The Pacific Northwest has a decades-long history of researching light-metals processing because of the availability of inexpensive hydropower for smelting operations. While the smelters are no longer in operation, WSU continues to perform advanced research in metallurgy and advanced ceramics engineering. The automotive, aerospace, power generation , and electronics industries in Washington and throughout the world rely on experimentation and development in ferrous and non-ferrous alloy processing and advanced ceramics and glasses. WSU lab researchers develop advanced manufacturing and joining techniques for metals and ceramics, including the additive manufacturing (3D printing) of complex structures and the friction-stir welding of dissimilar materials. WSU laboratories perform glass material optimization and specialized single crystal growth. Researchers develop and apply advanced microstructure characterization of through various microscopy techniques, election and x-ray diffraction, spectrometry, and magnetometry, among others. Researchers employ computations from the atomistic level to the continuum scale in connection with the experiments aimed at gaining a mechanistic understanding of processing-structure-properties and relationships for these important materials.
Topics in Ceramics and Metals
- Physical and mechanical metallurgy
- Metal deformation and recrystallization
- Optical ceramics and glasses
- Radiation effects on materials
- Grain boundary structure
- Thin film and IC interconnect structure/properties relationships
- Nano and micro fabrication/manufacturing, and materials synthesis/processing
- Mechanical behavior of materials, Nano/micro-mechanics, fatigue and fracture
Faculty in Ceramics and Metals
| Display Name | Contact Information | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| Beckman, Scott Associate Professor, Acting Director of the Materials Science and Engineering Program (MSEP) | scott.beckman@wsu.edu 509-335-8571 ETRL 252 Pullman |  |
| Ding, Jow-Lian Professor, Associate Director for Administration | jowlian_ding@wsu.edu 509-335-3226 EME B25 Pullman |  |
| Field, David P Director, Institute of Materials Research, Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture | dfield@wsu.edu 509-335-3524 ETRL 303A Pullman |  |
| Li, Qizhen (Katherine) Professor | qizhen.li@wsu.edu 509-335-7437 Dana 239C Pullman |  |
| McCloy, John Professor, Director, School of Mechanical & Materials Engineering | john.mccloy@wsu.edu 509-335-6184 Sloan 201A Pullman |  |
| Mesarovic, Sinisa Professor | smesarovic@wsu.edu 509-335-7936 EME 145 Pullman |  |
| Norton, M. Grant Professor, Dean, WSU Honors College | mg_norton@wsu.edu 509-335-4505 Honors 130 Pullman |  |
| Song, Min Kyu Associate Professor | minkyu.song@wsu.edu 509-335-8218 EME 159 Pullman |  |