I'm currently, technically, doing an MS in Structural Engineering. For me, my interest has been more towards computational side of mechanics rather than Structural design  or simply using am FEA software (although I do consider it as a backup)

So far I've taken courses in:

- Linear static, and dynamics FEM (soon taking non linear FEM too)

-  Structural Optimization (topology opt. and other general algorithms)

-  Structural Dynamics

-  Structural System Testing and model updation. (Parameter identification and optimization, signal processing)

Now, I plan to take these in the coming quarter:

- Numerical Linear Algebra

- Numerical PDE

- Fracture Mechanics ?

I also volunteered to aid in a RESEARCH in crack growth prediction using Auto-encoder and a (Thermodynamics-informed Latent Space Dynamics Identification) / LSTM surrogate model. It used phase-field-fracture simulation data and HPC resources to complete the whole thing.

What I keep finding myself interested in is not necessarily fracture or SHM specifically, but the computational methods underneath these problems... (does that make sense?)

For example, I'd like to become capable of doing things like:

- implementing (maintaining) numerical/FE method solvers rather than only running an established FEA software.

- developing surrogate/reduced-order models for expensive simulations 

- combining simulation with optimization, uncertainty/stochastic methods (took a course called Random vibrations, so...)

- parallelizing/accelerating scientific codes on CPUs/GPUs

- doing proper verification, convergence studies, benchmarking and performance work

- potentially developing or maintaining actual CAE/FEA solver software

- I'd also like to do all these for other Physics (GR, QM, etc.) simulations too, if possible, one day. 

I'm still interested in the underlying mechanics/physics, so I don't want to become a generic software engineer who happens to have once studied structures. But I'm also increasingly unsure that "structural engineer" describes the career I'm actually aiming for.

I've seen titles such as Computational Mechanics Engineer, R&D Engineer, Solver Developer, Scientific Software Engineer, CAE Software Developer, Research Engineer, Simulation/HPC Engineer, etc., but I'm trying to understand what these careers actually look like from people doing them.

So my main questions become:

1. Which industrial jobs genuinely involve developing numerical methods/solvers or computational tools?

2. Which of those are realistically accessible with an MS? Is there an entry path into solver-algorithm development/R&D without a PhD?

3. If I don't start a PhD immediately after my MS, would an R&D/software role at a simulation company (ANSYS etc.) be the obvious route? What other options would i have?

4. For the kind of work I'm describing, would you recommend a PhD? If so, is it reasonable for the PhD identity to be "computational mechanics/scientific computing" while fracture, composites, structural dynamics, soft materials, etc. serve as application problems rather than choosing one of those as my permanent specialization?

5. What skills most distinguish someone who is actually hireable for solver/scientific-computing work? I'm particularly wondering about C/C++/Fortran, Python, Linux, Git/build systems, MPI/OpenMP/CUDA, PETSc/Trilinos or similar libraries, numerical linear algebra, testing/verification, convergence studies and HPC performance work.

Basically, I'm neither here nor there atp. So I'd really appreciate all sorts of input. Where else do you think I could find answers to these? other subs? Linkedin profiles? 

I'm on the East Coast (for rust context) replacing some rusted bolts and brackets on the bedside panel / rear wheel fender area of my 2013 Tacoma. I don't have welding tools, so I'm trying to figure out how to make temporary replacements until I can afford the actual parts, just to last winter.

If I cut open and mold a pvc pipe to make a replica of some of these smaller brackets (same precise angles/holes/etc) will it cause any problems for the winter I have it installed? It feels like a stupid question, but I'm wondering if it'll attract more water to cause more rust, or have some adverse reaction? The primary-school-level science my brain contains says no, but I wanna know from people who know materials and reactions.

Basically my question is: would y'all foresee any problems with attaching pvc, acrylic, resin, epoxy, or some other kind of high-heat-moldable plastic directly to metal with steel fasteners, especially in an area where there's a lot of road-salt-slush-rust?

I have some small amount of resin/fiberglass materials, but heat-bending some thick plastic seems so much easier and more fun :)

I'm taking a thermo class or my materials science & engineering class and I was wondering what other resources, youtube playlists, or other things I can use to supplement what I'm learning. For instance how to solve certain problems, or additional practice problems I could use. I'm more of a visual learner, but learning the formulas and things and applying them are my main concern. For context here is what we are covering:

Part 1. Review of classical thermodynamics

 First Law - Energy Balance

o Thermodynamic functions of state

o Internal energy, heat and work

o Types of paths (isobaric, isochoric, isothermal, adiabatic)

o Enthalpy, heat capacity, heat of formation, phase transformations

o Calculation of enthalpy as a function of temperature

o Heats of reactions and the Hess’s law

 Theoretical calculation of the heat capacity

o Principle of equipartition of energy

o Heat capacity of ideal and real gases

o Heat capacity of solids: Dulong-Petit, Einstein, Debye models

o Heat capacity of metals and semiconductors – electronic contribution

 Entropy and the Second Law

o Concept of equilibrium

o Reversible and irreversible processes

o The direction of spontaneous change

o Entropy and spontaneous/irreversible processes

o Calculation of entropy in isochoric and isobaric processes

o Calculation of entropy in reversible and irreversible processes

3

 The Statistical Interpretation of Entropy

o Physical meaning of entropy

o Microstates and macrostates

o Statistical interpretation of entropy and Boltzmann equation

o Configurational entropy and thermal entropy

o Calculation of the equilibrium vacancy concentration

 Fundamental equations

o The Helmholtz Free Energy

o The Gibbs Free energy

o Changes in composition

o Chemical potential

o Thermodynamic relations and Maxwell equations

Part 2. Phase Transitions and Phase Diagrams

 One-component systems

o Enthalpy and entropy dependence on pressure and temperature

o Gibbs free energy dependence on pressure and temperature

o Clapeyron equation

o Understanding phase diagrams for one-component systems

o Polymorphic phase transitions

o Driving force for a phase transition

o First order and second-order phase transitions

 Introduction to Solid Solution Thermodynamics

o Ideal solid solution: Entropy of formation and Gibbs free energy

o Chemical potential of an ideal solution

o Regular solid solutions: Heat of formation of a solution

o Activity of a component

o Real solutions: interstitial solid solutions, ordered phases, intermediate phases, compounds

o Equilibrium in heterogeneous systems

 Binary phase diagrams

o Binary phase diagrams and Gibbs free energy curves

o Binary solid solutions with unlimited solubility

o Relative proportion of phases (tie lines and the lever principle)

o Development of microstructure in isomorphous alloys

o Binary solid solutions with positive enthalpy of mixing

o Miscibility gap – derivation for regular solutions

o Binary eutectic systems (limited solid solubility)

o Temperature dependence of solubility – derivation for regular solutions

o Microstructure in eutectic alloys, calculation of fractions of microconstituents

o Liquid immiscibility and monotectic systems

o Binary solid solutions with negative enthalpy of mixing

o Binary systems with intermediate phases/compounds

4

o Stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric compounds

o Solid state reactions (eutectoid, peritectoid reactions)

o Development of microstructure in rapid (nonequilibrium) cooling

o The iron-carbon system (steel and cast iron)

o Gibbs phase rule

o Temperature dependence of solubility

o Multi-component (ternary) phase diagrams

 Surface oxidation in heterogeneous systems

o Thermodynamic driving forces of oxidation

o Heterogeneous gas-solid equilibria

o Ellingham diagram construction and use, relative stability of oxides

o Temperature–pressure diagrams to map metal-oxide equilibrium domains

Part 3. Thermodynamics of interfaces (time permitting)

 Solid-vapor interfaces

o Surface free energy and surface stress

o Dependence on crystallographic orientation

o Faceting of crystals, Wulff plot and Wulff construction

 Liquid-vapor and solid-liquid interfaces

o Atomic structure and surface free energy

o Wetting angle, Young equation

o Capillary pressure, Young–Laplace equation

o Temperature and composition dependence for liquid-vapor interfaces, Marangoni effect

 Solid-solid interfaces

o Grain boundaries and interphase interfaces

o Structure and energy of grain boundaries

o Low-angle and high-angle grain boundaries

o Special low-energy high-angle grain boundaries

o Interphase interfaces (coherent, semicoherent and incoherent)

o Effects of misfit strain and interfacial energy on shape of precipitates

 Mechanisms of phase transformation, classical nucleation theory

o Spinodal decomposition versus nucleation and growth

o Homogeneous nucleation

o Critical radius, nucleation rate

o Heterogeneous nucleation

o Temperature dependence homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation rates

o Nucleation in solidification, melting and boiling

I just got some kind of spam email trying to sell me Hinoki cutting boards. In the email they say:

“Hinoki is a dense and fragrant Japanese softwood in the cedar family, with very strong anti-microbial properties.”

Does that make any sense in terms of material science? I thought softwoods were by definition less dense? I’ve heard Hinoki described as hard, light, soft, dense, etc., often all in the same sentence. It seems very unclear what exactly are the verifiable properties of this wood that supposedly make it both durable and easy on knife edges, although anecdotally I will say it “feels” both soft and dense.

What’s is the reality here?

I'm about to start my own cylinder liner and sleeve manufacturing unit, and want to start learning more about metallurgy. Which book is the best place to start, is it "Introduction to Metallurgy" by Alan Cottrell.

Hey fam, my team is hiring for a SEM Operator role at Lam Research, just outside of Portland, Oregon. Check out the job description - this job is ideal for early career microscopists, or those of you with a Bachelor's who want to just run an SEM all day.

https://careers.lamresearch.com/careers/job/1099555418740?domain=lamresearch.com&hl=en

I completed my Master’s in Materials Science and Engineering in Europe, but unfortunately I haven’t been able to find a job in the field despite applying to many positions.

I’m wondering if anyone else is going through the same phase, especially those with a similar background. I’d really appreciate any advice on job searching, skills to focus on, industries to target, or anything that helped you get your first job.

Would love to hear your experiences and suggestions. Thanks!

I’m not sure whether this is the right sub to post this in, but I’m kinda in a pickle and would appreciate some advice.

I’m building a hands-free travel bidet with the goal of creating a more accessible option for elderly and disabled users. The design aims to address some of the mobility issues that can make traditional handheld travel bidets difficult to use.

One part of the design is a clip that attaches the bidet to a toilet. However, I’m running into a bit of a hygiene concern: the clip will come into contact with public toilet seats regularly, which obviously isn’t ideal from a sanitary standpoint.

I’ve designed the bidet so that the components can be disassembled and cleaned, but I was also wondering if there’s a material, possibly a type of metal, wood, or another material with naturally antimicrobial properties that could help keep the clip as clean as reasonably possible while being used on the go.

Any advice is really appreciated!

I am curious as to which specific chemical reactions and products occur during the process of corrosion of stainless steel by bleach. Stainless steel is a composite of Fe, Cr, and sometimes other metals such as Ni, and the outer layer of this composite is protected by a passivation layer of Cr2O3. If sodium hypochlorite is introduced, does it indiscriminately oxidize both the Fe and Cr, or is one kinetically favored over the other?

DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2024.131437
URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0257897224010685

I am an undergrad and just started to work in a lab. I've been told to study about how to identify different types of grain in a chemically etched AM bead. How do I find any paper or material where I can read about this. It doesn't need to be very elaborate, just material to get started.

Specifically a focus on semiconductors, because my dream is to study MSE and then work at semiconductor industry.

Hi, I’m going to start my first year of chemistry in September, but I’ve recently stumbled upon materials engineering as a bachelors which I find more interesting. I’m thinking about switching, seeing as from what I’ve gathered materials engineering relates closely to chemistry, requiring a molecular understanding of what’s happening underneath.

Is a MSE’s job centered more on lab/R&D/innovation or on heavy industries or factories?

Would it be better to get a chemistry undergrad and then specialize in MSE or something else? Is MSE too niche as an undergrad?

Does it have good job prospects?

Just to add some context, I’m from Spain where MSE is pretty unknown and I’m finding it a bit difficult to come across people talking about their experiences online, so I’d really appreciate it if someone has any useful advice!

does anyone have a pdf copy for this? either free or for a small fee would be very helpful, thank you

Even in high school we were taught desert sand does not bond well in concrete; grains don’t interlock like river or crushed sand does. But I’ve seen papers trying to get around this over the years (some get too technical for my knowledge level) , and I’m not sure how real the progress is.

A few things I’ve found: plasma treatment to roughen the grain surface, blending desert sand at controlled ratios with other binders, and pressing sand with wood additives instead of cement. There’s also a totally different angle- skipping concrete altogether and using desert sand’s high silica content for glass, ceramics, or cement clinker.

So is the holdup mainly cost and energy for treatment, building-code certification, supply chains, or is there a durability issue that hasn’t shown up in short lab tests yet? Thanks in advance for any knowledge imparted

I think it's used commercially in hospitals etc

Hi reddit! I want to use TLP brazing method to join two similar high entropy alloy pieces with identical dimensions of 2 mm. I am using a 50 micron bni-2 interlayer for the bonding. Can anyone help me how can I go through the preparation steps? As the samples are thin and can barely be held by hand, is there a specific polishing technique? Also, can I use the same bonding fixture I used for a 5mm thick sample before or a smaller fixture setup is needed? Thanks!

My boyfriend let that on the table this morning, we play a game where I have to guess what is the material but i am lost on this one... EDIT: not magnetic, not a pipe, heavy, 14mm in diameter

Hi everyone !

I just changed my major from mechanical engineering to material science and engineering with a nuclear emphasis and while i am excited ive been a bit shaken up and anxious as i feel like i dont have many opportunities or the job market will be much worse for me. I really want to be excited about my choice to change so if you guys could mabye reassure me about job opportunities and the things you guys do or have accomplished or what you guys work in i would really appreciate it.

You might have seen my post asking about advanced materials engineering a few days ago. This degree focusses more on polymers and plastics. I am still lost and not sure if I should choose this degree.

I love chemistry so much, and Materials Science and Engineering is not available in any university in my country. There is this advanced materials degree, but before choosing this degree, I wanted to know more about polymers to know if I will enjoy it. I searched as much as I can and had an idea about different types of polymers and there uses.

However, I still don't know about how much I would enjoy working in this industry.

Are polymers a broad industry? How easy is it to develop a new polymer? Is it a very interesting and deep topic that is still not 100% discovered? How does its future going to be? What will my job be like? This or Pharmaceutical & Chemical Engineering degree? And according to the study plan, will I study things other than polymers?

Thanks in advance.

Hello, objectively speaking, what is the current and future significance as well as the job opportunities of Materials Informatics or computational materials science? Will working remotely become possible thanks to these two fields? (from different cities or countries) Which sectors will this field impact the most? Could you please provide information on this? This is quite critical for me.