New master's degree program: The future of materials science in Giessen!

New master's degree program: The future of materials science in Giessen!

The master's degree program in Advanced Materials (M.Sc.) at the Justus Liebig University of Giessen (JLU) will start in the winter semester of 2025/26. This new course is a further development of the previous “Materials Science” course and will focus on modern functional materials that are optimized for specific applications. JLU offers the course entirely in English, with modules also available in German. Interested students can specialize in various areas, including electrochemical materials research and sustainable inorganic materials.

The duration of the master's program is four semesters. It is aimed at graduates who have a bachelor's degree in materials science or a comparable natural science degree. A particularly innovative element of the program is a research module in which students actively participate in current research projects. This not only promotes theoretical knowledge, but also practical experience in a rapidly developing field of research.

Diverse areas of application

The applications for which the materials covered in the course are relevant are diverse and range from medicine, mobility, communication and energy supply to aerospace. The close connection to materials research in Gießen enables students to benefit directly from the latest findings and developments. There is also the option of obtaining a double degree with renowned partner institutions such as Osaka University, Kansai University in Japan or the University of Padua in Italy.

The career prospects for graduates of this program are promising. They find employment in research and technology-oriented sectors, particularly in the electronics, chemicals and materials industries. Application deadlines for international students are from May 1, 2025 to June 15, 2025 for the English program and from June 1, 2025 to August 15, 2025 for the German program. German applicants can apply for the German program from June 1, 2025 to September 1, 2025 or for the English program from June 1, 2025 to June 15, 2025. If you have any questions, you can contact the International Office or the JLU Central Student Advisory Service.

Innovations in materials research

In parallel, researchers at the University of Chicago and the University of California San Diego have made groundbreaking discoveries in materials research. These newly discovered materials exhibit properties that appear to contradict the classical laws of thermodynamics. In their stable state, these materials behave like conventional materials, but react in the opposite way in the metastable state. When heated, they shrink instead of expanding, which could have promising implications for their application in a variety of areas.

A significant research focus is on adapting these materials through redox chemistry to develop new applications, for example in battery research. These materials could form the basis for structural batteries capable of storing electrical energy while serving other functional purposes. The researchers tested these materials under extreme pressure conditions and discovered phenomenal properties such as “negative compressibility,” meaning the materials expand when pressure is applied.

These advances could not only drive new technologies in electromobility, but also enable innovative approaches in the construction industry by developing materials with zero thermal expansion. Thanks to the possibility of returning the materials to their original state by applying voltage, new perspectives open up for the restoration of old electric vehicle batteries.

Overall, it is clear that both the new degree program at JLU and the innovative discoveries at US universities herald an exciting time for materials research. It remains to be seen how these developments will shape the future technology and research landscape.