Our MSE undergraduate program is on a roll.

The number of undergraduates declaring an MSE major surged by over 50% this academic year, as students joined a department already distinguished by national recognition. This spring, a record-breaking 12 MSE-affiliated students received prestigious NSF GFRP Graduate Research Fellowships, including four MSE undergraduates working in MSE labs. The undergraduate winners extend a remarkable record in Associate Professor Robert Hovden’s lab, where every eligible undergraduate researcher over the past seven years has earned an NSF Fellowship.

“Students are recognizing that materials science and engineering sits at the center of solving some of society’s biggest challenges—from semiconductors and batteries to sustainability and quantum technologies,” said MSE chair Elizabeth Holm. “What we’re seeing now is the result of extraordinary students paired with faculty who are deeply invested in undergraduate research, mentorship and student success. The momentum in the Michigan MSE undergraduate program is undeniable.”

Associate Professor Ashwin Shahani, chair of the MSE Undergraduate Committee, added that the department’s recent growth reflects both rising student interest and the program’s distinctive hands-on culture.

“Students want to work on technologies that matter and make discoveries early in their academic careers,” Shahani said. “Our undergraduates aren’t waiting until graduate school to contribute to cutting-edge research—they’re already publishing papers, competing for nationally recognized fellowships, and helping shape the future of materials engineering. That combination of opportunity and mentorship is attracting exceptional students to Michigan MSE.”

And the outlook for the undergraduate program is only getting brighter. With externally sponsored research funding at over $900,000 per tenured faculty member, MSE undergraduates encounter expansive research opportunities, state-of-the-art laboratory experiences, and personalized faculty mentorship. It should come as no surprise that MSE undergraduates play key roles in breakthrough discoveries across energy, computing, healthcare and advanced manufacturing.