Materials Science and Engineering

Nanoparticle strain and cracking under various environmental conditions

RPI Researchers Join Expertise at the Frontier of Light and Materials Research

Researchers at RPI’s schools of science and engineering are exploring new ways to manipulate matter with light to unlock a new generation of computer chips, photovoltaic cells and other advanced materials.

$Light refracted by a prism$

Professor Jian Shi Shares Perspective on a Unique Light-Matter Interaction in a Promising New Class of Semiconducting Material

Non-centrosymmetric halide perovskites are a class of semiconducting material containing a structural asymmetry with potentially transformative implications for several major industries.

RPI Researcher Receives Grants to Study Quantum Materials and Superconductors

Wei Bao, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has won the Early Career Program (ECP) Award and Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) Award from the Department of Defense to study superconductors and cavity quantum materials, respectively. The two awarded grants, which total nearly $700,000, will allow Bao to further his research into the unique properties of quantum materials and lay the foundation for practical innovations in the decades to come. 

Group photo of college students and older adults in a professional setting

Undergraduates Gain Research Experience, Mentorship Through RPI-Corning Program

On April 26, seven Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute undergraduate students showcased research projects in the areas of materials science, computer modeling, chemical engineering, and more at a symposium held at Corning’s Sullivan Park Science & Technology Center just outside of Corning, New York.

How a Tiny Device Could Lead to Big Physics Discoveries and Better Lasers

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have fabricated a device no wider than a human hair that will help physicists investigate the fundamental nature of matter and light. Their findings, published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, could also support the development of more efficient lasers, which are used in fields ranging from medicine to manufacturing. 

Six RPI Students Receive Prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowships

Six RPI students have been awarded fellowships from the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP).

College students wearing clean room suits

RPI and HVCC Launch Semiconductor Workforce Development Program

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Hudson Valley Community College have welcomed the inaugural class of RPI-HVCC Semiconductor Scholars. Funded by the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, the Scholars program is one of many efforts in the Capital Region and around the country to prepare more students to enter the semiconductor industry. 

With Pivot Fellowship, RPI’s Jian Shi Tackles Big Quantum Computing Challenge

Jian Shi, Ph.D., associate professor in both the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Department of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), has been selected for the Simons Foundation's Pivot Fellowship. 

With New Grant, RPI Works To Shrink Microchips, Expand Semiconductor Workforce

Transistors — the tiny on-off switches inside microchips — have gotten smaller and smaller over the years, increasing computing power and enabling smaller devices. During that time, the copper wires that connect these switches have likewise shrunk. However, smaller, thinner wires create a big problem, said Daniel Gall, professor of materials science and engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Pawel Keblinski Named John Tod Horton ’52 Professor of Materials Engineering

Pawel Keblinski, Ph.D., has been named John Tod Horton ’52 Professor of Materials Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. An endowed chaired professorship is among the highest honors bestowed on a Rensselaer faculty member.