A Message from the Chair

Welcome to the Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering at Stony Brook University.

As Chair, I am delighted to welcome you to a community united by ingenuity, collaboration, and a shared commitment to improving the world through science and engineering. We offer graduate programs leading to Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Materials Science and Engineering and in Chemical and Molecular Engineering. At the undergraduate level, we offer two ABET-accredited programs leading to Bachelor of Engineering degrees in Engineering Science and Chemical and Molecular Engineering.

Research and education are closely connected throughout our department. Students at every level have opportunities to work alongside world-renowned experts in their fields, drive cutting-edge research, and develop the technical knowledge, creativity, and collaborative skills needed to address challenges that broadly concern our lives. This integration of creativity, knowledge sharing and team work is central to who we are.

Our faculty are internationally recognized for their scholarship, teaching, and leadership. Their distinctions include the National Medal of Technology, memberships in the National Academy of Engineering and American Academy of Arts and Sciences, multiple NSF and DOE CAREER Awards, and three SUNY Distinguished Professorships. 

The department has a vibrant and growing research enterprise. In 2025, faculty research expenditures exceeded $15 million, placing us among the university’s leaders in per-capita research funding. Our work spans energy storage and conversion, catalysis, computational materials science, structural and nuclear materials, polymers, microelectronics, thermal spray technologies, and other emerging areas at the frontiers of materials and chemical engineering.

Our research is strengthened by world-class centers and facilities, including:

• Garcia Polymer Center
• Center for Mesoscale Transport Properties
• Center for Thermal Spray Research
• Institute of Gas Innovation and Technology
• Institute of Sustainability, Electrification and Energy
• Onsemi Semiconductor R&D Facility

Our longstanding partnership with Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) is further strengthened by three faculty members in our department who hold joint appointments with BNL. This close relationship provides exceptional opportunities for collaboration and access to world-class facilities, including the National Synchrotron Light Source II and the Center for Functional Nanomaterials. Through the New York State Strategic Partnership for Industrial Resurgence, we also work closely with industry to translate research advances into practical solutions with economic and societal impact.

Our undergraduate programs prepare students for a wide range of careers and advanced study. The Engineering Science program offers the flexibility to pursue specializations in areas such as biotechnology, materials science, and mechanical and manufacturing engineering. The Chemical and Molecular Engineering program combines a rigorous foundation in the physical sciences and engineering with applications in nanotechnology, pharmaceuticals, energy, and environmental solutions. Across both programs, students learn to approach problems creatively, use latest advances in AI for advancing research, work effectively in teams, and understand the ethical responsibilities of the engineering profession.

Our students are at the heart of the department. They distinguish themselves through research, leadership, and service, earning honors that include NSF Graduate Research Fellowships, President’s Awards to Distinguished Doctoral Students, and recognition at national conferences. Our graduates carry that excellence into successful careers in academia, industry, law, business, medicine, and many other fields.

This is an exciting time for materials science and chemical engineering. Advances in these fields - accelerated by innovations in artificial intelligence and advanced characterization - will be essential to building sustainable energy systems, improving human health, strengthening critical infrastructure, and creating the technologies of the future.

I invite you to explore our website, learn more about our academic programs and research, and discover the people who make our department such a dynamic community. Whether you are a prospective student, researcher, alumnus, industry partner, or friend of the department, we look forward to connecting with you - and, I hope, welcoming you to Stony Brook.