About us
Welcome to the School of Materials Science and Engineering!
The School, founded in 1952, was one of the first schools to be established at UNSW. Over the years, it has grown to become one of the most highly ranked materials programs in the Asia-Pacific region and plays a central and major role in materials science and engineering teaching and research in Australia. In recognition of our achievements, the University invested in a purpose-built, state-of-the art building to house our staff, students and facilities that was completed in 2015.
The School’s overarching aim is to be recognised as a world leader in research and a provider of world-class educational programs that generate outstanding graduates with the skills, attributes, and knowledge required to practice as professional scientists and engineers across all areas of industry, from metallurgy to microelectronics to biomedical fields.
Teaching programs with a strong emphasis on societal impact
As we move towards a more sustainable planet, the field of materials science and engineering is also evolving at a rapid pace. The School is keeping abreast of these changes by redesigning our teaching and research programs to place a strong emphasis on societal impact.
In 2024, we introduced revised undergraduate degree programs in Materials Science and Engineering (BE (Hons)) and Materials Science (BSc & BScAdv(Hons)). Our Bachelor of Engineering program can be combined with bachelor's degrees in Chemical Engineering (BEngSci) and Commerce (BCom), or a master's degree in Biomedical Engineering (MBiomedE). We also offer Australia’s leading Master of Materials Technology (MMatTech) program, which can be completed in one to two years. This master’s degree provides a balance between core and elective courses, along with a substantial research project.
All of our programs have been designed to cultivate the necessary professional skills and socially aware mindset required for a successful career as a materials scientist or engineer.
A central feature of our BE programs is their accreditation by Engineers Australia, which enables our graduates to work as professional engineers and scientists in every major country in the world as our degrees are internationally recognised through the Washington Accord.
Research that positively impacts society
The School offers higher degree research programs at the master's level (MPhil & MSc) and doctoral level (PhD). We are a research-intensive School, and our staff attracts research students from all corners of the globe. Every student receives individual supervision from one or more members of academic staff, each leading their own world-class research program within one or more of the following interconnecting societal impact themes:
- Energy & Environment: Structural and functional materials that play a critical role in the production, storage, and conversion of energy, through to eco-friendly materials produced by sustainable processes and innovative recycling technologies.
- Biomedical & Health: Structural materials exhibiting specific functionality to largely functional materials that are designed to interact with biological systems for therapeutic and diagnostic medical purposes.
- Transport & Infrastructure: Primarily structural materials used expressly for creating the means of transportation, to large-scale structures and infrastructure that are vital for carrying out our daily lives.
- Electronics & Communications: Primarily functional materials with structural requirements used in electrical, electronics and microelectronics applications.
Our staff also lead or contribute to the following School-affiliated research centres, hubs, and institutes:
- UNSW Centre for Sustainable Materials Research & Technology (SMaRT@UNSW)
- UNSW Future Materials & Manufacturing Institute
- UNSW Institute for Industrial Decarbonisation
- UNSW Nuclear Innovation Centre
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine
- Trailblazer for Recycling & Clean Energy
- Baosteel-Australia Joint Research Centre
- ARC Centre for Excellence in Future Low-Energy Electronics Technologies
- ARC Research Hub for Transforming Waste in Cost Effective Green Manufacturing
- ARC Research Hub for Connected Sensors for Health
- ARC Research Hub for Fire Resilience Infrastructure, Assets & Safety Advancements
- ARC Research Hub in Zero-emission Power Generation for Carbon Neutrality
- ARC Research Hub for Smart Process Design & Control
- ARC Research Hub for Intelligent Energy Efficiency in Future Protected Cropping
- ARC Training Centre for Innovative Composites for the Future of Sustainable Mining Equipment
- ARC Training Centre for Next-Gen Technologies in Biomedical Analysis
- ARC Training Centre for Battery Recycling
As proud as we are of our achievements, we remain steadfast in our commitment to attracting bright minds, both as students and researchers, and to foster new partnerships with both industry and the broader community. Whether you are interested in studying the fascinating discipline of materials science and engineering or if you are a company with a specific research challenge or an interest in recruiting our graduates, we warmly invite you to explore our website and connect with us!
Professor Michael Ferry
Head of School
