Central Michigan University has approved plans to launch an interdisciplinary doctoral program in the College of Science and Technology. CMU will enroll the first students in the science of advanced materials program in fall 2008.

Three departments have collaborated to offer the program. Doctoral candidates will take courses from faculty members in physics, chemistry and mathematics.

The field of advanced materials has become an active area of research in CMU's College of Science and Technology and the Center for Applied Research and Technology. Major areas of research within advanced materials are polymer fibers, films and composites, nanoscale design of catalysts, membranes, directed assembly, interfacial engineering, molecular modeling and simulation, nanomaterials, and biomaterials. A new focus on biofuels and green chemistry also relate the changing field to sustainability initiatives the university is undertaking.

Students with a variety of undergraduate backgrounds may apply for the program, which administrators anticipate will take between three and five years to complete. Doctoral candidates are required to complete 90 credit hours, in addition to conducting and defending original research in a dissertation.

Valeri Petkov, professor of physics, sees the program as a way to create links to new business.

"Colleges that specialize in high technology fields improve communities, educating people on an evolving industry. This strategic new area gives CMU the chance to change the local economy by creating job diversity," Petkov said. "The program puts the university on the world map of materials science. From this, we will likely explore partnerships with industry leaders."

Petkov also mentioned the possibility of an integrated intellectual property course that could bridge the gap between emerging scientists and start-up companies.