Department of Materials Science and Engineering | Fall 2021
Schoenung Named Fellow by the National Academy of Inventors

Julie Schoenung, professor and chair of materials science and engineering in UCI’s Samueli School of Engineering, has been named a 2021 fellow by the National Academy of Inventors.
Bowman Receives CAREER Award

William Bowman, Samueli School assistant professor of materials science and engineering, has won a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation’s Division Of Materials Research.
Copp Wins Air Force Young Investigator Grant

The Air Force Office of Scientific Research has awarded Stacy Copp, UCI assistant professor of materials science & engineering and physics & astronomy, a Young Investigator Research Program (YIP) grant.
Dillon Joins MSE in UCI Samueli School of Engineering

Dillon's scientific interests relate to understanding the key role played by inorganic interfacial structure-property relationships in affecting the performance of systems in extreme environments.
UCI Materials Scientist Kisailus
Discovers Design Secrets of Nearly Indestructible Insect

With one of the more awe-inspiring names in the animal kingdom, the diabolical ironclad beetle is one formidable insect.
Ragan Recognized with Latino Excellence Mentorship Award
The Samueli School’s Regina Ragan, professor of materials science and engineering, was one of two UCI faculty to receive the Outstanding Faculty Mentorship Award at the 2021 Latino Excellence and Achievement Awards (LEAD) virtual gala in April.
MSE Graduate Student Selected for National Research Council Fellowship

Katherine Acord has received a postdoctoral fellowship through the National Research Council Research Associateship Program.
Doctoral Student in MSE Earns National Academies Mirzayan Fellowship

Komal Syed has been selected as a 2021 Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellow by the National Academies.
MSE Alumnus Honored for Contributions to Profession and Alma Mater

The Samueli School inducted three engineering alumni into the 2021 Hall of Fame. Interim Dean Michael Green honored each of this year’s recipients virtually in May.
From the MSE@UCI Chair

Dear Colleagues,

As the founding department chair for our young and ambitious Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE@UCI), I am proud and excited to share this inaugural newsletter with the community. The MSE department at UCI was established in 2018; since then, our department has expanded to include outstanding faculty recruitments, including Professors Stacy Copp, Will Bowman, Diran Apelian, David Kisailus and our most recent hire, Shen Dillon. We also are excited to have Jim Shackelford and Horst Hahn as visiting professors in the department. Martha Mecartney, one of our founding faculty, has recently retired and joined the emeritus ranks with our founding godfather, Farghalli Mohammed. Our MSE staff team is led by the amazing Amy Ricks and includes Desiree Rios, Katherine Guerrero, Viviana Saadalla, Darryl Mack and Yizhang Zhou. Their contributions to supporting the students and especially our new faculty hires are outstanding. Collectively, we are proud of the multiple centers that are led by MSE@UCI faculty, especially our recently funded NSF-MRSEC: Center for Complex and Active Materials (CCAM), led by Professor Xiaoqing Pan, and of the many accolades received by our faculty and students for their academic accomplishments. The MSE faculty, staff and students are also excited by the energy being brought to the Samueli School of Engineering by our new dean, Magnus Egerstedt. There are too many stories to share here, but please enjoy a few of the highlights below and follow us on our social media channels.

As we approach the end of 2021, I am grateful to be back on campus among my colleagues and staff, promoting research and scholarly work that push the boundaries of technology, contributing to the excellence of the Samueli School of Engineering and addressing the needs of society. I also look forward to more in-person professional society meetings, including TMS 2022, which will be held here in Orange County, in Anaheim, California. I look forward to seeing many of you there!

Wishing you well,
Julie M. Schoenung, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, MSE@UCI
Co-Director, WISDOM Institute, UCI
Fellow of NAI, TMS, ASM International, Alpha Sigma Mu, and the American Ceramic Society
Department of Materials Science and Engineering | (949) 824-1803 | Website