Student Success
We prepare our graduates to be key contributors to materials science and engineering research in industry, government or academia and to further their education by entering a doctoral degree program.
Student Awards
Our students received numerous awards at the local and national levels. UT Dallas Materials Science continues to attract students committed to pursuing excellence in research and education.
MSE Future Leader Award
Sarah Evans
Sarah Evans was chosen as the inaugural recipient of the MSE Future Leaders Scholarship. Sarah is with Dr. Vandenberghe’s group, and he nominated her for the award. Dr. Vandenberghe says Sarah was the perfect student to be the first recipient because of her outstanding academic and research history. One of Sarah’s duties is to help with recruitment efforts, and she is a natural in this area too. She visits undergraduate classes and explains the benefits of pursuing a PhD immediately after finishing a BS.
Hiroshi Ito Best Student Paper Award at SPIE l
Marisol Valdez
Marisol is an SRC Research scholar and was one of 32 students awarded a grant to attend the conference. She presented her research entitled “Low-energy electron beam conversion and patterning of indium nitrate hydrate resist.”
Marisol Valdez was also one of three SRC Research Scholars invited to SEMI’s Industry Strategy Symposium—ISS 2024 and had the unique opportunity to present a 2-minute pitch and discuss their posters, showcasing their cutting-edge research to the esteemed audience of industry executives.
GRADUATES 2023-2024
PhD
MS
Student Internships
Justin Bonner
Internship site: Energy Materials Corporation in Rochester, NY
What is your name, where are you from, what are your research interests, who is your advisor and when did you start your PhD program?
Justin Bonner from Wyoming. [My research interests are] Thin film optimization for optics and energy applications. [My advisor is] Dr. Julia Hsu [and I started my PhD program in] June 2021.
How did you become interested in an internship?
To gain industry experience.
What was the internship application process like? Who assisted you with it?
Through our funding with DOE it was very easy [and I was assisted by] my professor and VP of commercialization at Energy Materials Corporation.
How is the experience going so far? Where are you an intern?
It has been eye-opening, helping with my understanding of the bigger picture and learning more about the business side of engineering [and I’m interning at] Energy Materials Corporation [in] Rochester, New York.
How is the internship experience influencing your decision of what you want to do post-graduation?
I plan to have a similar job working in R&D at a smaller company like the one I am interning for.
Marlon Danny Jerez Masaquiza
Internship site: 3D Epitaxial Technology in Richardson, TX
What is your name, where are you from, what are your research interests, who is your advisor and when did you start your PhD program?
My name is Marlon Danny Jerez Masaquiza and I go by Danny. I am from Ecuador. I started the PhD program in fall 2023 under the supervision of Professor Manuel Quevedo-Lopez.
How did you become interested in an internship?
I was interested in gaining experience with industry professionals and [applying] the knowledge acquired during my studies to real-world projects. Also, I seek to gain hands-on experience to enhance my skills.
What was the internship application process like? Who assisted you with it?
Upon receiving the internship offer letter from the company, I needed to complete some documents to obtain UTD approval. As an international student, I had to request a Curricular Practical Training (CPT) I-20, which permits me to participate in the internship. UTD provides an excellent website with step-by-step guidance to meet these requirements. Throughout this process, Julieta Terry and Prof. Quevedo-Lopez assisted me, ensuring a smooth transition into the internship program.
How is the experience going so far? Where are you an intern?
My internship is currently underway at 3D Epitaxial Technology, a company dedicated to developing new technologies based on epitaxially-grown semiconductor thin films. It is in Richardson. So far, I have been involved in deposition methods for epitaxial films, which have proven to be efficient and interesting. Additionally, I have begun to apply my knowledge and experience to study and understand the synthetic methods used in these processes.
How is the internship experience influencing your decision of what you want to do post-graduation?
I have not yet decided whether to pursue a career in industry or academia, but this internship will provide me with valuable insights into the industry environment, helping me make a more informed decision about my future path.
ERIK JONSSON FELLOWSHIP IN MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
The Erik Jonsson Fellowship in Materials Science and Engineering is for incoming doctoral students in materials science and engineering to attract the world’s top scholars to UT Dallas and recognize their academic excellence.
Materials Science and Engineering announces the inaugural award for 2 incoming PhD students a one-time amount of $2,000.00 each beginning Fall 2024.