The Department of Materials Science and Engineering Leading the Change of the Times

Korea University was founded in 1905 by Lee Yong-ik under the ideology of education for national salvation as the predecessor of Korea University, “Boseong College”. Over the past 120 years, it has produced approximately 180,000 outstanding graduates.

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Korea University began as the Department of Metallurgical Engineering, which was newly established in 1966. In 1996, the Department of Metallurgical Engineering was integrated with the Department of Ceramic Engineering, which had been founded in 1968, to form the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering. To respond to the development of new academic disciplines and the demands of society, as well as to cultivate talent capable of leading cutting-edge industries, it was reorganized in 2005 into the current Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

The professors of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering have served as presidents and executives of the Korean Institute of Metals and Materials, the Korean Foundry Society, the Korean Society for Heat Treatment, the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering, the Korean Tribology Society, the Materials Research Society of Korea, the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity, the Korean Magnetics Society, the Korean Ceramic Society, and the Polymer Society of Korea. They have contributed significantly to the advancement of both academia and society in these fields. Since its establishment, even in an environment where external support has been limited, the department has conducted diverse research, ranging from traditional fields of advanced materials engineering to new materials development and interdisciplinary areas.

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering is preparing for the future by building on its history and experience, striving to cultivate top talent who will contribute to industry and society with an innovative and challenging spirit.