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Materials Engineering

This is an archived copy of the 2017-2018 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.iastate.edu.

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For the undergraduate curriculum in materials engineering leading to the degree bachelor of science. This curriculum is accredited under the General Criteria and the Materials Engineering Program Criteria by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org/. Materials engineering is a broadly-based discipline relating the composition, structure, and processing of materials to their properties, uses and performance. Materials engineering includes a variety of traditional and modern technologies involving metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, and electronic materials.

Because of its interdisciplinary nature, career opportunities for materials engineers bridge all industrial and government sectors including: materials based technologies (materials production), communication/information technologies (semiconducting materials, fiber optics), medical/environmental technologies (biomedical, energy production, waste containment), nanotechnologies, consumer products (building and construction, durable goods), and transportation industries (automotive, aerospace).

The objectives of the materials engineering program are to produce graduates who:

  • practice materials engineering in a broad range of industries including materials production, semiconductors, medical/environmental, consumer products, and transportation products
  • engage in advanced study in materials and related or complementary fields

Graduates in materials engineering are able to apply scientific and engineering principles to select or design the best materials to solve engineering problems. They are also able to control the microstructure of materials through processing to optimize properties and performance. They are skilled in creative, independent problem solving under time and resource constraints. Graduates will have gained experience in materials engineering practice through cooperative work experience or internships in industry, national laboratories, or other funded research work. They will have hands-on skills with a broad range of modern materials processing and characterization equipment and methods.

A degree in materials engineering relies on a strong foundation of math, chemistry and physics. The core materials courses include fundamentals of materials, kinetics and thermodynamics, mechanical properties, computational methods, design, and professional practice experience. Students tailor their programs to their goals and interests through the selection of a specialization from the three available: ceramic materials, metallic materials and polymeric materials. Additional technical electives can be taken in other areas of interest. The breadth and depth of the program provide excellent preparation for both immediate entry into industry or further study in graduate school.

The department also offers a cooperative education program that combines classroom learning with work experience.

Curriculum in Materials Engineering

Administered by the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

Leading to the degree bachelor of science.

Total credits required: 128 cr. Any transfer credit courses applied to the degree program require a grade of C or better (but will not be calculated into the ISU cumulative GPA, Basic Program GPA or Core GPA). See also Basic Program and Special Programs.
International Perspectives: 3 cr.1
U.S. Diversity: 3 cr.1
Communication Proficiency/Library requirement:
ENGL 150Critical Thinking and Communication (grade of C or better in this course)3
ENGL 250Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition (grade of C or better in this course)3
LIB 160Information Literacy1
One of the following (must have a grade of C or better in this course)3
Business Communication
Proposal and Report Writing
Technical Communication
Science Communication
General Education Electives: 15 cr.

Complete 12 cr. from approved list with a maximum of 9 cr. of 100-level courses2. Also complete the one selected course (3 cr.) from the four choices shown above to complete your communication proficiency requirement (must have a grade of C or better in this course).

Basic Program: 27 cr.3

A minimum GPA of 2.00 is required for this set of courses, including any transfer courses (please note that transfer course grades will not be calculated into the Basic Program GPA). See Requirement for Entry into Professional Program in College of Engineering Overview section.

CHEM 177General Chemistry I4
or CHEM 167 General Chemistry for Engineering Students
ENGL 150Critical Thinking and Communication3
ENGL 250Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition3
ENGR 101Engineering OrientationR
ENGR 160Engineering Problems with Computer Applications Laboratory 33
LIB 160Information Literacy1
MATH 165Calculus I4
MATH 166Calculus II4
PHYS 221Introduction to Classical Physics I5
Total Credits27
Math and Physical Science: 18 cr.
CHEM 177LLaboratory in General Chemistry I1
CHEM 178General Chemistry II3
CHEM 178LLaboratory in College Chemistry II1
MATH 265Calculus III4
MATH 267Elementary Differential Equations and Laplace Transforms4
PHYS 222Introduction to Classical Physics II5
Total Credits18
Materials/Specialties Engineering Core: 44 cr.

A minimum GPA of 2.00 is required for this set of courses, including any transfer courses (please note that transfer course grades will not be calculated into the Core/Specialization GPA):

MAT E 214Structural Characterization of Materials3
MAT E 215Introduction to Materials Science and Engineering I3
MAT E 215LIntroduction to Materials Science and Engineering I - Lab1
MAT E 216Introduction to Materials Science and Engineering II3
MAT E 216LIntroduction to Materials Science and Engineering II - Lab1
MAT E 311Thermodynamics in Materials Engineering3
MAT E 314Kinetics and Phase Equilibria in Materials3
MAT E 316Computational Methods in Materials3
MAT E 317Introduction to Electronic Properties of Ceramic, Metallic, and Polymeric Materials3
MAT E 413Materials Design and Professional Practice I3
MAT E 414Materials Design and Professional Practice II3
MAT E 418Mechanical Behavior of Materials3
Students must choose one from the three areas of specialization (12 cr.): ceramic, metallic and polymeric materials.12
Total Credits44

The options below meet that expectation by using the following specialization courses:

Ceramic Materials:

MAT E 321Introduction to Ceramic Science3
MAT E 322Introduction to Ceramic Processing3
MAT E 425Glass Science and Engineering3
MAT E 433Advanced Electronic Materials3

Metallic Materials:

MAT E 341Metals Processing3
MAT E 342Structure/Property Relations in Nonferrous Metals3
MAT E 443Physical Metallurgy of Ferrous Alloys3
MAT E 444Corrosion and Failure Analysis3

Polymeric Materials:

CHEM 331Organic Chemistry I3
MAT E 351Introduction to Polymeric Materials3
MAT E 453Physical and Mechanical Properties of Polymers3
MAT E 454Polymer Composites and Processing3
Other Courses: 24 cr.
E M 274Engineering Statics3
E M 324Mechanics of Materials3
Technical electives from list of materials courses 26
Technical electives from approved departments 29
Non-remedial course 23
Total Credits24
Seminar/Co-op/Internships
MAT E 401Materials Engineering Professional PlanningR
Co-op and internships are optional
  1. These university requirements will add to the minimum credits of the program unless the university-approved courses are also approved by the department to meet other course requirements within the degree program. U.S. diversity and international perspectives courses may not be taken Pass/Not Pass.
  2. Choose from department approved list.
  3. See Basic Program for Professional Engineering Curricula for accepted substitutions for curriculum designated courses in the Basic Program.

Note: A Mat E student may take up to 9 credit hours from General Education and free electives on a P/NP basis, except for courses used to meet the diversity and international perspectives requirement. S/F courses (different from P/NP) will be considered for these requirements on a course-by-course basis.

See also: A 4-year plan of study grid showing course template by semester.

Materials Engineering, B.S.

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
CHEM 1774CHEM 1783
CHEM 177L1CHEM 178L1
ENGL 1503MATH 1664
ENGR 1010Gen Ed Elective3
ENGR 1603Gen Ed Elective3
MATH 1654US Diversity3
LIB 1601 
 16 17
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
MATH 2654MATH 2674
MAT E 2153MAT E 2143
MAT E 215L1MAT E 2163
PHYS 2215MAT E 216L1
ENGL 2503PHYS 2225
 16 16
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
MAT E 3113MAT E 3143
MAT E 3173MAT E 3163
E M 2743E M 3243
Materials Elective3Specialization3
Specialization3Technical Elective3
 International Perspective3
 15 18
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
MAT E 4010MAT E 4143
MAT E 4133Specialization3
MAT E 4183Technical Elective3
Specialization3Technical Writing3
Materials Elective3Free Elective3
Technical Elective3 
 15 15

Areas of specialization:

  • Ceramic Materials: 321, 322, 425, 433
  • Metallic Materials: 341, 342, 443, 444
  • Polymeric Materials: Chem 331, 351, 453, 454

Well qualified juniors in materials engineering who are interested in graduate study may apply for concurrent enrollment during their senior year in the Graduate College to simultaneously pursue both bachelor of science and master of science degrees. See Materials Science and Engineering for more information.

Expand all courses

Courses

Courses primarily for undergraduates:

Cr. R. F.

Prereq: Enrollment in Materials Science & Engineering Learning Community
Introduction to the Materials Science & Engineering Department and resources available to support student success. Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.

(2-2) Cr. 3. F.S.

Prereq: MAT E 215, credit or enrollment in PHYS 221
Structural characterization of ceramic, electronic, polymeric and metallic materials. Techniques include optical and electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and thermal analysis. Identification of materials type, microstructure, and crystal structure.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F.S.

Prereq: MATH 165 AND (CHEM 177 or CHEM 167)
Materials Engineering majors only. Structure and properties of ceramic, electronic, polymeric and metallic materials, emphasizing differences based on structure and bonding. Phase equilibria and phase transformations. Only one of Mat E 215, 273, or 392 may count toward graduation.

(0-2) Cr. 1. F.S.

Prereq: Credit or enrollment in MAT E 215 or MAT E 273 or MAT E 392
Materials Engineering majors only. Laboratory exercise in materials.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F.S.

Prereq: MAT E 215, CHEM 178, Credit or enrollment in PHYS 222
Materials Engineering majors only. Fundamentals of ceramic, polymeric, and composite materials; degradation, electronic, thermal, magnetic, and optical properties of materials. Materials for energy, biomaterials, and nanomaterials.

(0-2) Cr. 1. F.S.

Prereq: Credit or enrollment in 216
Materials Engineering majors only. Laboratory exercise in materials.

(Cross-listed with ANTHR, ENV S, GLOBE, M E, SOC, T SC). (3-0) Cr. 3. F.S.


An introduction to understanding the key global issues in sustainability. Focuses on interconnected roles of energy, materials, human resources, economics, and technology in building and maintaining sustainable systems. Applications discussed will include challenges in both the developed and developing world and will examine the role of technology in a resource-constrained world. Cannot be used for technical elective credit in any engineering department.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F.S.SS.

Prereq: Sophomore classification; CHEM 167 or CHEM 177; MATH 165
Introduction to the structure and properties of engineering materials. Structure of crystalline solids and imperfections. Atomic diffusion. Mechanical properties and failure of ductile and brittle materials. Dislocations and strengthening mechanisms. Phase equilibria, phase transformations, microstructure development, and heat treatment principles of common metallurgical systems including steels and aluminum alloys. Structure and mechanical properties of ceramic, polymeric and composite materials. Thermal properties of materials. Corrosion and degradation. Basic electronic properties of materials. Engineering applications. Only one of Mat E 215, 272, 273. or 392 may count toward graduation

(3-0) Cr. 3. F.

Prereq: CHEM 178, credit or enrollment in MAT E 216, PHYS 222, and MATH 267
Basic laws of thermodynamics applied to phase equilibria, transformations, and reactions in multicomponent multiphase materials systems; thermodynamic descriptions of heterogeneous systems; binary and ternary phase diagrams; interfaces, surfaces, and defects.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S.

Prereq: MAT E 216, MAT E 311
Kinetic phenomena and phase equilibria relevant to the origins and stability of microstructure in metallic, ceramic and polymeric systems. Application of thermodynamics to the understanding of stable and metastable phase equilibria, interfaces and their effects on stability: defects and diffusion, empirical rate equations for transformation kinetics, driving forces and kinetics of nucleation, diffusional and diffusionless phase transformations.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S.SS.

Prereq: MAT E 215
Use of mathematical and statistical computer tools for materials design and analysis. Applications of statistical principles to problems concerned with materials. Computer-assisted design of experiments.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F.

Prereq: MAT E 216 and PHYS 222
Materials Engineering majors only. Introduction to electronic properties of materials and their practical applications. Classical conduction models and electronic properties of metallic and ceramic materials. Elementary quantum mechanics and band theory of electron states in solids. Quantum theory of metallic conduction. Elementary semiconductor theory and devices. Polarization and dielectric properties of materials. Electron conduction in polymeric systems. Magnetic properties and applications of metals and ceramics.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F.

Prereq: MAT E 216
Ceramic crystal structures, defects, diffusion and transport. Phase equilibria and microstructures. Thermal, electronic, optical and magnetic properties of ceramics.

(2-3) Cr. 3. S.

Prereq: MAT E 216, MAT E 321
Synthesis and characterization of ceramic powders. Colloidal phenomena, rheology of suspensions, ceramic forming methods, and drying. High temperature ceramic reactions, liquid and solid-state sintering, grain growth, microstructure development. Processing/microstructure/property relationships.

(Cross-listed with E E). (3-0) Cr. 3. S.

Prereq: PHYS 222; MAT E majors: MAT E 317; CPR E and E E majors: E E 230
Introduction to semiconductor material and device physics. Quantum mechanics and band theory of semiconductors. Charge carrier distributions, generation/recombination, transport properties. Physical and electrical properties and fabrication of semiconductor devices such as MOSFETs, bipolar transistors, laser diodes and LED's.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S.

Prereq: MAT E 317
Electronic conduction in metals and the properties of conducting materials. Quantum mechanical behavior of free electrons and electrons in potentials wells, bonds and lattices. Development of the band theory of electron states in solids and the Free and Nearly Free Electron models. Density-of-states in energy bands and the Fermi-Dirac statistics of state occupancy. Quantum mechanical model of metallic conduction; Brillouin zones and Fermi surfaces. Additional topics include the thermal properties of metals, electron phase transitions in metallic alloys and the BCS theory of superconductivity. Classical and quantum mechanical treatment of the origins of magnetism in materials; orbital and spin angular momentum. Theory of magnetic behavior in dia-, para-magnetic, ferromagnetic materials.

(2-2) Cr. 3. F.

Prereq: 215 or 273 or 392, Mat E majors only
Theory and practice of metal processing, including casting; powder metallurgy; additive manufacturing; rolling; forging; extrusion; drawing; material removal; joining; surface modification; and heat treatment. Use of processing software.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S.

Prereq: MAT E 215 or 273 or 392
Processing of metals and alloys to obtain desired mechanical properties by manipulation of their microstructure and composition of constituent phase(s). Relevance of defects to mechanical properties, plastic flow. Strengthening mechanisms in metals and alloys. Microstructure, heat treatment and mechanical properties of engineering alloys. Metal-matrix composites.

(Cross-listed with I E). (2-2) Cr. 3. S.

Prereq: I E 248 and MAT E 273, or MAT E 215
Theory and applications related to metal casting, welding, polymer processing, powder metallurgy, and composites manufacturing, and related rapid manufacturing processes.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S.

Prereq: MAT E 216, CHEM 331, credit or enrollment in MAT E 311
Introduction to polymeric materials, synthesis, structure and properties. Relationship between polymer composition, processing and properties.

(Cross-listed with E M). (3-0) Cr. 3. S.

Prereq: PHYS 112 or PHYS 222
Radiography, ultrasonic testing, magnetic particle inspection, eddy current testing, dye penetrant inspection, and other techniques. Physical bases of tests, materials to which applicable, types of defects detectable, calibration standards, and reliability safety precautions.

(Cross-listed with E M). (0-3) Cr. 1. S.

Prereq: Credit or enrollment in MAT E 362
Application of nondestructive testing techniques to the detection and sizing of flaws in materials and to the characterization of material's microstructure. Included are experiments in hardness, dye penetrant, magnetic particle, x-ray, ultrasonic and eddy current testing. Field trips to industrial laboratories.

(Cross-listed with CPR E). (2-2) Cr. 3. F.S.

Prereq: C I 201 or C I 202
A project-based, hands-on learning course. Technology literacy, appreciation for technological innovations, principles behind many technological innovations, hands-on laboratory experiences based upon simple systems constructed out of LEGOs and controlled by small microcomputers. Future K-12 teachers will leave the course with complete lesson plans for use in their upcoming careers.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S.


Introduction to the historical role of women as related to US industry, family and community with emphasis on the years 1830 - 1945, but also related to the current climate. Topics completed in 392 with arranged lectures at Brunel University. Orientation for Brunel summer study program. Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only. Credit for graduation allowable only upon completion of Mat E 392.
Meets U.S. Diversity Requirement

(3-0) Cr. 3. SS.

Prereq: MAT E 391, CHEM 167 or CHEM 177
Structure and properties of ceramic, electronic, polymeric and metallic materials, emphasizing differences based on structure and bonding. Phase equilibria and phase transformations. Taught on Brunel University campus. Only one of MAT E 215, 273, or 392 may count toward graduation.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S.

Prereq: CHEM 167 or CHEM 177
Fundamentals of sustainable engineering related to biofuels. Basics of food and biofuel chemistry and fluid dynamics. Preparation course for Italy as a case study for food and sustainable engineering. Orientation for summer study abroad program in Torino, Italy. Credit for graduation allowable only upon completion of the following summer's offering of MAT E 316 taught in Italy, along with additional sustainability lessons/tours.

Cr. R. Repeatable. SS.

Prereq: Permission of department and Engineering Career Services
Professional work period of at least 10 weeks during the summer. Students must register for this course prior to commencing work. Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.

Cr. R. Repeatable. F.S.

Prereq: Permission of department and Engineering Career Services
Professional work period. One semester per academic or calendar year. Students must register for this course before commencing work. Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.

Cr. R. F.

Prereq: Senior classification in materials engineering
Preparation for a career in materials engineering or graduate school; experiential learning, resumes, interviewing, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, leadership, international opportunities, professional ethics, graduate school preparation and opportunities, and alternative career paths (med school, law school, etc.). Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.

(2-2) Cr. 3. F.S.

Prereq: Senior status in Mat E
Fundamentals of materials engineering design, information sources, team behavior, professional preparation, quantitative design including finite-element analysis and computer aided design, materials selection, informatics and combinatorial methods. Analysis of design problems, development of solutions, selected case studies. Oral presentation skills. Preparations for spring project.

(2-2) Cr. 3. F.S.

Prereq: Senior status in Mat E
Integration of materials processing, structure/composition, properties and performance principles in materials engineering problems. Multi-scale design of materials, materials processing, case studies including cost analysis, ethics, risk and safety. Team projects specified by either industry or academic partners. Written and oral final project reports.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F.

Prereq: MAT E 216
Mechanical behavior of ceramics, metals, polymers, and composites. Relationships between materials processing and atomic aspects of elasticity, plasticity, fracture, and fatigue. Life prediction, stress-and failure analysis.

(2-3) Cr. 3. F.

Prereq: MAT E 216, MAT E 321
Composition, structure, properties manufacturing, and applications of inorganic glasses. Mechanical, structural, thermal, optical, ionic, electronic, and biological applications of inorganic glasses, especially silicate glasses. Contemporary topics in glass science and engineering such as glass optical fiber communication and flat panel display technologies. Laboratory exercises in the preparation and characterization of silicate glasses.

(Dual-listed with M S E 532). (Cross-listed with E E). (2-4) Cr. 4.

Prereq: credit or enrollment in E E 332
Techniques used in modern integrated circuit fabrication, including diffusion, oxidation, ion implantation, lithography, evaporation, sputtering, chemical-vapor deposition, and etching. Process integration. Process evaluation and final device testing. Extensive laboratory exercises utilizing fabrication methods to build electronic devices. Use of computer simulation tools for predicting processing outcomes. Recent advances in processing CMOS ICs and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS).

(2-3) Cr. 3. S.

Prereq: MAT E 317
Charged point defects and formation equations. Non-stoichiometric conductors, dielectric, ferroelectric, and piezoelectric materials and applications. Optical properties, optical spectra of materials, optoelectronic devices. Magnetic and superconducting materials. Contemporary topics in advanced ceramics.

(2-3) Cr. 3. S.

Prereq: 214, 216, 314
Production and processing of ferrous metals. Extraction of pig iron from ore. Steelmaking processes. Equilibrium and nonequilibrium phases in the Fe-C system. Properties and processing of cast irons, plain carbon and alloy steels, stainless and specialty steels. Transformation diagrams, hardenability, and surface treatments. Continuous casting, forging, hot rolling, quenching, and tempering as they apply to ferrous materials. Cost and mechanical performance considerations in cast iron and steel selection and heat treatment.

(2-2) Cr. 3. S.

Prereq: MAT E 215 or 273 or 392 and credit or enrollment in MAT E 418
Corrosion and corrosion control of metallic systems. Corrosion fundamentals, classification of different types of metallic corrosion, corrosion properties of various engineering alloys, corrosion control. Failure analysis. Characteristics of common types of metallic failures, case studies of failures, designing to reduce failure risk.

(Dual-listed with M S E 549). (Cross-listed with C E). (3-0) Cr. 3.

Prereq: Senior classification in Engineering or permission of instructor
Introductory and advanced topics in structural health monitoring (SHM) of aeronautical, civil, and mechanical systems. Topics include sensors, signal processing in time and frequency domains, data acquisition and transmission systems, design of integrated SHM solutions, nodestructive evaluation techniques, feature extraction methods, and cutting edge research in the field of SHM. Graduate students will have a supervisory role to assist students in 449 and an additional design project or more in-depth analysis and design.

(2-3) Cr. 3. F.

Prereq: MAT E 351
Overview of polymer chemical composition, microstructure, thermal and mechanical properties, rheology, and principles of polymer materials selection. Intensive laboratory experiments include chemical composition studies, microstructural characterization, thermal analysis, and mechanical testing.

(Dual-listed with M S E 554). (3-0) Cr. 3. S.

Prereq: MAT E 351
Basic concepts in polymer composites, blends, and block copolymers. Phase separation and miscibility, microstructures and mechanical behavior. Fiber reinforced and laminated composites. Viscosity, rheology, viscoelasticity of polymers. Polymer melt processing methods such as injection molding and extrusion; selection of suitable processing methods and their applications.

(Dual-listed with M S E 556). (Cross-listed with B M E). (3-0) Cr. 3. F.

Prereq: MAT E 216 or MAT E 273 or MAT E 392
Presentation of the basic chemical and physical properties of biomaterials, including metals, ceramics, and polymers, as they are related to their manipulation by the engineer for incorporation into living systems. Role of microstructure properties in the choice of biomaterials and design of artificial organs, implants, and prostheses.

(Dual-listed with M S E 557). (3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. S., offered even-numbered years.

Prereq: MAT E 311 or CHEM 325 AND CHEM 324 or PHYS 322
Electronic configuration, valence states, minerals, ores, beneficiation, extraction, separation, metal preparation and purification. Crystal structures, phase transformations and polymorphism, and thermochemical properties of rare earth metals. Chemical properties: inorganic and organometallic compounds, alloy chemistry, nature of the chemical bonding. Physical properties: mechanical and elastic properties, magnetic properties, resistivity, and superconductivity.

(Cross-listed with A B E, AER E, B M E, CPR E, E E, ENGR, I E, M E). (1-4) Cr. 3. Repeatable. F.S.

Prereq: Student must be within two semesters of graduation; permission of instructor.
Application of team design concepts to projects of a multidisciplinary nature. Concurrent treatment of design, manufacturing, and life cycle considerations. Application of design tools such as CAD, CAM, and FEM. Design methodologies, project scheduling, cost estimating, quality control, manufacturing processes. Development of a prototype and appropriate documentation in the form of written reports, oral presentations and computer models and engineering drawings.

(Cross-listed with AER E, CPR E, E E, ENGR, I E, M E). (1-4) Cr. 3. Repeatable, maximum of 2 times. Alt. F., offered irregularly.Alt. S., offered irregularly.

Prereq: Student must be within two semesters of graduation or receive permission of instructor.
Build and test of a conceptual design. Detail design, manufacturability, test criteria and procedures. Application of design tools such as CAD and CAM and manufacturing techniques such as rapid prototyping. Development and testing of a full-scale prototype with appropriate documentation in the form of design journals, written reports, oral presentations and computer models and engineering drawings.

(Dual-listed with M S E 581). (3-0) Cr. 3. F.

Prereq: MATH 265 and (MatE 311 or ChE 381 or CHEM 325 or PHYS 304)
Introduction to the basic methods used in the computational modeling and simulation of materials, from atomistic simulations to methods at the mesoscale. Students will be expected to develop and run sample programs. Topics to be covered include, for example, electronic structure calculations, molecular dynamics, Monte Carlo, phase-field methods, etc.

(Dual-listed with M S E 588). (Cross-listed with E E). (3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. F., offered odd-numbered years.

Prereq: MATH 265 and (MAT E 216 or MAT E 273 or E E 311 or PHYS 364)
Electromagnetic fields of various eddy current probes. Probe field interaction with conductors, cracks and other material defects. Ferromagnetic materials. Layered conductors. Elementary inversion of probe signals to characterize defects. Special techniques including remote-field, transient, potential drop nondestructive evaluation and the use of Hall sensors. Practical assignments using a 'virtual' eddy current instrument will demonstrate key concepts.

Cr. arr. Repeatable.


Investigation of individual research or special topics.

Cr. arr. Repeatable. F.S.SS.

Prereq: permission of department
Independent study that is being proposed to be used toward graduation or minor requirements. This requires a proposal to the department's Curriculum Committee before the semester starts.

Cr. arr. F.S.SS.

Prereq: permission of department
Independent study that is being proposed to be used for a Senior Honors Project (2 credits) and possibly for extra credits toward graduation or minor requirements. This requires a proposal to the department's Curriculum Committee before the semester starts.

Cr. arr. F.S.SS.

Prereq: permission of department
Independent study that is being proposed strictly to gain research experience and the credits will not be used toward graduation or minor requirements. This requires a proposal to the department's Curriculum Committee before the semester starts.