Video showing students and faculty in the Materials Science and Engineering department engaged in research, lab work, and classroom activities.
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Materials Science and
Engineering

Core Faculty
TMI's core faculty lead cutting-edge research by running their grants through the institute, fostering collaboration and resource sharing.
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Graduate Program
Our Materials Science and Engineering program is one of the best in the nation, and our graduates go on to be leaders in their fields.
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Research
TMI supports interdisciplinary research at UT Austin, with over 100 faculty focusing on clean energy, nanotechnology, and advanced materials using our state-of-the-art facilities.
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Advancing Thermal Protection Systems with the Koo Research Group
The Koo Research Group at UT Austin collaborated with KAI on Ablation Research for over 15 years. Recently, they developed unique capabilities to advance research and development in “Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) Materials.” The paper published in the SAMPE Journal, which introduces their methodology for solving this complex problem.
Chemistry Professor Receives Sloan Research Fellowship and Mark Young Scholar Award
A Sloan Research Fellowship, given by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, is one of the most competitive and prestigious awards available to early-career scholars in fields ranging from computer science to physics, and Zachariah Page of the Department of Chemistry was announced as one of the newest fellows.
Subak Sensing: Silver Nanocluster Reporters Transform Genetic Testing
Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) reporters are often used in tests to show if specific genetic material is present. In these tests, certain enzymes called nucleases cut the FRET reporters, causing them to emit light. However, making these FRET reporters involves using a dye/quencher pair and purifying them, which makes the FRET reporters expensive.
Unlocking Collective Motion: Mimicking Nature with Active Particle Systems
In nature, we often see remarkable patterns of movement in groups of animals like fish or birds. These movements are complex and dynamic, involving various behaviors and changes over time. Scientists at UT Austin have been trying to recreate similar behaviors in artificial systems using tiny particles that move on their own.
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Texas Materials Seminar Series
The Texas Materials Seminar Series features MSE 397 Seminars, TMI Distinguished Lectureships, and TMI Special Seminars, where leading faculty and professionals from around the world share cutting-edge innovations and advancements in materials engineering with our students.
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$12M+
In Grant Funding
20+
Research Patents
10K+
Sq. Ft. of Research Labs
News
Zhantao Chen Publishes New Article on AI-assisted Tool
Zhantao Chen, an Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering and a TMI-affiliate, has published an article on an AI tool in Nature Machine Intelligence. The article used AI to help researchers in ways that would assist in experimental tasks that are often labor-intensive and tiresome.
Terry Zheng & Yu Group Publish New Work on Water-Based Electrolytes
Materials Science and Engineering graduate student Tianrui (Terry) Zheng, under the supervision of Dr. Guihua Yu has published research in Advanced Materials introducing a biphasic electrolyte architecture that combines the strengths of water-based (aqueous) and organic-based electrolytes for long-duration, high-rate zinc metal batteries.
Get Better Sleep With Ultrasound Patch That Boosts REM Rest
A wearable bioelectronic device increased REM sleep in real-world trials, without invasive surgery or medication.
Published by UT News.
Yuebing Zheng Awarded 'New Directions' Seed Funding from UT OVPR
Yuebing Zheng was awarded seed funding through the University's Office of the Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavors. The 'New Directions in Research' grants are one time payments that give faculty an opportunity to obtain proof-of-concept or pilot data for future, larger grants.
Terry Zheng Awarded UT Chevron Energy Graduate Fellowship
Tianrui (Terry) Zheng, a Materials Science & Engineering graduate student working with Dr. Guihua Yu, is a recipient of the 2026-2027 UT Chevron Energy Graduate Fellows Award from UT's Energy Institute.