The next generation of engineers
Combining processes and materials is essential for several technological innovations. Chemical and biological engineering and materials science and engineering have a key role to play, which is where the Elite Master’s degree programme ‘Advanced Materials and Processes’ comes in.
Whether it’s for computers, jet engines or tailor-made medical implants – a large number of important inventions would not have been possible without the development of new materials. However, new materials with an extended range of functions or improved characteristics require specially designed manufacturing processes. This close connection between processes and materials is of key importance for developments and innovations in nearly all sectors of engineering.
An interdisciplinary degree programme
Chemical and biological engineering and materials science and engineering have a key role to play, which is where the Elite Master’s degree programme at FAU in Advanced Materials and Processes, or MAP, comes in. It combines both scientific disciplines in one interdisciplinary degree programme. It is part of the Elite Network of Bavaria, and as one of several elite degree programmes at FAU, it qualifies particularly gifted and motivated students for top positions in research or management.
‘It offers a great deal of added value to students if they not only understand how the atomic structure of minerals affects their properties, but also how these properties can be specifically altered using physical, chemical or biological processes,’ emphasises Prof. Dr. Erik Bitzek from the Chair of General Materials Properties. Prof. Bitzek is speaker for the MAP programme in conjunction with FAU researcher Prof. Dr. Nicolas Vogel at the Chair of Particle Technology.
The innovative interdisciplinary approach taken by FAU, which has been taken up by several universities worldwide, is reflected in the structure of the two-year Master’s degree programme that is taught entirely in English. Students are taught the foundations of chemical and biological engineering and materials science and engineering in small groups according to an individually tailored curriculum. Four focal subjects allow the students to further deepen their knowledge in key areas of technology. MAP students also benefit from the opportunity to gain additional qualifications for an academic career or for a career in industry through specialised modules. This is complemented by close collaboration with the universities of Bayreuth and Würzburg, with which FAU cooperates in its role as coordinating university of the MAP programme. Students are also encouraged to get involved in cutting-edge research through mini projects, summer schools, workshops and participation in conferences from an early stage.
Innovative teaching formats and international perspective
The interdisciplinary approach of the Advanced Materials and Processes Master’s degree programme is put into practice every day. This is the reason Nayeon Kang applied to study at FAU and got a place on the highly sought-after MAP programme after successfully completing the demanding selection process. ‘The programme not only teaches me how to use a particular experimental technique, but also allows me to gain in-depth experience. On the one hand, the MAP programme goes into great detail, and on the other, it enables me to explore other subjects and has a very application-oriented approach.’
Nayeon Kang has been a student of the MAP programme since 2019 after completing a Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at the University of Edinburgh. ‘I am really excited about the potential behind new hydrogen energy sources, especially storage technologies.’ Her previous project investigated surfactant adsorption in a mesoporous material.
In her Master’s thesis, she will be using the knowledge she has gained during her entire degree to investigate how adsorption in hydrogen energy sources can be used most effectively. ‘Putting my scientific ideas into practice really appeals to me,’ explains Kang, who is originally from Korea. Students also benefit from the innovative learning formats offered by the MAP programme and its international approach. Nayeon Kang’s fellow students come from the USA, India, China, Taiwan and several other countries as well. Many of them already have experience in industry or the world of work in general, which becomes apparent during the seminars and lectures of the programme. Students can learn from each other during the discussions and also learn to look at things from a completely different perspective.
Many of them intend to write a doctoral thesis after completing their Master’s degree. However, the next generation of engineers from Erlangen who have completed the MAP programme also have bright prospects in the automotive, aerospace, or pharmaceutical industries.
The Webseite of the MAP-Programms
From Michael Kniess
Die Themen der neuen Ausgabe sind: ein Interview mit dem Präsidenten der FAU, Prof. Dr. Joachim Hornegger, und dem Markendesigner Claus Koch über die neue Zukunftsstrategie der FAU, eine Untersuchung über den Einfluss von Patenten auf Marktentwicklungen, die Studiengänge „Advanced Materials and Processes“ und „Clean Energy Processes“, ein Spaziergang durch unseren Aromagarten, der heuer sein 40. Jubiläum hat, und ein Interview mit dem Siemens-CEO Dr. Roland Busch.