Effective July 1, 2025, Professor Sabyasachi Sen has assumed the role of Chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of California, Davis. Known for his deep commitment to cross-disciplinary research, Sen expressed his vision to strengthen the department’s collaborations within the College of Engineering.
“I see this department’s interdisciplinary foundation as a unique asset,” said Sen. “In my new role, I aim to foster stronger partnerships across departments and enhance a shared, collaborative research culture.”
Sen’s academic journey into materials science began with a fascination for naturally formed glasses from volcanic eruptions and meteorite impacts during his Master’s studies in geological sciences at the University of Houston. He later conducted thermodynamic research at Princeton University before earning his Ph.D. from Stanford in 1996, where he focused on glass structures and relaxation behavior using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship the following year.
He briefly taught physics at Aberystwyth University in Wales before joining Corning Inc. as a senior scientist. There, he contributed to the development of advanced glasses used in telecommunications and flat panel display technologies.
Since joining UC Davis in 2004, Sen has served as vice chair of the department and was named the Blacutt-Underwood Professor in Materials Science in 2020. Over the years, he has made significant contributions to the field through his pioneering research on the structure and dynamics of both amorphous and crystalline materials, using advanced spectroscopic and rheological methods.
With over 280 published scientific papers, Sen is internationally recognized in glass science. His work has earned him several honors, including the prestigious Otto Schott Research Award in 2020 for outstanding contributions to the study of glass and glass ceramics.
His appointment marks a new chapter for the UC Davis department, with Sen poised to lead it into a future of innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and scientific excellence.
