Institute of Materials Engineering

The Institute of Materials Engineering is an organisational unit within the Faculty of Exact and Technical Sciences at the University of Rzeszów. It was established through the consolidation of two former units of the College of Natural Sciences: the Didactic Centre of Technical and Natural Sciences and the Didactic and Scientific Centre for Microelectronics and Nanotechnology.

The Institute comprises the following organisational units:

  • Centre for Microelectronics and Nanotechnology
  • Department of Functional Materials

Its research infrastructure includes the Centre for Microelectronics and Nanotechnology and selected laboratories affiliated with the Centre for Innovation and Knowledge Transfer in Technical and Natural Sciences. These facilities include:

  • the Laboratory of Materials Technology for Industry,
  • the Laboratory of Manufacturing Engineering,
  • and the Laboratory of Control of Mechanical and Electrical Systems.

Research at the Institute is primarily focused on materials engineering, encompassing key areas of materials science and related disciplines. A distinctive feature of the Institute’s scientific profile is its emphasis on the interrelationship between nanostructure, microstructure, and the functional properties of advanced materials used across various industrial sectors and in medical technologies.

The Institute’s mission is comprehensive, integrating research, education, and innovation. Scientific activities include advanced testing of materials with respect to their physical, chemical, electrical, and mechanical properties. In addition to the analysis of existing materials, research efforts are also directed toward the development of novel materials, particularly through Magnetron-Based Ion (MBI) and Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) techniques.

The Institute employs:

  • 1 Full Professors
  • 6 Associate Professors (Habilitated Doctors)
  • 14 Assistant Professors (PhD holders)
  • 7 Assistants (Master’s degree holders)
  • 7 Engineering and Technical Staff Members

The Institute offers two degree programmes:

  • Materials Engineering – full-time, first- and second-cycle studies

Research activities are supported by funding from:

  • the National Science Centre (NCN),
  • the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR),
  • the Polish Ministry of Education and Science (MEiN),
  • and the Podkarpackie Centre for Innovation.

The Institute maintains active collaboration with research centres, domestic and foreign universities, industry partners, business entities, and companies—particularly those affiliated with the Polish Aviation Valley.

Faculty members regularly participate in scientific conferences, symposia, workshops, and international research programmes, as well as in numerous public engagement initiatives aimed at promoting science, innovation, and sustainable development.