Category: Faculty

Ravit Silverstein, assistant professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Florida, received a national early career award from The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society. Her research focuses on designing stronger, more resilient materials for extreme environments using atomic-scale engineering and advanced microscopy techniques.

UF engineer and electron microscopy expert Nicholas Rudawski uses YouTube to help others learn to operate electron microscopes and understand electron microscopy concepts and fundamentals.  

Long-time, beloved University of Florida engineering professor Robert Thomas Dehoff, Ph.D., died on Jan. 7, 2026 in Gainesville. 

The Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering is mourning the loss of Stephen J. Pearton, Ph.D., a distinguished professor emeritus in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), who died on Dec. 7.  

University of Florida Associate Professor Kyle C. Hartig, Ph.D., has been named to the American Nuclear Society’s (ANS) Nuclear News  40 Under 40 list. This recognition celebrates innovative young professionals advancing the field of nuclear science and engineering.   

The Department of Materials Science & Engineering is thrilled to welcome three new faculty members: Renato S. Navarro, Ph.D., Ravit Silverstein, Ph.D., and Yijia Gu, Ph.D. They have joined the department as assistant professors in Spring 2025. These new hires bring exceptional expertise and diverse experiences, which will enhance the department’s research and educational mission. […]

“We are pushing the boundaries of what you can measure.” – Prof. Megan Butala

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 University of Florida to take […]

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 has been a slow, expensive […]

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. Despite her new responsibilities, Dr. […]