Implementing Computational Modules into the Materials Science and Engineering Undergraduate and Graduate Curricula

The development of increasingly powerful computational resources has made computational competencies new core forms of literacy that should be formed as part of basic education across all STEM fields. In the case of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), the demand for training students in the exploitation of computational approaches for the design of next-generation materials has been highlighted by the Materials Genome Initiative – a federal, multi-agency initiative challenging the scientific and engineering communities to accelerate the pace of materials discovery, manufacturing, and deployment. In light of this, this project aims to create and implement computational modules in two undergraduate and graduate courses in MSE at UT. Besides providing students with new competencies, the synergistic use of these modules and traditional content will help students achieve a deeper understanding of complex concepts and abstract phenomena in MSE, while also promoting active learning through hands-on engagement. The project outcomes will be leveraged to create an effective Community of Practice that will bring together MSE faculty with the aim of fostering a collaborative culture of continuous course improvement and updating.