12/6/00
Rev. 8
Proposal for the Initiation of a New Instructional Program Leading to the
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN MATERIALS SCIENCE
Oregon State University
Materials Science Program
CIP # 143101
Revised 6/8/01
Item 9a, paragraph II replaced
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.Program Overview...... 1
2.Purpose and Relationship of Proposed Program to the Institution’s
Mission and Strategic Plan...... 3
3.Course of Study...... 4
4.Recruitment and Admissions Requirements...... 9
5.Accreditation of the Program...... 10
6.Evidence of Need...... 10
7.Program Evaluation...... 13
8.Assessment of Student Learning...... 14
9.Similar Programs in the State...... 14
10.Faculty...... 15
11.Reference Sources...... 16
12.Facilities, Equipment, and Technology...... 17
13.Budgetary Impact...... 17
Appendix I...... 18
Appendix II...... 21
Appendix III...... 22
Appendix IV...... 23
Appendix V...... 27
1
DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED PROGRAM
1.Program Overview
a.Provide a brief overview (approximately 2-3 paragraphs) of the proposed program, including a description of the academic area and a rationale for offering this program at the present time. Please include a description of any related degrees, certificates, or subspecialties (concentrations, area of special emphasis, etc.) that may be offered now or in the foreseeable future.
Currently, there is a Master of Science in Materials Science (MSMS) Program at Oregon State University. This program has been in existence at OSU for about 12 years. This is an interdisciplinary program that has graduated students from the Colleges of Forestry, Science, and Engineering. Prior to 1988 a Materials Science professional degree, Master of Materials (M.Mat.) was offered at OSU, principally through the College of Engineering with an emphasis on coursework within the College of Engineering. The current MSMS Program faculty membership is listed in Attachment I. A Category I Proposal was submitted in 1988 and approved to change the Master of Materials (M.Mat.) to the Master of Science in Materials Science (MSMS).
The MSMS Program has been stable and successful since its inception. The OSU Graduate School review was successfully completed in 1996. The Program has currently about 15 graduate students pursuing the MSMS (these are listed in Appendix II and recent graduates are listed in Appendix III). Students at OSU pursing PhD degrees in areas that would be a part of a PhD Program in Materials Science, if it existed, are not included in this number. This proposal requests to extend the current, successful, MSMS Program to include the PhD level. There are approximately 100 universities in the United States that confer the PhD in Materials Science. No institution in the state of Oregon offers a PhD in Materials Science. The State of Washington has two programs and California has eight programs. These programs are considered vital to industry. Currently, about one half the students in the MSMS program at OSU are employed by local industry. All Materials Science graduates from the MSMS Program at OSU have been employed quickly, and generally, by very major companies (Boeing, IBM, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Hewlett Packard account for over half of the placements). Unfortunately, some of our top MSMS students leave upon graduation to attend other universities to continue their PhD studies in Materials Science since the PhD program is not currently offered at OSU. Many prospective PhD students inquire regarding a PhD program at OSU and a significant fraction probably would have enrolled if a program had been in place. Furthermore, those students that stay to pursue a PhD degree in the materials science area receive a degree with a specified major in another area (e.g., Mechanical Engineering) that does not, in name, reflect their area of study. Had a PhD program with the requirements proposed been available, some recent students within this category, some listed in Appendix II, would have been at least very close to completing a PhD in Materials Science at OSU.
Thus, if a PhD program in Materials Science is approved at OSU, a minimum steady enrollment of about 25-30 total MS and PhD students is expected based on current and past enrollment. This enrollment is expected even in the absence of any new faculty hires or funding. However, growth in the Program would be expected to continue as industrial participation continues to increase. Also, undergraduate engineering enrollments are experiencing growth which will translate into increased enrollment.
Many OSU faculty have secured research funding from the materials divisions of national funding agencies [Division of Materials Research (DMR) of the National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Materials Sciences, Basic Energy Sciences (BES), US Dept. of Energy, etc.]. This reflects competitive materials science and engineering research at OSU. However, increasing support will require a Materials Science graduate program that includes a PhD degree to ensure fully trained and an increased supply of quality graduate students. Thus, the PhD Program would complement the current Center for Advanced Materials Research (CAMR) at Oregon State University. CAMR was established to strengthen research and education in the properties, synthesis, and understanding of new materials, with special emphasis on materials of importance to Oregon’s economy. This Center is a broad collection of researchers working in materials-related areas. CAMR sponsors seminars and occasionally research proposals in the materials area, particularly in electrical/optical materials.
The faculty participants in the Materials Science program at OSU (listed in Appendix I and the OSU Graduate Catalog) have been aware over the past five years that a PhD Program was ultimately desirable. Substantial MSMS curriculum changes have been completed over the past five years to ensure that a course work offering is in place that will provide a background that is consistent with those at the leading MS and PhD programs in Materials Science in the United States. Over the past few years, over ten Category II proposals have been prepared, submitted, and/or approved that have expanded and adjusted the program so as to allow an effective MSMS and, eventually, PhD programs. Additionally, several faculty in the College of Engineering, alone, have been hired over the past three years that ensure that the key courses can be offered with sufficient frequency and quality to maintain the PhD Program (see “appl.” designation in Appendix I).
b.When will the Program be operational, if approved?
Immediately (Fall Term 2001)
2.Purpose and Relationship of Proposed Program to the Institution’s Mission and Strategic Plan
a. What are the objectives of the Program?
The objective of this program is to develop scientists and engineers who have the breadth and flexibility to be valued and successful in the technical job market and also academia. The program will have a curriculum leading to a PhD in Materials Science, with instruction in the fundamentals of materials science and training in a variety of subspecialties. Students will be prepared for jobs in technical fields, especially in industry. Their broad training will allow them to be valued for positions requiring a variety of scientific and engineering skills, and the ability to adapt to new and varied challenges.
b.How does the proposed program support the mission and strategic plan of the institution(s)? How does the program contribute to attaining long-term goals and direction of the institution and program?
This program takes advantage of resources in basic and especially applied-science and engineering that are now available at Oregon State University. It is believed to be well within OSU’s land-grant mission to expand and support new and important technical areas of vital State, as well as national, interest.
In 1992, OSU developed a Vision for the University for the 21st century. Included within the Vision Statement is the following: “To serve both our students and our society, OSU will develop more flexible majors that integrate knowledge and skills from traditionally separate disciplines. There will be increasing emphasis on multi-disciplinary programs and the associated synthesis and integration of knowledge”. This proposal is completely consistent with such a vision. The variety of subspecialties offered under this program allows flexibility. Students will synthesize and integrate knowledge from core materials science areas and areas in condensed matter in physics, chemistry, geology, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, bioengineering, mechanical engineering, and forest products. The current OSU Mission Statement states that “OSU aspires to be a top-tier university.” Essentially all top-tier universities offer a PhD in Materials Science (Harvard and Yale offer strong materials programs but not a formal PhD in Materials Science).
The MSMS program has been a strong science and engineering program that has especially supported the recruitment of women, as indicated in Appendices I and II. This will continue with the expansion to a PhD program.
c.How does the proposed program meet the needs of Oregon and enhance the state’s capacity to respond effectively to social, economic and environmental challenges and opportunities?
Oregon industry has long supported materials science both in terms of research and the hiring of OSU graduates from the Materials Science degree program. Just one example is the Oregon Metals Initiative (OMI) where 1-2 million dollars have been available each year for research at universities within the state of Oregon for the past ten years. Interaction with these companies has illustrated a shortage of Materials Science graduates within just the metals community, partly due to a lack of a high quality and comprehensive graduate program, including the PhD level in Materials Science in the State. The Oregon electronic industry has also indicated a shortage of high quality PhD graduates in the Materials Science area (ref: VP for Research, Tektronix). An absence of graduate students also reflects the shortage of trained students that can effectively participate in materials science research in the structural and electronic materials area. This limits the ability of OSU, as an institution, to support materials research and related problems within the State.
This program will help retain and attract top students to this technical area which is so important to the growth of Oregon in various economic sectors [including metals, electronics, manufacturing (materials processing)].
3.Course of Study
a.Describe the proposed curriculum (this may take the form of a list of course numbers, titles and credit hours). In addition to providing a list of current courses, indicate those courses which will be added to present institutional offerings—emphasizing them with bold-face type.
Graduate students pursing a PhD degree in Materials Science will follow a course of study that will provide a fundamental background in materials science, which consists of the Graduate Core Courses. Subsequent to the Core, students will generally choose an Area of Concentration. There is a selection of required courses within each Area of Concentration and a broad range of elective courses relevant to the Area of Concentration. The Areas of Concentration include Mechanical Behavior of Materials (MBM), which often includes structural materials, and Electrical Optical and Magnetic Behavior of Materials (EOM). Consistent with OSU guidelines, the PhD Program in Materials Science has the following requirements:
1.PhD in Materials Science Core Courses: 18 Credits
2. Area of Concentration Course Requirement (MBM) or (EOM):24 Credits
3. Elective Courses in the Area of Concentration 21 Credits
4. Research, Thesis and Seminar 54 Credits
Total – 117 Credits
These requirements are more specifically delineated below:
1.PhD in Materials Science Core: 18 Credits
ME 581Thermodynamics of Solids* 3 Credits
ME 582Rate Processes in Materials* 3 Credits
ME 587Dislocations and Mechanical Behavior of Materials 3 Credits
ME 588Structure of Materials 3 Credits
PH 575Introduction to Solid State Physics 3 Credits
A Materials Characterization Area Course 3 Credits
One course from:
BI 566 (3) Electron Microscopy
CH 535 (3) Structure Determination by
Spectroscopic Methods
ECE 513(3) Electronic Materials and
Characterization
GEO528/OC 528(3) Microprobe Analysis
Total18 Credits
The selection and creation of these core courses were based on a careful survey of leading Materials Science programs within the United States. These courses are also advantageous to majors in other disciplines.
2.Area of Concentration Requirement24 Credits
MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF MATERIALS AREA OF CONCENTRATION
Must select 4 of the courses listed below:12 Credits
BIOE 551*(4) Biomaterials
CHE 544(3) Thin Film Materials Processing
CHE 545(4) Polymer Engineering and Science
CHE 546X*(3) Advanced Polymers
ME 577(3) Solidification
ME 578(3) Thin Film Materials Characterization and Properties
ME 579(3) Amorphous Materials
ME 580(3) Materials Selection
ME 583(3) Composite Materials
ME 682 (3) Advanced Phase Transformations
Must select 3 of the courses listed below 9 Credits
BIOE 550*(4) Biomechanics
FP 518(4) Wood and Fiber Mechanics
ME 520(3) Applied Stress Analysis
ME 521(3) Applied Stress Analysis
ME 525(3) Continuum Mechanics
Must select 1 of the courses listed below 3 Credits
ME 584(3) Fracture of Materials
ME 586(3) Creep
ELECTRICAL, OPTICAL, AND MAGNETIC BEHAVIOR OF MATERIALS AREA OF CONCENTRATION
Must select 8 of the courses listed below24 Credits
CH 545(3) Physical Chemistry of Materials
CH 550(3) Introductory Quantum Chemistry
CHE 544(3) Thin Film Materials Processing
ECE 511(3) Electronic Materials Processing
ECE 514(3) Semiconductors
ECE 515,516(3,3) Semiconductor Devices I, II
ME 577(3) Solidification
ME 578(3) Thin Film Materials Characterization and Properties
ME 579(3) Amorphous Materials
ME 580(3) Materials Selection
ME 682(3) Advanced Phase Transformations
PH 551(3) Capstones in Physics: Quantum Mechanics
PH 671,2,3(3,3,3) Solid State Physics
3. Electives in the Area of Concentration21 Credits
Elective Courses (Physical Science, Engineering, or Forest Products, approved by Program Director) will be selected by the student under guidance from the adviser and graduate committee. These courses can be used by the student to receive further training in fundamentals, generally, in the Area of Concentration and to explore new areas.
Listing of courses acceptable for graduate credit as “Electives” in the PhD in Materials Science Program (in addition to Area of Concentration requirement):
Chemistry Department
CH 511,512(3-4,3-4) Inorganic Chemistry
CH 513 (3-4) Chemical Applications of Group Theory
CH 519 (4) Radioactive Tracer Methods
CH 521,522(3,3) Analytical Chemistry
CH 528(4) Instrumental Analysis
CH 540,541,542(3,3,3) Physical Chemistry
CH 545(3) Physical Chemistry of Materials and Surfaces
CH 548 (3) Surface Chemistry
CH 553(3) Chemical Thermodynamics
CH 567(4) Molecular Spectroscopy
CH 614,615(3,3) Selected Topics in Inorganic Chemistry
CH 661 (3) Separations: Chromatography and Related
Methods
CH 662(3) Analytical Electrochemistry
CH 680,681(2,2) Selected Topics in Physical Chemistry
Physics Department
PH 531 (3) Capstones in Physics: Electromagnetism
PH 535(3) Capstones in Physics: Classical Mechanics
PH 541(3) Capstones in Physics: Thermal and Statistical Physics
PH 581(4) Physical Optics
PH 582 / ECE 582(4) Optical Electronic Systems
PH 583(4) Guided Wave Optics
PH 631,632,633(3,3,3) Electromagnetic Theory
PH 641,642 (3,3) Statistical Thermophysics
PH 651,652,653(3,3,3) Quantum Mechanics
PH 681,682,683(3,3,3) Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics
Mathematics Department
MTH 552(3) Numerical Solutions of Ordinary Differential Equations
MTH 553(3) Numerical Solutions of Partial Differential Equations
MTH 563,564,565(3,3,3) Theory of Probability
MTH 621,622(3,3) Differential and Integral Equations of Mathematical Physics
MTH 654,655,656(3,3,3) Numerical Analysis
Chemical Engineering Department
CHE 520(4) Mass Transfer
CHE 537(4) Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
CHE 540(4) Chemical Reactors I
Electrical and Computer Engineering Department
ECE 512(3) Process Integration
ECE 517(3) Basic Semiconductor Devices
ECE 518(3) Semiconductor Processing
ECE 527(3) VLSI System Design
ECE 573(4) Microprocessor System Design
ECE 574(4) VLSI System Design
ECE 582 / PH 582(4) Optical Electronic Systems
Mechanical Engineering
ME 552(3) Instrumentation
ME 575(3) Numerical Methods for Engineering Analysis
Forest Products Department
FP 512(4) Wood and Fiber Anatomy
FP 514(4) Wood and Fiber Physics
FP 516(4) Wood and Fiber Chemistry
FP 611(1-3) Selected Topics in Wood and Fiber Science
4.Research, Thesis and Seminar (36 Thesis minimum)54 credits
The thesis committee will be members of the Graduate Program. A list of faculty participants is attached in Appendix I.
(117 Program Credits)
The titles of two courses reflect title changes and slight description changes from the current General Catalog. A Category II proposal has been recently approved for these modifications. Some of the courses listed above, also indicated by an asterisk (*), have been submitted and approved under a Category II proposal but are not listed in the General Catalog. Other courses, in bold, have been submitted under a Category II proposal but are pending approval. The approval of these Category II proposals is desirable, but not critical to the operation of the PhD program.
- Provide a discussion of any non-traditional learning modes to be utilized in the new courses, including, but not limited to: (1) the role of technology, and (2) the development activities as internships.
Many current and past MS in Materials Science graduate students have spent several months (usually more than three) at other prominent institutions of higher learning and also at major national government research laboratories. Collaborative research exists between several universities and national laboratories and OSU, including the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Univ. Washington, Univ. California at Davis, Univ. California at Berkeley, and Univ. California at San Diego. The purposes for these experiences not only include working in other strong laboratory facilities, often unique in the United States, but also working with other top faculty. Furthermore, nearly all of these students enrolled in classes that are not available at OSU and further strengthened their coursework background. As the Materials Science program at OSU grows, this extended education may diminish, particularly at other universities.
- What specific learning outcomes will be achieved by students who complete this course of study?
Graduates of the Materials Science program will acquire the skills necessary to work as engineers and applied scientists to solve practical problems and conduct high quality research in their area of concentration. They will be able to decompose a problem into the essential components, decide which technical approaches are most appropriate, design experiments or computational simulations if required, and present the problem or research objectives and solutions in a clear and concise form.
Some of the PhD program graduates are expected to pursue careers at universities with a primary teaching emphasis as well as at a Carnegie ResearchI University. This program will also emphasize development of verbal and written communication skills. A particular effort will be made to elevate these skills in PhD students to levels that would allow effective competition and productivity in both academic and non-academic positions. The program will include teaching internships and proposal writing in addition to the usual journal article preparation.