A materials science engineer’s primary responsibility is to apply knowledge gained in fields such as physics, chemistry, and crystallography to practical applications such as the design of machines, buildings, and new forms of matter. Materials science engineering is a multi-disciplinary field that serves a variety of functions in today’s industrialized world. Materials scientists may be only interested in the theoretical aspects of matter’s properties. It is their job to figure out what these properties are and how their physical interactions change as local conditions change. Engineers, on the other hand, are interested in what can be done with the body of materials knowledge that science has established.
A materials science engineer works on projects that include many physical sciences as well as some life sciences. As a result, his or her education must cover a wide range of subjects. It’s not uncommon to find researchers in the field with multiple degrees, including physics, chemistry, and engineering, as well as knowledge of genetics or microbiology. Medicine, space, military, and energy applications, as well as microprocessor engineering, are the primary industries that will continue to have a high demand for a materials science engineer. A materials science engineer could work in a variety of settings, including oil exploration, cancer treatment, bridge construction, and aircraft design, to name a few.
A materials science engineer can pursue a variety of career paths. Traditional materials knowledge from the study of metallurgy, ceramics, and polymers was applied to traditional construction methods in this field. In previously unheard-of ways, materials research is now being combined with engineering advances. A materials science engineer might collaborate with a pharmaceutical company to develop tumor-targeted drug delivery devices, a military organization to develop self-healing armor, or a clothing manufacturer to develop stain-resistant fabric. Engineers in the field of materials science have enabled all of these applications, and many more are on the way.
Nanotechnology research and development is one of the most prominent fields for a materials science engineer. Nanotechnology is a multidisciplinary field concerned with the engineering of materials and machines on a scale of 100 nanometers or less in at least one dimension, such as width or length. One billionth of a meter is a nanometer. An average human red blood cell is about 100 nanometers in diameter, which gives you an idea of how small nanotechnology is.