Graduate Education

Our Interdisciplinary Materials Science Program allows you to choose from a variety of course to build your own unique Ph.D. program.

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Interdisciplinary Materials Science Program

Sometimes finding your own course of study and research within a university's existing programs can be difficult.

Vanderbilt University's Interdisciplinary Materials Science program offers a unique multidisciplinary experience where students design their own curriculum, and collaborate or interact with faculty and students from engineering, chemistry, physics, and medicine. 

With 35 participating faculty members from 7 departments in the College of Arts and Science and the School of Engineering, the program is highly interdisciplinary. Nearly all IMS students work with a VINSE faculty member and/or use the VINSE facilities. 

The interdisciplinary curriculum and hands-on research experience of the IMS program gave me the broad foundation required to work on, and eventually lead, research teams that encompass a broad range of skillsets and expertise.

Peter Ciesielski Peter Ciesielski
Ph.D. 2010, Principal Research Scientist, Distinguished Member of Research Staff, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Meet Our IMS Graduates

IMS graduates are well-prepared to make impactful contributions and lead teams in fundamental and applied research, technology development, and science policy. Here's a look at what some of them have gone on to accomplish.

  • Image for Meet Our Graduates: Anna Douglas

    Meet Our Graduates: Anna Douglas

    While at Vanderbilt, Anna began her studies developing nanostructured materials that can improve the performance of energy storage devices including lithium and sodium ion batteries.

  • Image for Meet Our Graduates: Jun Li

    Meet Our Graduates: Jun Li

    Jun Li earned his Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Materials Science at Vanderbilt University in 2016 under the supervision of Professor Charles Manning.

  • Image for Meet Our Graduates: Kate (Moyer) Vanderburgh

    Meet Our Graduates: Kate (Moyer) Vanderburgh

    Under the direction of Dr. Cary Pint, Kate (Moyer) Vanderburgh worked on sustainably engineering electrode materials and additives for energy storage systems.

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