Research Opportunities

Nanomaterials

Nanomaterials research in MSE at Drexel encompasses nano-porous carbide derived carbons, hierarchical self-assembly templated block copolymers, carbon nanotubes, nanocrystalline diamond films and smart oxide nanostructures, among other emerging topics.

Biomaterials

At Drexel University, the activity in biomaterials builds upon Philadelphia's prominence in medical and pharmaceutical technology. Approximately 40% of the faculty in the MSE department is engaged in funded biomaterials research. These research activities are continuing to grow as a result of the recent merger between Drexel University and the Medical College of Pennsylvania-Hahnemann University.

Materials Design

Advances in virtually all technologies are often limited by the extreme multi-functional, and often contradicting, performance criteria required of materials. The traditional approach to new materials development relies heavily on empiricism. Recent research in the MSE department at Drexel University has led to the development of a new spectral framework, called Microstructure-Sensitive Design (MSD), for the design of optimized material microstructure.

Particulate Materials Processing

The majority of raw materials in the chemical industry, all advanced ceramics, and 90% of pharmaceuticals, are processed in powder form. Particulate processing encompasses important applications in other industries, such as food and minerals processing. The MSE department maintains a high level of collaboration with Merck, Inc. & Co., pursuing the development of a science basis for the processing of pharmaceuticals.

Electronic and Photonic Materials

New electronic and photonic materials are expected to provide lead-free, environmentally-friendly components for high performance devices and systems. Engineering of photonic devices by imitation of hierarchal complexity in nature will lead to new sensing technologies, such as the metal-ion sensors being developed at Drexel University. Engineered nanostructures of silicon developed at Drexel possess unusual optical and electromagnetic scattering properties, enabling Si to be used for single-molecule optical-based sensing, as infrared waveguides, and in field emission.

International/Industrial Experience

Providing real world experience and global exposure to the GAANN-DREAM Fellows is an integral component of our program that addresses the need to train outstanding future academics and scientists. All Fellows will participate in either an international research collaboration or an industrial internship, arranged through one of our international collaborators or industry contacts.