THE UNIVERSITY OF

SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPISCHOOL OF POLYMERS AND HIGH PERFORMANCE MATERIALS

WHAT IS THE SCHOOL OF POLYMERS AND

HIGH PERFORMANCE MATERIALS?

• A DIVISION OF THE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AT USM

• THE SCHOOL OF POLYMERS AND HIGH PERFORMANCE MATERIALS OFFERS

TWO DEGREES:

• POLYMER SCIENCE – ESTABLISHED OVER 40 YEARS AGO

• INTERDISCIPLINARY, FOCUS IS ON CHEMISTRY OF POLYMERS

• POLYMER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING – ESTABLISHED IN 2012

• INTERDISCIPLINARY, FOCUS IS ON MATHEMATICS/ENGINEERING OF

POLYMERS

STATE OF THE ART FACILITY

• $30 Million Dedicated

Building

• 106,000 sq. ft.

• 10 Full Research

Groups

• Modern Instrumentation

• Full Auditorium

WHAT DO WE DO WITH POLYMERS?

• WHAT IS A POLYMER?

• LARGE MOLECULES THAT

ARE MADE OF REPEATING

UNITS OF SMALLER

MOLECULES

• LIKE LINKS IN A CHAIN

Gasoline ~ 4 Units

Wax ~ 12 Units

Polyethylene ~ 40,000 Units

Ethylene

Molecule

Monomer → Polymer

Mono (one) mer (part) → Poly (many) mer (part)

WHAT DOES A POLYMER SCIENTIST OR ENGINEER

DO?

• DESIGN AND DEVELOP NEW MATERIALS FOR

EXISTING APPLICATIONS

• DESIGN AND DEVELOP NEW MATERIALS FOR

APPLICATIONS THAT CAN’T EXIST WITHOUT

NEW MATERIALS

• DEVELOP NEW PROCESSES TO MAKE

MATERIALS

• DEVELOP NEW APPROACHES TO OLD

PROBLEMS

• DETERMINE THE RIGHT MATERIALS FOR A

GIVEN PURPOSE

POLYMER SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS WORK

TOWARD SOLUTIONS TO IMPORTANT PROBLEMS

EVERYDAY

WHAT

PROBLEMS CAN

POLYMERS HELP

SOLVE?

ENERGY

MILITARY AND MILITARY SAFETY

ENVIRONMENTAL

RECYCLING

GREEN MATERIALS

MEDICAL PROBLEMS

DRUG DELIVERY

PROSTHETICS

POLYMER APPLICATIONS

• COATINGS

• FIBERS

• PLASTICS

• ADHESIVES

• COSMETICS

• OIL INDUSTRY

• RUBBER

• COMPOSITES

• PAPER

• TEXTILES/CLOTHING

• WATER TREATMENT

• BIOMEDICAL

• PHARMACEUTICAL

• AUTOMOTIVE

APPLICATIONS

RESEARCH

• WHAT TYPE OF RESEARCH HAPPENS AT A UNIVERSITY?

• UNIVERSITIES CAN DO RESEARCH THAT INDUSTRIES CAN’T DO, SUCH AS CUTTING EDGE, EXPLORATORY RESEARCH OR SHORT TERM PROBLEM SOLVING UTILIZING FACULTY EXPERTISE

• OFTEN LEADS TO PUBLICATIONS AND PATENTS

• 42 INDIVIDUAL SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS FROM SPHPM RESEARCHERS IN 2012

• IS FUNDED BY EXTERNAL SOURCES

• $6 MILLION IN RESEARCH FUNDING AWARDED TO SPHPM FACULTY IN 2012

WHAT RESEARCH IS DONE HERE?

Polymer Engineering

Coatings and Films

Biomedical Research

Polymer Synthesis

Composites

Surfaces and interfaces

• Nano-engineered materials

• Membranes and fuel cells

• Polymer processing and

rheology• “Green” coatings

• Polymer photochemistry

• High solids, waterborne and

solvent based systems

• Biopolymers and biomimetic

polymers

• Pharmaceutical polymers• Controlled free radical

polymerization

• Living polymerization

• Functional polymers

• Biodegradable materials

•Polymer Composites

•High performance materials

•Sports equipment

•Airplanes

• Stimuli responsive materials

• Anti-microbial surfaces

• Ultra-low friction surfaces

WHAT TYPE OF RESEARCH WILL AN

UNDERGRADUATE ACTUALLY DO?

• SPONSORED BY MAJOR COMPANIES, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, OR

PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS

• WORK HAND-IN-HAND WITH DOCTORAL CANDIDATES AND FACULTY

MEMBERS

• REAL WORLD NEEDS REQUIRE REAL WORLD SOLUTIONS

• RESULTS CAN LEAD TO PUBLICATIONS, PRESENTATIONS AT NATIONAL OR

INTERNATIONAL EVENTS, PATENTS, AND TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS

THE UNDERGRAD LIFESTYLE

• 77 TOTAL UNDERGRADUATES

• MAKING FRIENDS THAT SHARE COMMON GOALS

• NETWORKING AND BUILDING PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

• CHALLENGING CLASSES THAT PREPARE YOU FOR REAL WORLD

PROBLEMS

• ROAD TRIPS TO EXPLORE COMPANIES

BENEFITS OF ENGAGING IN EARLY

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

• HOURLY WAGES

• REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE

• OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR

• INCREASES PRESTIGE AND EASE OF PLACEMENT (GRADUATE

SCHOOL OR EMPLOYMENT)

• TRAVEL TO CONFERENCES

LIFE AFTER GRADUATION

• 50% GRADUATE SCHOOL

• 50% INDUSTRY

• AVERAGE SALARY FOLLOWING GRADUATION

AVERAGE STARTING SALARY - MID 50K

HIGH STARTING SALARIES - 65K

• 99% JOB PLACEMENT WITHIN 4 MONTHS

• 90% JOB PLACEMENT PRIOR TO GRADUATION

• EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FOR YOU!

A WORLDWIDE RESPECT AND

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF YOUR EDUCATION

• A WORLD RECOGNIZED EDUCATION FROM MISSISSIPPI

• OUR OWN SYMPOSIUMS HOST FIELD LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE

GLOBE

• GRADUATES ARE HIRED WORLD WIDE