RALEIGH, N.C. – Professor Douglas Irving was appointed as the Director of Graduate Programs of the NC State University Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), effective Aug. 16, 2022. He is an Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor and a University Faculty Scholar.
“The future of the MSE Graduate Program is in the best hands,” says MSE Department Head and Kobe Steel Distinguished Professor Donald Brenner. “Doug is going to be an inspirational and strong leader for the graduate students. He will be an exceptional mentor, and brings a holistic perspective to the role coupled with great enthusiasm for teaching.”
As the Director of Graduate Programs for the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Irving will oversee a graduate program that is home to 28 full-time faculty and 139 graduate students pursuing the doctoral and master of science degrees, which also allows students to pursue graduate certificate programs en route, including the new Materials Informatics Graduate Certificate. The MSE graduate program is one of the most cross-disciplinary in the College of Engineering and grants students unique opportunities to collaborate across departments.
“I look forward to bringing my years of experience to this role,” says Irving. “The excellence of our department rests in the strengths of a successful graduate program. It is an honor to lead this esteemed materials science and engineering graduate program. I am proud to collaborate with world-renowned faculty, students, and alumni across disciplines with the goal of establishing a foundation of modern materials science, enhancing discovery, and promoting inclusivity for the next generation of diverse scientists and engineers.”
Irving joined the NC State faculty in 2008 as an assistant professor of Materials Science and Engineering. He became a full professor in 2020. He earned his Ph.D. and master’s in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Florida. He received his bachelor’s in Physics from Furman University. He has been recognized for his contributions to research and education. These awards include the NSF CAREER (2012), Outstanding teacher (2013), Outstanding Young Alum from MSE at the University of Florida (2014), University Faculty Scholar (2017), and Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor (2020).
Irving succeeds Teaching Professor Lewis Reynolds, who continues as the Director of the Nanoengineering Graduate Program and will also be the Coordinator of MSE Graduate Distance Education.