RALEIGH, NC — Dr. Donald W. Brenner, Kobe Steel Distinguished Professor and Department Head of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) at North Carolina State University, will take over as Chair of the University Materials Council (UMC) for the 2025-2026 term. Brenner succeeds Dr. Izabela Szlufarska, Harvey D. Spangler Professor and Department Chair at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who led the UMC during the 2024-2025 term.
Dr. Brenner brings over three decades of leadership and innovation in computational materials science to his new role. Since joining NC State in 1994, he has advanced the field through pioneering work in atomistic simulations and the development of interatomic potentials, including the widely used reactive empirical bond order (REBO) potential. His research spans a broad range of topics, from nanostructured materials to tribochemistry and high-entropy ceramics.
His contributions have been recognized with numerous honors, including the 2002 Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology, the 2013 Alcoa Foundation Distinguished Engineering Achievement Award, and the 2016 Alexander Quarles Holladay Medal for Excellence. Most recently, he was named a 2024 Fellow of the Materials Research Society (MRS), acknowledging his significant impact on materials modeling and his broader influence within the scientific community.
As Chair, Dr. Brenner will lead the UMC in its mission to support and advance materials science and engineering education and research across academic institutions. Building upon Dr. Szlufarska’s impactful tenure, which emphasized interdisciplinary collaboration and educational innovation, Brenner aims to strengthen the council’s initiatives further and foster a cohesive community among materials science departments nationwide.
The UMC, comprising department heads and chairs from materials science and engineering programs across the United States, plays a pivotal role in shaping the discipline’s future through shared governance, strategic planning, and advocacy. Dr. Brenner’s leadership is anticipated to guide the council through a period of continued growth and adaptation in the rapidly evolving field of materials science.
For more information about the University Materials Council and its initiatives, visit UMC’s official website.