MSE 5440 “Soap Bubbles, Snowflakes and Steps: Interfacial and Surface Phenomena in Materials Science” is a course on surfaces and interfaces intended for graduate students and upper level undergraduates offered in Spring 2023.
PhD and MS students from multiple graduate fields (MSE, CBE, CCB, TAM, MAE, FSAD, and CEE) have taken 5440 in recent years—many found that the course benefited their research because the course deliverables could be closely tied to their interests. Graduate students may audit the course, take it for a grade, or take it S/U.
Typically a course in thermodynamics and familiarity with simple bonding models and with mass or gas transport is adequate background for both undergraduate and graduate students.
If you have questions about MSE 5440, contact the instructor (Dr. Kit Umbach of MSE) at ccu1@cornell.edu. Additional information on the course is appended below. The course can be found on the course roster at
https://classes.cornell.edu/browse/roster/SP23/class/MSE/5440
MSE 5440 is designed to connect the scientific interests and research activities of students with topics in surfaces and interfaces. Once the fundamentals are covered in lectures, the subsequent topics that are presented in lecture and covered by students in their presentations address their particular interests. This approach works best when students are passionate about specific scientific or engineering problems and recognize that by focusing on the surface/interface phenomena active in these problems, they can deepen their understanding and move closer to solutions. The enrollment is limited to twelve students because the midterm and final exams (both take-homes) are tailored for each individual student based on their presentations to the class.
Enrollment in 5440 is by department consent only.
All PhD students (any department), MS students (any department) and MSE Seniors should contact Michele Conrad at mmc2@cornell.edu; they will be given a code to use once the add/drop period begins.
Undergraduate/MEng students from other departments and MSE Juniors and MSE MEng are encouraged to contact the Dr. Umbach first to confirm that their academic background is sufficient.
