Welcome to the digital newsletter from the University of Florida Department of Materials Science & Engineering and Nuclear Engineering Program. Each semester, you will receive an email highlighting department updates and successes. We are excited to connect with you.
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Spring 2025 Message from the Chair
Dear colleagues, alums, supporters and friends, As the academic year wraps up, our newsletter provides me with another opportunity to highlight some of the important achievements within our department.…
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From POW to Ph.D.: The Journey of Dr. Sagid Salah
When Dr. Sagid Salah (B.S. ’58, M.S. ’60, Ph.D. ’64) first arrived in Gainesville in 1954, he was 21 years old, had just survived nearly four years as a prisoner during the Korean War, and was technically stateless. He spoke English thanks to a Catholic priest and a missionary who…
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In Memoriam: Rolf Hummel, Ph.D.
Dr. Rolf Erich Hummel, a distinguished materials scientist and professor emeritus of the department, passed away on March 24, 2025, at age 90. Born in Stuttgart, Germany, he earned his doctorate in solid-state physics from the Max Planck Institute in 1963. Soon after he graduated, he was hired at the…
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A New Era of Nuclear? The Potential of Gas Core Reactors
As the demand for clean, high-efficiency energy grows, a research team led by Justin Watson, Ph.D., and Chris McDevitt, Ph.D., associate professors of nuclear engineering at the University of Florida, is exploring gas core nuclear reactors (GCRs). This next-generation reactor design could offer a safer and more efficient way to…
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Powering the Community Contests Spark Early Interest in Energy, Innovation and AI
Developed through a collaboration between the EQuIPD Grant at the University of Florida and Duke Energy, the Powering the Community (PTC) outreach program has expanded since its inception in 2022 to bring an artificial intelligence and power distribution contest to middle school students throughout the Duke Energy service area. Spun…
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UF Takes First Place at 2025 TMS Materials Bowl
The University of Florida recently took first place at the 2025 TMS Materials Bowl, held in Las Vegas, Nevada, during the TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition. The team—Brooke Lastinger, Adriana LaVopa, Morgan Congdon, and Alexander Johnstone, coached by Jack Mayer—competed against top undergraduate teams from across the country in a…
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How Richard Hennig and AI are Accelerating the Superconductor Revolution
Researchers at the University of Florida’s Department of Materials Science & Engineering have developed a machine-learning framework that could revolutionize the way high-temperature superconductors are discovered. Superconductors are materials capable of conducting electricity without resistance, a property that could transform energy transmission, transportation, and medical technologies. However, finding new superconductors…
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Aitkaliyeva Selected as ARPA-E Program Director
Assel Aitkaliyeva, Ph.D., a faculty member in our Nuclear Engineering program, has begun a three-year rotation as a Program Director at ARPA-E (Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy). During this time, she will be based in Washington, D.C., where she will play a key role in shaping and advancing cutting-edge energy research.…
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Megan Butala Tackles Pivotal Battery Challenge to Support a Sustainable Energy Future
As demand for cleaner energy grows, so does the need for sustainable battery technologies. At the University of Florida, Megan Butala, Ph.D., an assistant professor of materials science and engineering, is exploring a promising alternative to today’s lithium-ion batteries. Her research focuses on disordered rocksalt oxides (DRXs), which could reduce…
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Tori Miller Awarded Grodsky Professorship
We are pleased to announce that Tori Miller, Ph.D., has been awarded the Vladimir A. Grodsky Professorship in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering. This prestigious recognition honors Dr. Miller’s sustained performance and excellence in research, teaching and service in materials science and engineering with a specialization in metals.…