I am a junior majoring in Materials Science and Engineering. Initially, I entered college with an intent to pursue Biomedical Engineering, but the welcoming MSE community, all of the undergraduate research opportunities, and the versatility of Materials Science encouraged me to change my path. I am actively involved in the Society of Women Engineers, where we advocate for and empower women in the engineering field, and serve as an undergraduate ambassador for the MSE Department. I love being an MSE Ambassador because I get to help new and incoming students smoothly transition into the MSE Department, while also creating fun, community-building events for current students. In my free time, I love going to the gym and having game nights with my friends. With my MSE degree, I hope to further my education and eventually participate in government and/or military research.

Advise to prospective students: There are a lot of research opportunities available within the department. Don't be afraid to reach out, ask questions, and learn more about a specific research area!

I am a first-generation Armenian American and the first in my family to attend college. I co-founded the Armenian Student Association at NCSU and serve on the board of the Society of Orphaned Armenian Relief (SOAR) North Carolina chapter. Outside of my philanthropic work, I also serve as a residential advisor, work part-time as a server, and am currently collaborating with my research group to complete a research paper.

My first exposure to undergraduate research was in my freshman year working jointly in the Physics Department with Dr. Karen Daniels and the Center for Additive Manufacturing and Logistics (CAMAL) with Dr. Christopher Rock at NCSU aiming to characterize the electrical transport of variably uniform network metamaterials. Since then, I have also done a summer NSF REU (National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates) in nonlinear dynamics at the University of Maryland, College Park working on single photon detection. Most recently, I am working with Dr. Raymond Unocic using electron microscopy to capture the dynamics of MoS2 from amorphous to twisted van der Waal heterostructures with respect to electron dose and in situ heating. Aside from research, I have been working at the Analytical Instrumentation Facility at NCSU, where I've used many microscopy techniques to analyze samples for researchers. All of my multidisciplinary experiences have propelled me to continue doing research and pursue a PhD in materials science!

My name is Avery Smith and I am a sophomore majoring in Materials Science and Engineering with a concentration in Biomaterials and a minor in Data Science and Analytics. I chose MSE because I wanted to create new materials that work for the needs of people but do not harm the environment. At NC State I am an active member in the Society of Women Engineers and Engineers Without Borders. In Engineers Without Borders, I work with my team to build a solar energy system for a school in Sierra Leone. This December, I actually traveled to Sierra Leone and helped install the first part of the system! Additionally, I serve as an MSE Ambassador and am an undergraduate researcher in the Data-Driven Organic Materials Lab with Dr. Seifrid, where I combine my love of organic chemistry and my interest in data analysis to synthesize materials using automated systems. In my free time, I love playing with my dog Olive, who I adopted this summer. Read more about Avery's story in her Student Spotlight!

I'm a sophomore in MSE with a minor in Spanish. My interests are broad and varied--I chose MSE because I like the broadly applicable content and variety of career opportunities. I love my jobs as a Climbing Center Specialist at our Wellness and Recreation Center and as an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Seifrid's Data Driven Organic Materials Lab, where I work on automated systems for chemical synthesis. In my free time, you can usually find me outside climbing, hiking, or otherwise enjoying the outdoors!

I have done research at NC State since freshman year, inspiring me to pursue a PhD! I also work as a drop-in tutor and peer supervisor at the Academic Success Center on main campus. It's a nice way to help younger students and keep my math skills fresh from helping all levels of math.

In addition to being one of the co-presidents for Materials Advantage, I am a part of Dr. LaBean's research lab and a vice president for The Blood Connection at NC State, which is a club that organizes blood drives on campus. I have completed two summer internships: Collins Aerospace and Burt's Bees, and am double minoring in Biological Sciences and Science, Technology, and Society (STS).

Hi! My name is Grant and I am pursuing a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering with a nanomaterials concentration and a minor in nano-science and technology. As a first-year engineering student at NC State University, I aim to explore all of the opportunities available, while applying my learned experience and meeting many new people. I am an active member of a plethora of student organizations such as Consult Your Community, Engineers Without Borders, TEDxNCState, and much more! I relish the opportunities working on project teams and savor the gratifying feeling of helping others.

The Cooperative Education Program at NC State is a unique opportunity to gain hands-on job experience while pursuing a degree. While maintaining an undergraduate student status, co-op participants complete rotations of (paid!) full-time work during two academic semesters and one summer term. Unlike other engineering programs, MSE students have to complete their co-op in sequential terms to stay on track with the sequence of MSE courses.

Doing engineering doesn’t restrict you from getting involved in the music program!

I am pursuing a degree in Materials Science and Engineering and a minor in Environmental Sciences. I initially went into college as engineering undecided, but fell in love with MSE after I learned of its tight-night community and broad variety of applications in advancing technology fields. I am also involved in music at NC State. I am a piccolo section leader for the Power Sound of the South marching band, and I participate in Varsity Band for men’s and women's basketball in the spring. I also enjoy serving as an MSE Ambassador and getting to meet new people in this fantastic community. After graduating I hope to continue to pursue education and complete a graduate degree, work in a research lab, and hopefully get the opportunity to teach.

I am a junior majoring in Materials Science and Engineering, concentrating in Nanomaterials. I initially entered NC State as a Computer Science major but fell in love with MSE due to its combination of physics, chemistry, and the explanation of how materials behave. The welcoming MSE department made me feel right at home in the community.  I joined Dr. Tracy's lab in Fall 2024 and have been conducting research investigating shape memory polymer films embedded with NdFeB magnetic microparticles, exploring photothermal programming for shape recovery and magnetic actuation. I also serve as an MSE Ambassador and am a part of the professional fraternity Alpha Phi Omega and College Mentors for Kids.

I have also done research at Argonne National Laboratory where I helped program and perform XRD experiments at a synchrotron.

I am a junior in the MSE department, and I am an out-of-state student from Harford County, Maryland. At NC State I am on the women’s club rugby team and just started doing materials science research with Dr. Gupta and his group working with corrosion resistant meal alloys.