Jennifer Schuler and Yixian Wang are joining the Department of Materials Science and Engineering faculty as assistant professors starting in the fall 2026 semester, adding expertise in alloy design for extreme environments andelectrochemical interfaces in next-generation batteries.
Schuler joins the department after serving as a teaching assistant professor and associate chair in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Lehigh University. She also held engineering positions at IBM, GlobalFoundries, Apple, and the startup Foundation Alloy, where she developed advanced metallic materials and manufacturing technologies. Schuler earned her PhD in materials science and engineering from the University of California, Irvine, in 2019.
Schuler’s research focuses on designing advanced alloys for extreme environments with applications in nuclear energy, aerospace, and other high-performance systems. Her research group combines alloy design, nanostructure engineering, and advanced manufacturing to develop materials capable of withstanding high temperatures, radiation, and other demanding operating conditions.
“UT’s commitment to collaborative research and innovation makes it an ideal place to advance new approaches for alloy design in extreme environments,” said Schuler, who will be located at the University of Tennessee Space Institute in Tullahoma. “I am excited to work with the incredible students and colleagues across the university to create materials that solve some of society’s most demanding engineering challenges.”
Wang joins the department after completing his doctoral and postdoctoral training at the University of Texas at Austin. His research focuses on understanding and controlling electrochemical interfaces in next-generation batteries, particularly solid-state and anode-free systems. By combining materials synthesis, interface engineering, electrochemical analysis, and advanced characterization, his group aims to develop safer, longer-lasting, and more energy-dense batteries based on lithium, sodium, and potassium chemistries.
“I am very excited to join the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at UT and build a research program focused on advanced materials design for next-generation energy storage,” Wang said. “UT’s collaborative environment, strong research capabilities, and close connection with Oak Ridge National Laboratory offer exceptional opportunities to advance energy storage technologies and train the next generation of materials scientists and engineers.”
Contact
Rhiannon Potkey ([email protected])