Student Impact

Student Impact is the principal theme of our Summer edition of Watts News. That impact can be measured in terms of student achievement, enrollment, and diversity. I am proud to say that the MSE and WE programs continue to grow in each of these areas. Student achievement abounds and we are fortunate to attract some of the most capable and passionate students in the college. Department Honors Outstanding Students showcases nine individuals who were recognized at our Annual Student Awards event on March 6. The awards and recipients reflect our values and breadth of student interests and plans – ranging from automotive welding to materials recycling to additive manufacturing to patent law. Click on the link to see photos our of seniors. Concerning enrollment, the department admitted the largest number of new majors in the history of the MSE and WE programs: 82 in MSE (up from 47 in 2017) and 64 in WE (up from 48 in 2017). Total undergraduate enrollment (premajors and majors) in MSE has increased to 243 (from 222 last year) and in WE it has increased to 172 (from 161). Collective admission to the MSE and WE graduate programs was 40 students, up from 34 the year prior. These data put our department among the largest materials programs in the US. Diversity? We are on the rise there too. About 32% of MSE undergraduates are women and about 26% of undergraduates come from underrepresented groups. In WE, the numbers are considerably lower but we are excited about a key outcome in 2018: the pre-majors in both programs are more diverse and have a larger fraction of women than prior years.

Three Minute Thesis highlights the ubiquitous impact of materials on the Ohio State campus – from the development of flexible ultraviolet LEDs to hydrophobicity of catalysts to natural rubber composites to joining of X65 pipes. Take a look at the graduate student videos in each of these areas – each was a finalist in this annual “Materials Week” competition and MSE and WE students fared quite well.

Energizing Girl Scouts showcases a new effort by Prof. Vicky Doan-Nguyen, who joined our department in August 2017, to engage young girls in scoping out solar energy. Outreach efforts like this empower our youth to learn about materials and joining in ways they may not see in elementary or high school. We are always seeking opportunities and external support for such activities. The Honda-Ohio State Partnership assisted here and in the development of a new first-year engineering lab entitled, Turning Fishing Line into Actuators. These activities promote materials science and welding engineering on campus and in the surrounding community, so that our new majors continue to advance our student diversity, excellence, and enrollment.

The remaining stories remind us that student impact is enhanced by the quality of faculty and facilities. Faculty Excellence Recognized reports on our particularly strong showing at the 21^st Annual Distinguished Faculty Awards event. Professors Roberto Myers, Gerald Frankel, Avraham Benatar, and Glenn Daehn were all recognized for excellence in engineering education, teaching, and outreach, and Prof. Wei Zhang earned recognition for his research. GE Additive Donates 3-D Metal Printer describes a key acquisition that is revolutionizing materials and manufacturing, and fueling, in part, our anticipated offering of a new specialization in additive manufacturing, as part of the Master's in Global Engineering Leadership program at Ohio State. In Memoriam: David C. Lincoln reflects on the founder of Lincoln Laser Company and the transformational gift and donations to the Welding Engineering Program.

I hope that this issue of Watts News offers a snapshot into student impact at one of the largest materials programs in the country. Spread the word!