Undergraduate materials science and engineering students at Missouri University of Science and Technology will gain design skills they can use for research in industry or federally funded projects thanks to the American Society for Metals (ASM) Materials Genome Toolkit.

Missouri S&T was one of three colleges this year to receive the kit. Each of the selected undergraduate engineering programs received materials design software and database packages in the Materials Genome Toolkit consisting of a three-year, multi-user license to a package of from Thermo-Calc Software. The software contains 99 seat licenses that will be installed in the Materials Science Computer Learning Center and on faculty computers, where requested, for teaching purposes.

The toolkit includes the latest versions of Thermo-Calc thermodynamics code; diffusion-controlled transformation (DICTRA) multi-component diffusion code; preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) precipitation simulator; thermodynamic databases for iron, nickel, aluminum and magnesium-based systems; and mobility databases for iron, nickel and aluminum systems.

“The inclusion of this powerful software suite into the curricula will enhance students’ understanding in subjects such as thermodynamics, kinetics and phase transformations, all crucial topics in materials engineering,” says Dr. Joseph Newkirk, associate professor of materials science and engineering. “The plan includes an early introduction during the freshman year in the required Chemistry of Materials course. It would end with the availability and use for senior design teams for their capstone design course.”

Other educational opportunities are provided by the extensive involvement of undergraduates in metallurgical engineering in research projects, Newkirk says. Students who have learned the capabilities of the software will be able to use those skills in research with industry partners and through federally funded programs.

Team leader Newkirk and Dr. Ronald O’Malley, the F. Kenneth Iverson Chair Professor in Steelmaking Technologies and director of the Kent D. Peaslee Steel Manufacturing Research Center at Missouri S&T, will be trained with the software during a three-day course in July. Dr. Scott Miller, teaching professor in materials science and engineering and associate chair for undergraduate programs, will oversee curriculum integration, and Dr. Matt O’Keefe, chair of materials science and engineering and a professor of ceramics engineering, is the senior design coordinator and will oversee that aspect.

The program is supported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology-funded Center for Hierarchical Materials Design (CHiMaD) as part of the national Materials Genome Initiative (MGI) under a special arrangement with Thermo-Calc Software AB. The program is being administered by the ASM Computational Materials Data Network in partnership with the ASM Materials Education Foundation.

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