Dear MSE graduate students and postdocs, Welcome back for another busy semester. I hope your holiday break was rejuvenating. Our School of Materials Engineering has grown to almost 450 total students and postdocs (257 undergraduates, 180 graduate students, and many postdocs and research scientists). We supported over $16M in direct research expenditures in 2025, advancing the forefront of materials engineering. And we continue to stand out with student research opportunities, student and faculty awards, industry partnerships, and patents and publications based on our collective work and ideas. As you settle in for the new term, I am sharing a couple of quick reminders: I am sharing a couple of quick reminders here: * The semester is starting strong with an MSE690 seminar this Friday (1/16) by Marie Charpagne from UIUC. Our overall program is impressive this term. * Remember: Beyond the cutting-edge materials insights you will learn at MSE690 talks, the seminars are also an excellent opportunity to connect with other MSE students spanning our entire graduate program. The network you build here at Purdue will serve you for decades to come, so take advantage of 690 in every way possible. It is sometimes convenient to attend via the online link, but I highly recommend that you prioritize being at seminars in person, getting to know your fellow students, enjoying the snacks, interacting with the speaker, and chatting with faculty you may not know. * Congratulations to every one of our new PhD students, who have all passed the Qualifying Exam this year. Your dissertation defense is just around the corner… * Give a gift to your future self and get (more?) involved with the MSE Graduate Student Association (MSEGSA). This is an outstanding way to make more friends across the school, expand your exposure to the field, and strengthen your resume (public speaking, outreach, materials competitions and conferences, leadership). Watch your email for announcements about the next MSEGSA events, and join the discord<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdiscord.gg%2FKazwYpyH&data=05%7C02%7Cmsepostdoc-list%40ecn.purdue.edu%7C39ddd9c0a694477c078a08de52606952%7C4130bd397c53419cb1e58758d6d63f21%7C1%7C0%7C639038771250508925%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=8pYuzhUmYhrRiv%2FvWSPNXHwqM%2F5EvCAKOX2wI3wfGEg%3D&reserved=0>. * I will continue to hold Head-office hours from 4-5 on the 1st Thursday of each month, and 12-1 on 3rd Wednesdays. Drop in. I look forward to learning more about you, answering your questions, and hearing your suggestions or concerns. Treats are provided too. Of course appointments can be made as well for special circumstances. On behalf of all of our faculty and staff, I wish you a wonderful Spring 2026 term. -Bryan Bryan D. Huey, Professor Blacutt-Underwood Head of the School of Materials Engineering Purdue University, College of Engineering