The Faces of our Workforce

Spring semester is in full swing, and new faces in our programs reflect a changing dynamic in fields that had predominantly male students. A more diverse demographic with increased female and African American representation nods to efforts to showcase our disciplines to first year engineering students and students in area high schools. Several trends are reflected in the student body within our programs for both the current semester and academic year.

The number of students identifying as women and African American is trending upward in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (DMSE). The 48 incoming welding engineering sophomores includes a more than doubling of female students to 20%. This increase follows from the recruitment of the first two female faculty, Professors Carolin Fink and Xun Liu, in the history of the Welding Engineering Program. In the MSE Program, about 28% of the 74 incoming students are women. Combined, the percentage of women in DMSE floats above the college’s 23% of incoming female engineering students.

Both programs saw significant increases in students joining the majors who identify as Black or African American – to nearly 10% in MSE and 6% in WE. This compares to a college average of about 3%. More than a quarter of our incoming Welding Engineering students and about 10% of incoming MSE students are blazing the metaphorical college trail for their families by being first-generation college attendees.

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering celebrates each student who decides to study materials science and welding disciplines, albeit combined or respectively. Diversity represented by our current student body speaks to the mission of the department. The education and opportunities found at and through Ohio State help them secure lucrative jobs, some before graduation, in fields that are stable and timeless. We encourage you to engage with these bright, young minds who are reflective of your alma mater and future employees.

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering Mission Statement

Our mission is to create, transfer, and preserve knowledge through impactful research, dynamic teaching, and the effective training of our future colleagues in materials science and welding engineering. We believe that learning, discovery, and innovation are fostered through the interaction of persons from a diverse background and are dedicated to creating an environment that welcomes and values all.