The Subject

Materials science is of great importance to society, contributing to technological innovation and sustainability. It addresses global challenges and enables advances in many areas to improve people's quality of life.

The main goal of materials science is to discover new materials, develop materials or optimize known materials to meet specific requirements or enable specific functions. This may include improving mechanical strength, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, chemical resistance, optical properties, or other important characteristics.

The Qualification

Scientific studies to become an engineer at a university are characterized by a clear emphasis on theoretical foundations and scientific methodology. The program is designed to ensure that students acquire methodological competence (strategies) in addition to general factual competence (factual knowledge). This puts them in a position to analyze the tasks arising in their field of activity, to solve them independently and on their own responsibility, and, in addition, to expand the state of knowledge in their field by working out new findings and methods.

The Profession

Materials science is as common as materials themselves. Therefore, a correspondingly wide range of employment opportunities is open to materials science engineers in a wide variety of industries.

• Research and development of new materials with improved properties can create innovative products and applications. Examples include lightweight materials for aerospace, high-performance materials for renewable energy, flexible and conductive materials for electronics, and more.
• Materials science plays an important role in developing sustainable solutions. By researching and applying environmentally friendly materials and production processes, resources can be used more efficiently and waste can be reduced.
• Materials science plays a critical role in healthcare through the development of biocompatible materials for implants and prosthetics, the discovery of new materials for drug delivery, or the development of diagnostic instruments.
• Materials science is an important discipline in the development of reliable materials and structures. By understanding material behavior and properties, they can be designed to meet safety and durability requirements. This is critical in areas such as civil engineering, the automotive industry, and aerospace.
• By researching and developing materials for processes with low energy consumption or high energy conversion efficiency, new solutions for renewable energy, energy generation and energy storage can be created to meet society's increasing energy needs and address climate change.

Due to their extensive training, materials science students already have the chance to specialize deeply during their studies and thus become particularly attractive to employers who are active in a suitable field.

The starting salary for materials scientists is usually over €50,000 per year.