University of Washington Materials Science & Engineering

Xiao speaks to two students in lab coats and protective goggles. Xiao is intentional about mentoring students, who explore many facets of battery design and production. For newcomers, she has developed a virtual reality game to simulate battery assembly in a safe context.

Jie Xiao, standing with arms folded in a purple blazer. Xiao is a widely respected energy storage researcher, is working to catalyze a viable battery manufacturing industry in the U.S.

Looking beyond incremental innovations in energy storage technology, Jie Xiao wants to catalyze a robust domestic battery industry — from mining to manufacturing.

Read more: www.engr.washington.edu/news/article...

Five people in business attire standing on a stage, three holding plaques, all smiling at the camera

What if we could catch manufacturing errors before they happened? MSE grad students Huilong (Max) Fu and Kendall Johnson have found a new way to use AI tools to figure out what causes defects in composite material parts, and how to keep them from forming in the future.

Read more: bit.ly/4qjuxbJ

Flyer for the 2026 Research & Industry Showcase on March 9

You're invited! Join us for the 2026 MSE Research & Industry Showcase. Enjoy short talks from our alumni, research presentations from our students and plenty of time to connect with MSE'ers past and present.

📅 March 9, 2026
🕔 5:00 - 7:30 p.m.
📍 HUB Lyceum

Details and RSVP: bit.ly/mse-ri

Headshots of the seven MSE faculty honored as Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers, surrounding a logo spoofing MTV's Most Wanted as MSE's Most Cited.

Congratulations to the seven MSE faculty named 2025 Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers! Please join us in celebrating Guozhong Cao, Ting Cao, Jun Liu, Charles Marcus, Di Xiao, Xiaodong Xu and Jihui Yang 👏 Read more: bit.ly/3XyVls3

A path on the UW Seattle campus lined by red and orange autumn trees.

We're hiring! UW MSE is searching for an undergraduate adviser. This key role supports our 200 undergraduate students from recruitment through graduation. Apply by Oct. 30!

Internal to UW applicant: bit.ly/4qBnV9E
External to UW applicant: bit.ly/4owKv1h

A student in a lab carefully pours a sample into a small mold as a professor looks on.

Is an M.S. in MSE right for you? You're invited to our upcoming info session about the Applied Master’s Program in MSE!

📅 Tuesday, October 21
🕒 3:00 – 4:00 PM PST
📍 Virtual via Zoom

Details and registration: bit.ly/4q5jsLY

Seaweed-infused cement could cut concrete’s carbon footprint Researchers at the University of Washington and Microsoft developed a new type of low-carbon concrete by mixing dried, powdered seaweed with cement. The seaweed-fortified cement has a 21% lower global...

Seaweed is not just for sushi anymore. 🍣 The @eroumeli.bsky.social lab and @msftresearch.bsky.social are testing sea lettuce as a concrete alternative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions! Read more: bit.ly/4m9cenA

Hira and Patricia Fotedar enjoying a winter day on campus in the 1960s

A UW love story turned legacy: Hira and Patricia Fotedar met on campus in the ’60s. Decades later, they’ve created a $250K fellowship for MSE grads—helping the next generation of scientists thrive. Read more: bit.ly/44BYB9p

Two students in white lab coats and goggles conducting an experiment at the Clean Energy Institute at the University of Washington.

You're invited to a virtual info session on the Applied Master's Program at UW MSE! Join us for a panel discussion with current students and recent alums covering academic life, internships, career development and more!

📅 Tues, June 24
🕒 3:00-4:30 p.m. (PT)
📍 Via Zoom

RSVP: bit.ly/4e5qE5c

About 100 people on a stage in an auditorium wearing graduation caps and gowns

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MSE CLASS OF 2025! 🎉

We are so proud of each and every one of you and can't wait to see what you accomplish 💜 🎓

A student in a lab coat and goggles smiles while handling lab equipment.

Make their legacy your impact! 🎓

This year’s graduating class is leading the way, supporting the areas that made their time with MSE special. Join their effort and help future students thrive through the Senior Class Gift Campaign. Donate now! together.uw.edu/i/uw/campaig...

#COESeniorClassGift

The winners of the 2025 MSE Annual Awards hold their certificates and smile at the camera.

We had a blast celebrating the recipients of the 2025 MSE Annual Awards last week! Congratulations to everyone honored. You are the reason we 💜 MSE!

For the full list of winners, check out mse.washington.edu/news/mseawards

Professor Xiaodong Xu will be presented with his NAS Award for Scientific Discovery this Sunday, April 27, at 11:30 a.m. Pacific. Register for the live webcast and cheer him on! nasonline.swoogo.com/nas162_award...

#NASaward #nas162

A group of academics seated around a banquet table.

MSE Department Chair Di Xiao speaks into a microphone to welcome attendees to the 2025 MRS Reception.

A room full of people at banquet tables, looking toward a speaker at the front of the room.

MSE faculty Avik Som gives a lecture titled, "Delivering the cure: Image guided delivery of biomaterials"

We had so much fun meeting new friends and reconnecting with old ones at the MRS Reception last week! Thank you to everyone who joined us for this meaningful evening of community building. 💜

People standing and socializing around an event hall.

Rows of people sat in chairs, listening to a presentation.

A student stands behind a podium to present her research

A student points to his poster while explaining his research

Huge thanks to everyone who made the 2025 R&I Showcase a success! Read about the incredible work our students presented that are bettering our health and our planet: bit.ly/4hQERmW

Event announcement for the MRS Reception on April 8

🌟Join us for a night of food, friends and fun!🌟 The #S25MRS Conference is in Seattle next month, so we're hosting a reception for our colleagues in industry and professional academia:

📅 When: Tuesday, April 8, 2025 | 6 – 8 PM PST
📍 Where: Residence Inn Seattle Downtown

RSVP: bit.ly/4iEWaZ4

YouTube video by Taylor Sparks Episode 101: All About Biomatter

👂 Listen up! 👂 MSE's Eleftheria Roumeli sat down with the Materialism Podcast to discuss turning plants into plastics. Learn all about how a fish tank full of "gross" bacteria can be used to create complex and surprisingly strong shapes. Tune in now! youtu.be/rRXc854tcZU

Program announcement for the Quantum@UW REU summer program

🚨 Attention undergrads! 🚨 Interested in Quantum Information Science & Engineering? Gain meaningful research experience in QISE theory or experiment applications with the NSF-funded Quantum@UW REU Program! Apply by March 12. Details: bit.ly/uw-quantum-reu

Prof. Navid Zobeiry surrounded by cartoon hearts

This Valentine's Day, we're celebrating love - of SCIENCE!! Hear from MSE's Navid Zobeiry as he shares his own love story: What made him fall in love with his research? 💘 bit.ly/3Ezp3a2

New biomaterials developed by MSE faculty Miqin Zhang and Avik Som could allow precise targeting of cancer cells, then restore the lost healthy tissue. Read all about it for World Cancer Day! 💜

Xiaodong Xu sits at a computer in his lab

Congratulations to Prof. Xiaodong Xu, winner of the 2025 NAS Award for Scientific Discovery for his experimental observation of the fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect! 🎖️ Read all about it: www.nasonline.org/award/nas-aw...