History of the course

This degree course is shortly to celebrate 30 years of existence, an existence which has been marked by rapid developments in the science of materials and in nanoscience and the rise of the importance of these for the Irish economy and the Irish research landscape. An overview of the history of the course is given here.

Nanoscience, Physics and Chemistry of Advanced Materials: 2010-present

The Nanoscience, Physics and Chemistry of Advanced Materials (NPCAM) course was launched in 2010 by the Schools of Physics and of Chemistry within Trinity College Dublin with the support of the Centre for Research in Advanced Nanostructures and Nanodevices (CRANN), Ireland's premier nanoscience research institute. (Pictured to the right is Prof. John Donegan, then Head of School of Physics at the launch in 2010.) The first entrants to the Nanoscience, Physics and Chemistry of Advanced Materials degree programme will graduate in 2015 and since its launch the programme has quickly attracted some of the best students in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics area. Prior to the launch of the Nanoscience, Physics and Chemistry of Advanced Materials degree there was already a direct entry degree programme in Physics and Chemistry of Advanced Materials. This direct entry degree programme itself superseded the Science of Materials degree which was a Sophister option within the Science degree programme. These degree programmes have consistently been producing high quality graduates with their skills in demand both for academic research and for industry positions.

Physics and Chemistry of Advanced Materials: 2000-2014

The Physics and Chemistry of Advanced Materials has been in existence as a direct entry degree programme since it's launch in 1999, with the first direct entry graduates emerging in 2004. The last direct entry graduates under this degree name will graduate in 2014. This direct entry degree programme superseded the Science of Materials degree which was a Sophister option within the Science degree programme. Immediately upon its launch, the students within the Science of Materials sophister option, or those students already within the Science degree programme freshman years who selected this option, graduated as Physics and Chemistry of Advanced Materials students. Thus the first graduates of the Physics and Chemistry of Advanced Materials emerged from the year 2000 onwards, with the first direct entry graduates emerging in 2004.

Science of Materials: 1988-1999

The Science of Materials sophister degree option within the Science degree programme was initiated under the direction of Prof. Brian Henderson of the School of Physics and Prof. D. R. "Bob" Lloyd of the School of Chemistry in 1987. In recognition of this each year (since 2002) the Henderson-Lloyd Prize in Advanced Materials is awarded annually to the graduating senior sophister student who has achieved the highest score in the Moderatorship examinations. The degree ran as a Science of Materials option until 1999, when the sophister option was renamed as the Physics and Chemistry of Advanced Materials and it was launched as a direct entry course separate from the Science entry. Students graduated from the Science of Materials from 1988 until 1999.