Materials Science and Engineering (MSE)

In 1997, Tuskegee University’s (TU) administration approved the offering of the Ph.D. Program in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE).  A group of faculty representing eight disciplines of science and  engineering was designated as MSE faculty, whose responsibility was to develop the curriculum and implement the program. The curriculum of the Ph.D. program was developed and approved in June 1998, and the program was successfully implemented in fall 1998.  The curriculum was reviewed and accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) during the same year. The primary objective of the program is to significantly increase the number of African Americans holding Ph.D. degrees in Science and Engineering. To date, TU has produced 39 PhDs in MSE and has become one of the largest producer of African American MSE PhDs in the nation.

In March 2011,  the TU Trustees approved the establishment of the Department of MSE and authorized the development of a Master’s program in MSE.  In October 2011, the TU Trustees approved the Master’s program in MSE, which was subsequently accepted by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission (SACS); and was implemented in January 2013.

Applicants must have a Master’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering or related disciplines from college or university to be considered for the Ph.D. program in Materials Science and Engineering.

Applicants  must also have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. The minimum acceptable combined GRE score is 1000 (old) or 300 (new).

Application Requirements for PhD & Masters

• Official Transcript from all colleges/universities attended (International Students must have transcripts translated through  World Education Services -WES)
• Completed Application
• 3 Letters of Recommendation
• Statement of  Purpose
• GRE Scores
• Financial Affidavit (International Students –only)
• Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) Scores  (International students only)
• An application fee of $35

For graduate admission application and  other graduate studies information go to:
The Graduate School

Mail admission application and supporting documentation to:

Dr. Vijaya Rangari
VP of Research and Sponsored Programs
Professor Materials Science & Engineering
Chappie James Center, Room 101
Tuskegee University
1200 W. Montgomery Rd.
Tuskegee, AL 36088
Email: vrangari@tuskegee.edu 
Phone: (334) 724-4220

Research Experience for Undergraduatesin Nano-Bio Materials Science and Engineering

Application Form

Tuskegee University’s Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site is focused on training undergraduate students for a 10-week period each summer in the fields of Nano-Bio Materials Science and Engineering under the mentorship of interdisciplinary research faculty and their Ph.D. students.

Research activities are focused on a wide range of important areas including synthesis of nanoparticles for biomedical applications and antimicrobial properties, nanosensors for detection of salmonella, nanoscale drug delivery system for treatment of solid tumors, and structure-property relationship of nano-bio composites. Involvement of students in these challenging and meaningful research areas with minority Ph.D. students as mentors will have a significant impact on their decision to pursue graduate studies and STEM based careers.

REU students also participate in several unique activities including 2-credit hour “Introduction to Research Course” and training on “Graduate Record Examination (GRE)”. Students will learn critical thinking, qualitative reasoning, mathematical, analytical and research skills through these activities that will be integral in their transition toward graduate studies and STEM careers. Site activities will also support student professional development including professional seminars by role models, field trips to local industrial sites, summer presentations and workshops.

Tuskegee University (TU) has, over the years with support from National Science Foundation (NSF) and other federal agencies, developed a program of research and education in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), which is not only very comprehensive but also very effective in recruiting, motivating, mentoring and graduating students with advanced degrees in MSE.

The program has produced largest number minority PhDs in MSE of which over 50 percent are females. Through this Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site funded by the NSF, Tuskegee University establishes a pipeline to expose undergraduates from four-year and community colleges in Alabama to research environment. The research projects chosen in Nano-Bio Materials Science and Engineering is an area of high national interest that is vital for the technological developments in engineering, science and medicine.

Involvement of students in these emerging research areas with faculty from various disciplines and existing on-campus multidisciplinary research and education centers will enable them to develop skills needed to excel in academia and STEM careers. Minority Ph.D. students as mentors, deans of various colleges at TU and MSE minority Ph.D. alumni as seminar speakers will not only serve as role models, but also build confidence and motivate these students to pursue graduate studies in STEM areas. The planned workshops, summer presentations and field trips give students a broader appreciation and an incentive for pursing graduate studies in STEM disciplines. 

• Alabama Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) 
• Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program (DDETFP)
• EPSCOR

• CREST - Center for Sustainable Lightweight Materials (C-SLAM)
• NSF-RISE - Enhancement of Research and Educational Infrastructure in Science and Engineering at Tuskegee University
• Partnership for Research and Education in Multiferroic Polymer Nanocomposites - between Tuskegee University and University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• RII Track -1: CPU2AL - Connecting the Plasma Technology in Alabama
• REU - Research Experience for Undergraduates
• MRI - Materials Research Infrastructure

V. Regina Crapps
Materials Science and Engineering
Administrative Assistant 
rcrapps@tuskegee.edu
302 Luther Foster Hall
Phone: 334-724-4872

Dr. Vijaya Rangari
Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
Interim Associate VP, Research & Sponsored Programs
vrangari@tuskegee.edu
Phone: 334-724-4220

Dr. Shaik Zainuddin
Professor of Materials Science & Engineering
szainuddin@tuskegee.edu  
Phone: 334-724-4222

Dr. Sushrisangita Sahoo
Postdoctoral Associate
Materials science & Engineering Department
ssahoo@tuskegee.edu
Phone:785-386-2777

Dr. Abhinav Yadav
Post Doctoral Fellow
Materials Science & Engineering
MSE Processing Lab
ayadav@tuskegee.edu
Phone: 334-724-4875

Dr. Walter Malone
Adjunct Professor, Materials Science & Engineering
Assistant Professor, Physics College of Arts and Sciences
wmalone@tuskegee.edu
Luther Foster Hall, Rm. 512
Phone: 334-727-8299

Dr. Mohamed A. Abdalla, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Adjunct Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
abdalla@tuskegee.edu 
Phone: 334-727-9833

Dr. Heshmat Aglan
Dean, College of Engineering
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Adjunct Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
haglan@tuskegee.edu 
Phone: 334-727-8857

Dr. Maria Calhoun, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Adjunct Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
Director of Quality Enchancement Plan (QEP)
mcalhoun@tuskegee.edu 
334-727-8974

Dr. Adriane Ludwick
Retired Professor of Chemical Engineering
Adjunct Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
aludwick@tuskegee.edu 

Dr. Melissa Reeves
Assoc. Professor of Chemistry 
Adjunct Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
mreeves@tuskegee.edu 
334-727-8237

Dr. Temesgen Samuel
Assoc. Professor of Pathobiology
Adjunct Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
tsamuel@tuskegee.edu
334-724-4547

• Research Capabilities

To date, over 275 journal publications exist either published by the Department of Materials Science and Engineering faculty.

 Peer Reviewed Journal Publications

• Publication in 2017
• Publication in 2016
• Publication in 2015
• Publication in 2014
• Publication in 2013