DMSE: Discover Material Science & Engineering

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering was among the first to be established at the Institute and has greatly evolved over the century from its roots in metallurgical sciences and mining technologies to become a truly interdisciplinary major. Through the understanding of materials properties, materials scientists and engineers have provided the essential foundation to the computer chip and digital revolution, photovoltaic development, nanotechnology, biological engineering, tissue engineering, and many of the greatest technological developments of our time.

Discover Materials Science and Engineering will provide you a glimpse into the past, present, and future of materials science and engineering. Our program will introduce you to the traitional beginnings of materials science in the forge and foundry where the first materials scientists transformed ored into the first metallic objects. We will then take a hands-on approach in discovering the ubiquity of materials science in our daily life, from the exciting world or molecular gastronomy used in the world's most famous restaurants to polymerizing your very own plastic. Moreover, you will also have a chance to interact with the forefront innovators of materials engineering as they comete in the Semi-Finals for the MADMEC competition for the innovation in the field of alternative energy. Finally, you will get your (gloved) hands dirty with cutting edge materials science reserach conducted at the institute and get a glimpse into the future of this exciting field.

Oh, and of course you will be having a lot of fun getting to knoe some of your fellow freshman class while getting a head start in finding your way around MIT and Boston!

DMSE Specifics

• Dates: Tuesday, August 25 through Friday, August 28.
  
• Place: Freshmen will be housed in their assigned dormitory.
  
• Available Spaces:20
  
• Cost: No Charge. The Department of Materials Science and Engineering will be covering all costs.

What Will We Do?

• Registration and Check-In
• Dinner and Activities to welcome you to DMSE

• Breakfast
  
• Lecture by DMSE Faculty: Materials and the Human Experience

Materials Past: You will discover workings of the first materials scientists, from the prehistoric tool makers who utilized their knowledge of flint (a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of quartz) to produce elaborate arrowheads and spears, to the blacksmiths turn ingots into metal items through plastic deformation in the DMSE forge.

Evening: Excursion to Newbury Street/Prudential Esplanade

• Breakfast
  
• Lecture by DMSE Faculty: Materials in the Modern World

Materials Present: Did you know how materials science is revolutionizing the way we eat? Come explore the exciting world of molecular gastronomy and get a peek at the materials science behind creations of 5-chocolate is affected by its crystal structure? You'll get to learn all about it from the MIT Laboratory for Chocolate Science. You will also get to tour the DMSE laboratories and test our our new rapid prototyping facilities. You will check out and learn how to use our new 3D printers and laser cutters.

Evening: MADMEC Semi-Finals Presentations: meet with the top innovators in materials engineering as they showcase prototypes of their inventions that are going to save the world

• Breakfast
  
• Lecture by DMSE Department Head: The Future of Materials Science and Engineering

Materials Future: Students will get to visit Institute of Soldier Nanotechnology in Kendall Square and take a look into the latest materials research and engineering focused on making it safer for our soldiers who risk their lives in the battlefield. Furthermore Professor Yet-Ming Chiang will talk about his company that is leading the way in portable energy storage and very cool demonstrations of the technology here at MIT. Finally, it's not Discover Materials Science and Engineering if you didn't get your hands dirty. You will also get to create a novel material with amazing optical properties that was recently developed in our labs.

Evening: Enjoy a BBQ at the MIT Sailing Pavilion. This last evening with the DMSE will also include sailing on the Charles River in Tech Sailboats. You may even get to try out balsa wood reconstruction of Meso-Americal raft used in the transport of ancient metallurgical technology in from South America to Central America. The raft was constructed by the students of studying the materials properties or archeological materials.