence.

COST BREAKDOWN

Over the next five years, our goal is to raise $5 million to modernize, maintain and expand laboratory equipment.

EQUIPMENT NEEDS

To increase enrollment numbers and remain a top-ranked, nationally known program, MS&E seeks support in five areas:

  1. Microscopy: To train students using cutting edge techniques for imaging materials microstructure and understanding materials properties, the department is seeking electron, atomic force, and optical microscopes.
  2. Semiconductor fabrication: To power AI and drive advances in machine learning for decades to come, students will require thin film deposition, lithography and microelectronics processing tools.
  3. Polymers: To discover more about pervasive, soft materials and make them more sustainable, materials scientists and engineers need polymers synthesis, processing and characterization instrumentation.
  4. Metallurgy: To cement students’ knowledge of metals and inspire them to discover future materials that are stronger, lighter and better, MS&E is asking for heat treatment, metallography, and testing apparatus.
  5. Energy: To continue driving society’s green energy revolution, students will need electrochemical tools for characterizing and designing materials that can more efficiently store and generate energy.

If you would like to support MS&E fulfill any of our listed equipment needs, please head to the foundation’s website and search “Department of Materials Science Lab Campaign Fund – 112590004.”

Please contact Materials Science and Engineering Director of Development, Andrew Snyderman with further questions.