In an Advanced Science paper, Dr. Julian Klein, Prof. Frances Ross (MIT), and Dr. Kevin Roccapriore (ORNL), describe atomic lock-on, an incredibly accurate electron beam positioning technique allowing them to aim an electron beam at individual atoms.

The Graduate Materials Council (GMC) organized a 5.5-mile hike in southern New Hampshire on June 8, led by graduate student Isabella Caruso.

Foundation Alloy uses solid-state metallurgy technology to create a new class of high-performance metals. The company was founded by a team from MIT—Prof. Christopher Schuh, DMSE alums Jasper Lienhard and Tim Rupert, and @MITSloan alum Jake Guglin.

DMSE graduate student Natalie Mamrol received the Edward L. Horton Fellowship Award at MIT’s Student Awards Convocation in May. Presented by the Graduate Student Council, the Institute Award honors students who foster a strong sense of community among graduate students.

Rising seniors Avani Ahuja, Julianna Lian, Jacqueline Prawira, and Alex Tang have been named 2025 Goldwater Scholars. Prawira (bottom left) is a DMSE senior mentored by Prof. Yet-Ming Chiang and the co-inventor of a carbon-free cement making process.

Atomic lock-on, a new method developed by Dr. Julian Klein, Prof. Frances Ross (MIT), and Dr. Kevin Roccapriore (ORNL), lets scientists accurately target atoms, paving the way for more scalable quantum technologies. Read more in Advanced Science:

Eleven faculty members have been granted tenure in six units across @MITEngineering, including DMSE's Professor Rafael Gómez-Bombarelli—working at the interface between machine learning and atomistic simulations.

On June 16, @MITEngineering honored Kevin Rogers, DMSE’s facilities manager, with a 2025 Infinite Mile Award. Rogers, whose role includes overseeing laboratories and office space, was recognized for his dedication, technical know-how, and good humor.

Lithium-metal batteries could power high-energy devices, but they face efficiency challenges. In @ACSPublications, DMSE Prof. Yang Shao-Horn and colleagues explore how thermodynamics and kinetics shape battery performance—guiding future design strategy.

DMSE's Prof. Rafael Gómez-Bombarelli weighs in on the hype surrounding AI tools in chemistry. Speaking to Andy Extance of @cenmag, he cautions that papers based solely on data from large language models like ChatGPT “don’t feel like science."

QS ranks MIT the No. 1 university in the world for the 14th year in a row. The institute also places first in 11 subjects, including materials science.

MIT Video Productions won an Emmy Award, presented by @newenglandemmy, for their short film on master bladesmith Bob Kramer’s special course at MIT, which explored the art and science of bladesmithing. Watch the video featuring DMSE students and faculty:

On May 13, @mitenergy’s Spring Symposium explored artificial intelligence as both a problem and solution for the clean energy transition. DMSE’s Prof. Rafael Gómez-Bombarelli highlighted AI’s potential to speed materials discovery for power applications.

Van der Waals materials have unique properties that make them promising for quantum computing and clean energy. In @PhysRevX, DMSE Dr. Julian Klein, Prof. Frances Ross, and others study the defects that influence these properties.

Felice Frankel, a science photographer and visual science communication specialist in DMSE, speaks with @scifri host @flichtman about how science communicators can effectively engage the public and make a case for the importance of scientific research.

Sodium-ion batteries are cheaper and more sustainable than lithium—but they need better cathodes. DMSE’s Iwnetim Abate, Hugh Smith & collaborators improved a key material’s energy storage and stability by tweaking its atomic structure.

DMSE Prof. Yet-Ming Chiang and a team of researchers have unveiled a potentially groundbreaking clean power source for airplanes: a sodium-air fuel cell. Within a year, they plan to build a prototype to power a large drone. Read the @BostonGlobe story:

On May 14, the Graduate Materials Council hosted alum Jérôme Michon, CEO and founder of @InspekSolutions, a company developing optical sensors to monitor biological and chemical processes. Michon spoke with DMSE grad students about turning doctoral research into a tech startup.

DMSE’s Professor Yet-Ming Chiang has been named a 2025 Tech Power Player in the energy sector by the @BostonGlobe for his commitment to building an energy-efficient future. Chiang is the cofounder of startups @24M_Tech, @SublimeSystems, and @FormEnergyInc.

Tiny metal particles can melt on impact—even at low speeds. New DMSE research reveals how alloy microparticles behave under pressure, with implications for cold spray and additive manufacturing. Read more in Scripta Materialia: