Program Overview

Honours Materials and Nanosciences Program

The design and synthesis of new materials is the main driver of technological evolution in the past century. Novel chemical and physical principles are being applied at the molecular level to develop exciting materials with novel chemical, mechanical, optical, biological, electronic, and magnetic properties. Material structures covering the full range of dimensions from molecular to nanometer to micrometer to macroscopic scale can be built to enable desirable properties (electrical, mechanical, optical, chemical, and biological) that are tailored to specific applications. The nanoscale size regime is particularly interesting as novel phenomena and quantum effects begin to significantly affect material properties. Understanding the interactions that arise from organizing atoms and molecules, clusters, polymers, and aggregates and nanostructures provides the ultimate control of building new materials with novel functionality for emerging applications, from chemical sensing to environmental remediation to renewable energy to drug design to advanced materials for next-generation smart cars and hand-held electronics.

Materials and nanosciences is inherently interdisciplinary and breaks down the boundaries between traditional disciplines in chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering. Waterloo has one of the strongest academic materials science efforts in the world. Researchers in chemistry and physics benefit tremendously from collaboration and interactions with other researchers in the world-renowned institutes, including the Water Institute, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, and Institute for Quantum Computing. The Materials and Nanosciences Program prepares our students for the new economy driven by constructing new materials, chemical architectures, and nanodevices with multiple functions and exciting new properties. The program also empowers our students with versatile skill sets to meet the challenges, not just in traditional R&D, but also in emerging new industries.

Affiliations

• Institute for Quantum Computing
  • Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology
• University of Waterloo

Program Overview

The program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of materials and nanosciences, including the design and synthesis of new materials, and the application of novel chemical and physical principles to develop materials with novel properties. The program is interdisciplinary, breaking down the boundaries between traditional disciplines in chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering.

Research Areas

• Chemical sensing
• Environmental remediation
• Renewable energy
• Drug design
• Advanced materials for next-generation smart cars and hand-held electronics

Program Goals

The program aims to prepare students for the new economy driven by constructing new materials, chemical architectures, and nanodevices with multiple functions and exciting new properties. The program also empowers students with versatile skill sets to meet the challenges, not just in traditional R&D, but also in emerging new industries.

Institutional Context

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.