Elizabeth Dickey

Professor Beth Dickey joined the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in 2011. Prior to NCSU, she was a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and an Associate Director of the Materials Research Institute at Penn State University. A primary focus of her research is on developing processing-structure-property relationships for material systems in which the macroscopic physical properties (mechanical, electrical, thermal, etc.) are governed by grain boundaries or internal interfaces. Particular emphasis is placed on understanding the role of grain boundary chemistry on electrical and chemical transport. In addition, she is interested in understanding the role of microstructure and interfaces on the mechanical properties of eutectic ceramic composites, which are being developed for high-temperature and armor applications. Her research involves using an array of analytical techniques, in particular electron microscopy and spectroscopy, to understand the structure and chemistry of internal defects in materials. She has over one hundred peer-reviewed journal publications in these areas. In 1999 she received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) for her work on metal-ceramic interfaces, and in 2010 she became a fellow of the American Ceramic Society.