UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State had a strong showing at the Materials Science & Technology (MS&T) technical meeting and exhibition annual conference in Columbus, Ohio, with current students and graduates in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MatSE) earning accolades.
The MS&T technical meeting and exhibition highlights technical innovation at the intersection of materials science, engineering and application. The meeting, which is held each fall, is organized by a joint partnership of leading materials science-related societies: the American Ceramic Society, the Association for Iron and Steel Technology and the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society.
Two undergraduate students, Pavan Pothula and Emma Eleson, both seniors, respectively won first and third place in the student speaking contest. Eleson also took first place in the student poster competition.
“Representing my research group, my department, and Penn State at a national conference was an incredible honor,” Pothula said. “As a first-generation college student, seeing how proud my family and mentors were meant a lot to me. Another highlight was the support from other Penn State attendees. That was one of the most rewarding moments for me.”
Eleson also credits strong mentorship in the department for her success. She’s applying for graduate school and says the awards made her more confident in the process.
“My time in the MatSE department has shaped me into a strong researcher, student leader and communicator,” Eleson said. “I feel prepared to take on the challenges of graduate research and continue exploring how materials can solve real-world problems.”
Aiden Ross, a graduate researcher and doctoral student in MatSE, won the Basic Science Graduate Excellence in Materials Science (GEMS) Diamond Award for research related to ferroelectrics. Ross is advised by Long-Qing Chen, Hamer Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics and Professor of Mathematics.
Ross helps develop theoretical tools to accelerate the design of electro-optical materials for emerging applications in quantum computing, AI hardware and data centers.
“These materials have historically powered the internet through the global fiber-optic network, but new applications require significant improvements in the electro-optic properties of materials,” Ross said. “My research uses theory and computer simulations to improve the electro-optic properties of materials.”
Nathan McIlwaine, who earned his doctorate in MatSE in 2025, earned the Richerson Educational Outreach Award, for research related to thin films. McIlwaine is advised by Jon-Paul Maria, professor of MatSE.
McIlwaine has been volunteering at large, public STEM events such as the COSI Science Festival, showcasing how materials science impacts everyday lives. He also volunteered at the National Science Teaching Association conference to speak with teachers about how they can bring materials science into their classrooms.
“Through demonstrations like pulling thin glass fibers from melted Jolly Rancher candy or showing twisted shape-memory alloys return to their original form in hot water, I try to share some of the wonder behind the concepts of materials science,” McIlwaine said.