Jeffrey Grossman, the Morton and Claire Goulder and Family Professor in Environmental Systems and a MacVicar Faculty fellow, has been appointed the new head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering effective Jan. 1, 2020.
Grossman received his PhD in theoretical physics from the University of Illinois and performed postdoctoral work at the University of California at Berkeley. He was a Lawrence Fellow at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and returned to Berkeley as director of a Nanoscience Center and head of the Computational Nanoscience research group, with a focus on energy applications. In fall 2009, he joined MIT, where he has developed a research program known for its contributions to energy conversion, energy storage, membranes, and clean-water technologies.
Grossman’s passion for teaching and outstanding contributions to education are evident through courses such as 3.091 (Introduction to Solid-State Chemistry) — within which Grossman applies MIT’s “mens-et-manus” (mind-and-hand) learning philosophy. He uses “goodie bags” containing tools and materials that he covers in his lectures, encouraging hands-on learning and challenging students to ask big questions, take chances, and collaborate with one another.
In recognition of his contributions to engineering education, Grossman was named an MIT MacVicar Faculty Fellow and received the Bose Award for Excellence in Teaching, in addition to being named a fellow of the American Physical Society. He has published more than 200 scientific papers, holds 17 current or pending U.S. patents, and recently co-founded a company, Via Separations, to commercialize graphene-oxide membranes.
“Professor Grossman has done remarkable work in materials science and engineering, in particular energy conversion, energy storage, and clean-water technologies,” says Anantha Chandrakasan, dean of the MIT School of Engineering and the Vannevar Bush Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. “He has demonstrated exceptional commitment and vision as an educator. I am thrilled that he will be serving as the new head of our materials science and engineering department, and know he will be a tremendous leader.”
