Attach to full proposal for level II changes.
I Summary of Proposed Changes
Department/program / Joint Ph.D. in Materials Science with Montana Tech
Summary / The University of Montana-Missoula and Montana Tech of The University of Montana propose to establish a Ph.D. program in Materials Science. Materials Science deals with the development, structure, function, and properties of materials at all scales and across a variety of products from medical instrumentation to large scale manufacturing equipment. This material science Ph.D. program will draw upon the expertise of faculty members and research activities from areas such as Chemistry and Physics at UM-M and General Engineering and Metallurgical & Materials Engineering at MTech
II Preliminary Approval
Type/Print Name / Signature / DateRequestor: / Perry Brown
Phone / X4689
Department/Program Chair: / Andrew Ware, Chair,
Physics & Astronomy
Mark Cracolice, Chair,
Chemistry & Biochemistry
Other affected programs:
Dean / Christopher Comer, Dean
Dean of the Library / Bonnie Allen, Dean
Library impact statement: Are the resources included in the proposal sufficient to adequately support the new programs library needs?
Initial Review in Provost’s Office
III Type of Program Change (check X appropriate description)
Create new degree; add new major to existing degree / X
Create minor or certificate where major does not exist
Change name of degree
IV Proposal (See instructions at http://www.umt.edu/provost/curriculum.htm)
Attach the following:
Ö Full Proposal
Ö BOR Level II Program Change Request
Ö Item Template
Ö Cover/Signature Page
V Copies and Electronic Submission
Submit the complete Level II proposal to the Provost’s Office for preliminary approval. After all signatures have been obtained submit original, one copy, and an electronic file to the Faculty Senate Office, UH 221, ,.edu
1. Overview
The University of Montana-Missoula (UM-M) and Montana Tech (MTech) of The University of Montana propose to establish a Ph.D. program in Materials Science. Materials Science deals with the development, structure, function, and properties of materials at all scales and across a variety of products from medical instrumentation to large scale manufacturing equipment. This material science Ph.D. program will draw upon the expertise of faculty members and research activities from areas such as Chemistry and Physics at UM-M and General Engineering and Metallurgical & Materials Engineering at MTech with students having committee members at both campuses. Students most likely will be drawn from basic science backgrounds in chemistry and physics and backgrounds in engineering. Courses and research will deal with the science, engineering, and development of new and improved materials. Industrial partners are visualized as an integral component of the degree, providing opportunities for applied training and venues for research. Graduates of the program are expected to find employment in existing and developing research, development, and manufacturing companies in Montana.
2. Provide a one paragraph description of the proposed program. Be specific about what degree, major, minor or option is sought.
The University of Montana-Missoula (UM-M) and Montana Tech of The University of Montana (MTech) propose to develop a joint doctoral (Ph.D.) program in Materials Science (MS). The program will be a collaborative effort between the two campuses, and will involve multiple departments, faculty, and classes from both institutions. Research will be conducted using equipment and facilities at both locations. The Ph.D. degree will be granted by UM-M. The curriculum will involve both physical science and engineering, and courses will be offered at both campuses by taking advantage of online opportunities where appropriate. It is expected that all engineering courses will be offered by MTech and most of the science courses will be offered by the UM-M, with some offered by MTech. The program will also include internships through UM-M or MTech Research Centers, the industrial partners of these Centers, or participating corporations involved in funding research and development programs at both campuses. The internship projects are expected to constitute part or all of the research upon which the doctoral dissertation will be based. To this end, research funding of approximately 8 million dollars will be available within the framework of the Fuel Cell Design and Manufacturing Technology Development program.
3. Need
a. To what specific need is the institution responding in developing the proposed program?
Nationwide, materials science is a growing industry. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, reports that “while some materials scientists hold a degree in materials science, degrees in chemistry, physics, or electrical engineering are also common. Most research jobs in chemistry and materials science require a Master’s degree or, more frequently, a Ph.D.” It goes on to state that job growth “is expected to grow 9 percent over the 2006-16 decade” and that “graduates with an advanced degree, and particularly those with a Ph.D., will enjoy better opportunities.” One website, http://www.indeed.com, has 4,742 postings for materials scientists and 29,565 for materials engineers. According to The US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Materials scientists and engineers are expected to have employment growth of 12 and 9 percent respectively over the next decade. Many of these jobs will be in manufacturing, which is expected to be the next growth industry in Montana, and also happens to be a large part of what is offered by MTech’s Chemistry, General Engineering, and Metallurgical & Materials Engineering Departments and UM-M‘s Chemistry and Physics Departments (see course offerings beginning page 8).
Montana itself is experiencing sustained growth in the highly competitive materials industry. Scientists and engineers at existing operations (REC Silicon and AFFCO), plants under construction (Seacast), as well as research facilities (MSE Technology Applications, Inc., Resodyne , GT Solar, Purity Systems Inc, Universal Technical Resource Services, and Rivertop Renewables) must extensively apply Materials Science and Engineering principles to succeed in business. Many of the technical concepts and issues being dealt with by Montana industries require a level of understanding and experience equivalent to PhD level training. In particular, the collaboration now required for advanced materials investigations in industrial research is becoming more common in Montana and demands more doctoral participation. The proposed program will focus on near-term industrial need and long-term research issues, both of which are of direct benefit to these Montana industries.
No doctoral level Materials Science programs exist in Montana, and only two such programs are available in the contiguous states (at the University of Idaho and at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, respectively). However, it is noted that MSU-Bozeman does do materials science research, but it is predominantly bio-inspired through its nanotechnology center, CBIN. The PhD program being proposed here is not in competition with that program, but rather will aid the efforts of various departments at UM-M (e.g. Chemistry) and MTech (e.g., Metallurgical & Materials Engineering) as well as both CASANS and CAMP. CASANS is also a nanotechnology center, but located on both the UM-M and MTech campuses and is not bio-inspired. Similarly, CAMP is located at MTech but focuses on natural materials (minerals and some metals) and synthetic materials (other metals, ceramics, polymers, glasses, slags, and composites).
Students within the Montana University System who wish to pursue doctoral studies in this field are essentially forced to continue their education outside of the state. Implementation of the proposed doctoral program will enable these students to pursue their studies within the Montana University System and, additionally, attract qualified graduate students from other parts of the nation and the world.
b. How will students and any other affected constituencies be served by the proposed program?
Over the last several years, representatives of several industrial corporations that provide financial support for scholarship and research at MTech and the UM-M have expressed concerns about the shortage of graduate-level materials scientists and engineers, particularly at the doctoral level. The burgeoning growth of the materials sector within the state, and throughout the world, has intensified demand for technical personnel with advanced, in-depth knowledge of materials systems and processes. When coupled with the shortage of available graduate-level talent, the large number of impending baby-boomer retirements present a serious issue. Industry representatives have stated that they expect that graduates of the proposed doctoral program will receive immediate consideration for high level positions and opportunities for rapid advancement in major materials industry corporations.
Research and industry have moved toward interdisciplinary team models to deal with the increasing complexity of production, research and development. We envision a program in which two doctoral committee co-chairs advise and oversee each student. There will be one co-chair from each campus in order to represent both a science department such as chemistry or physics and an engineering department such as metallurgical engineering. This program will be specifically designed to ensure that the curriculum, mentors, research teams and funding will sustain the interdisciplinary nature of the program.
As one of the core principles of the program, industrial participation will be coordinated with research and education in a manner to ensure high student retention and to expand and reinforce the relationship between industry and the UM-M and MTech campuses. The program will afford students paid internship opportunities to establish working relationships with industrial concerns even before they are accepted as full candidates and choose formal research projects. Specific examples are the internships routinely available to students through the University Centers, CASANS and CAMP (see Appendix I and II). The MS program would enable these Centers to expand job solicitations to include PhD level work as well, thus enhancing their existing industrial programs. This will also provide opportunities for faculty, in that well established industrial researchers such as Dr. Jerry Downey and Dr. Courtney Young at MTech will be available to provide support to well established academic researchers, such as Dr. Ed Rosenberg and Dr. Chris Palmer at the UM-M, and vice versa. Both of these experienced groups will then be available as mentors not only to students, but to newer faculty as well.
In summary, the collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of the proposed doctoral program differentiates it from most existing materials oriented graduate programs, and certainly from those within the immediate geographical area. While engaged in this program, students will enjoy access to the extensive academic resources of a major university as well as the practical “hands-on” learning experiences that are typically only available at a smaller engineering college. The program will coordinate these factors, in combination with the high degree of industrial exposure, to ultimately graduate highly educated and experienced job applicants who will capably compete for scientific and technical management positions at the international level.
c. What is the anticipated demand for the program? How was this determined?
The projected demand for this program is high. For example, the materials science program at Washington State University is claimed to be the fastest growing program at the university. Job boards routinely post over 5,000 materials science jobs, and Ph.D. level job boards show large numbers of materials scientist positions as well. As mentioned above, substantial industrial interest in graduates already exists due to the need for replacing an aging professional workforce. This fact is documented by the attached letters of support.
Several students have expressed interest in the proposed program based only on word-of-mouth discussion about the possibility that it will be offered. At the UM-M graduates in Chemistry and Physics have increased sharply in the last few years as a result of the expansion of research with undergraduate students in these departments. MTech projects that between five and ten students will enroll if the program becomes available; the figure includes students that are currently involved in funded research efforts and professionals that are currently employed by materials-oriented businesses within the region. Otherwise, these students are considered likely to either pursue their doctoral studies outside of the state of Montana or simply elect not to obtain a Ph.D.
4. Institutional and System Fit
a. What is the connection between the proposed program and existing programs at the institution?
The collaborative doctoral program will be anchored by the Chemistry and Physics Departments at UM-M and by the Chemistry, General Engineering, and Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Departments at MTech. However, participation will not be restricted to these departments, and it is expected that faculty from other departments will become active participants as the program grows. To this end, faculty members within other departments at both institutions have expressed their interest and willingness to participate. These include Computer Science, Geosciences and Mathematics at UM-M and Environmental Engineering and Biological Sciences at MTech. Such broadened participation will further enhance the multidisciplinary aspect of the program. The availability of additional facilities and equipment will elevate the level of research, which in turn will attract additional research funding opportunities. The direct involvement of the students with the Centers will not only benefit the students, but will also expand the capabilities of the Centers, and will have a positive impact on the economy of The State of Montana.
b. Will approval of the proposed program require changes to any existing programs at the institution? If so, please describe.
No, the proposed program will not require changes to existing programs. With the exception of two new online courses that will be developed to augment the collaborative effort by UM-M and MTech, the program will be initiated with existing faculty resources and course offerings. However, anticipated growth in the program will provide the opportunity to hire additional faculty and expand research infrastructure (please refer to Section 5 – Resources).
c. Describe what differentiates this program from other, closely related programs at the institution (if appropriate).
The UM-M has no formal Materials Science program. MTech has a Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department that offers Bachelors and Masters Degrees, but does not have a Ph.D. program. Thus, the proposed program will supplement the already available degrees at UM-M and MTech.
d. How does the proposed program serve to advance the strategic goals of the institution?
The goals of the participating institutions emphasize the following principles: