Science and Materials Engineering

Education objectives

The main objective of the PhD program in Science and Engineering of Materials is to provide to the students a solid science and technology foundation in the area of Science and Engineering and its applications. In this context, it will make the required approach to the knowledge of extreme relevancy for the industry based on creativity and innovation materials related fields, which will, undoubtedly, the very hallmark of training and education for the twenty-first century, with a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary vision of sciences and engineering.

In addition to the primary objective mentioned above, the proposed PhD program aims to address the need to have PhDs with multidisciplinary comprehensive training, able to operate in the areas of processing, functionality and design of new materials and their integration in systems and devices, in addition to promote the implementation of new techniques for materials processing at a macro and nano scales, relevant to engineering. In this context the following areas are addressed: chemical engineering, such as polymers and mesomorph materials and their applications in different areas of industry; Electronic Engineering to which are relevant the knowledge concerning semiconductor materials, processing and their device applications; microelectronics processes; Engineering Mechanics, as is the case for transformations and functionalization of metallic materials, new composites, and ceramics and glass materials; metallurgical engineering; life sciences, as in the case of biomaterials and tissue engineering; renewable energy, as it is the case of photovoltaics; environment, as it is the case of  recycling and waste recovery, among others.

To achieve these objectives, there needs to be advanced training in this multidisciplinary field that brings together the knowledge of areas covering all the Engineering, complemented with appropriate training, in terms of management, entrepreneurship and citizenship.

In this context, the core objectives of 3^rd Cycle Study leading to the degree of Doctor in materials Science and Engineering is to ensure that a holder of this degree will be equipped with the following capabilities:

• Arguments well grounded in the most current scientific knowledge.
• Self-conscious in ethics and social science matters.
• Proactive attitude in the transfer of knowledge of the laboratory to the industry.
• Responsible attitude in sustainability issues related to the application of materials and associated technologies.
• Good joint working group attitude in conjunction with individual initiatives.
• Good planning, execution and analysis of experimental work.
• Advanced knowledge in Materials Science and Engineering.
• Prefer to keep track of the frontiers of knowledge.
• Implementation of innovative solutions to complex problems in Materials Engineering.
• Integrated vision and critique of science and engineering materials and their applications.
• Ability to propose working methodologies and to perform research.

The PhD in this area will have adequate training to pursue research and development in public and private institutions and generating their own business knowledge based.