Look around you. Every product you purchase has been shaped by the knowledge of a Materials Science Engineer. For example, have you ever dropped your cell phone and breathed a sigh of relief when the screen did not crack? Your indestructible phone screen is made of Gorilla Glass, which was designed by Materials Scientists at Corning Glass. Materials Scientists study all types of materials, including ceramics, glass and metal to investigate how those materials react under conditions such as temperature and pressure. They help design everything from toys to bio-medical appliances to the wires inside rockets launched by NASA.
Career Preparation:
In high school, focus on math and science. In College, you will want to earn at least a Bachelor’s Degree. It is recommended to major in Materials Engineering.
Career Possibilities:
As a materials engineer, you might work in the aerospace industry, the federal government, or the military.
College options:
If classes like “Mechanics of Deformable Bodies” and “Strength and Fracture” sound interesting to you, check out Virginia Tech’s Materials Science and Engineering program or University of Virginia has a concentration on Materials Science in its Engineering program.
Some cool websites about material engineers:
Black Enterprise - Wealth for Life
(Read about Ronald Hickman, head bowling ball designer, who gets to design bowling balls for celebrities)
Discover Engineering
(Read about the different types of engineering)
Cool videos about material engineers:
Career Girls.org—What I Do
Intro to Materials Science Engineering
Material Science Engineering demos
Click Here to view other STEM Career Spotlights.
