UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State will host the 2019 Materials Science Undergraduate Education Conference to address the dramatic growth of undergraduate student enrollment in materials science and engineering programs and the impacts on all stakeholders.
The three-day conference will include discussions on current trends, analysis and projections for expected future impacts, establishing best practices, and summarizing findings for future publication. The event will be held Sept. 9-11 at the HUB-Robeson Center on Penn State’s University Park campus and is sponsored by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Registration is open until Aug. 30, and space is limited.
“It is an exciting time in materials science, especially in undergraduate education,” said Susan Sinnott, conference organizer and head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Penn State. “This is an opportunity to bring together representatives from various stakeholders to discuss what has been happening in materials science and engineering programs over the last decade and prepare for the future.”
Student enrollment in materials science and engineering programs has grown dramatically over the last decade. These increases are taking place across bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs, with the most substantial growth taking place at the undergraduate level. These trends are impacting academic programs, industries and government laboratories that hire materials engineers, as well as government and other agencies that fund and accredit programs.
More information and registration for the Materials Science Undergraduate Education Conference is available online.