Prof. Flannigan has taught 11 different courses in 24 semesters (through Fall 2024), and he developed an MSE Technical Elective course, Microscopy of Materials (MATS 5517).  He has taught freshman undergraduates through graduate students, and he has served as both a volunteer instructor and as an emergency instructor on top of his usual teaching responsibilities (overload).  He also maintained a full-time teaching load while officially serving as the Director of Undergraduate Studies for Materials Science and Engineering between January 2018 and January 2022.

ChEn/MATS 1001:  Advances in Chemical Engineering and Materials Science (F. 2018, F. 2019)

The course will introduce students to the fields of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering.  Seminars will address scientific and engineering fundamentals as well as practical applications and career options.

Students enrolled in this course will:

• gain exposure to some of the major areas of these disciplines (and allied interdisciplinary areas)
• gain insight into the scientific and engineering challenges underlying Materials Science and Chemical Engineering
• begin to consider career plans and to pursue a college degree with those plans in mind

ChEn 2001:  Material and Energy Balances (F. 2012)

This course provides an introduction to the basic problem solving skills used in chemical engineering.  This course will focus on the analysis of process flow sheets in terms of flow of material and flow of energy.  An extra emphasis will be placed on the use of numerical tools for solving linear systems of equations.  Students will also receive an overview of a number of topics such as separations, thermodynamics, reaction kinetics, that will be covered in much greater detail in junior-level courses.  The goal of this course is to introduce these topics and to demonstrate the related application of mass and energy balances.

Students enrolled in this course will be able to:

• read a statement of a chemical process
• translate the statement into a graphical model
• develop a set of equations for computing the desired quantities
• determine if there is sufficient information to solve the flowsheet
• solve for the desired quantities using appropriate mathematical tools

MATS 2001:  Introduction to the Science of Engineering Materials (F. 2015, F. 2016, F. 2017, Sp. 2020 (Emergency Instructor))

This course provides an introduction to the structure-property relationships of engineering materials.  A main focus of the course is the description, visualization, and understanding of the structure of materials, beginning with an atomic-level view of bonding and building up to the resulting crystal structures.  From here, students learn the relationships between defects, phase diagrams, microstructure, and processing methods as they pertain to bulk materials properties.

Students enrolled in this course:

• learn the scientific principles underlying the structure of engineering materials, including bonding, crystal structure, defects, and microstructure
• gain understanding of the importance of phase behavior and phase transformations in determining structure
• learn fundamental relationships between structure, mechanical properties, and performance (failure)
• learn about processing and manufacturing of engineering materials and the connections between processing and structure
• develop an understanding of the different types of engineering materials (metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites) in terms of their structure, properties, and applications

MATS 3011:  Introduction to Materials Science and Engineering (S. 2013, F. 2013, F. 2014)

This course provides an introduction to the world of materials science and engineering. We begin by learning how to describe, visualize, and think about the structure of materials, starting with an atomic-level view of bonding and building up to the resulting crystal structures. In addition to crystal structures, we discuss how knowledge of defects, phase diagrams, and microstructure can be used to form a basis for understanding bulk mechanical, electrical, optical, and thermal properties of materials. We introduce some key physical processes such as diffusion and heat treatment and discuss their roles in materials processing. We discuss the relationships between processing methods, structure, and properties of materials. In the latter part of the course, we draw upon all the concepts we have learned to study and understand specific materials such as metals, polymers, ceramics, and semiconductors.

Students enrolled in this course:

• learn elementary relationships between the structure and properties of materials
• gain knowledge of the principles behind several materials testing techniques such as X-ray diffraction and tensile testing
• are introduced to structure, properties, and applications of various classes of materials, including metals, ceramics, polymers, and semiconductors
• learn the fundamental characteristics of materials including mechanical and electronic properties, as well as optical and thermal properties
• begin to understand the roles of thermodynamics (through phase diagrams) and kinetics (through diffusion) in determining structure and properties
• understand the use of multiple materials in creating a product such as an integrated circuit

MATS 3013:  Electrical and Magnetic Properties (F. 2018-present)

This aim of this course is to develop a basic understanding of the electrical and magnetic properties of materials.  The course begins with a quick review of the basics of quantum mechanics, and then moves on to a detailed discussion of the band theory of solids.  After going over metals and insulators, the fundamentals of semiconductors and semiconductor devices - including diodes, transistors, photodetectors, solar cells, and lasers - are discussed.  After a review of basic electromagnetism, the course is concluded with the magnetic properties of materials (ferromagnetism, diamagnetism, etc.).

Students enrolled in this course:

• will learn the principles that determine the behavior of electrons in solids
• will understand the basic electronic behavior of metals, semiconductors, and insulators
• will learn the principles of operation for microelectronic, optoelectronic, and magnetic devices

MATS 3851W:  Materials Properties Lab (S. 2016, S. 2018)

This is a writing-intensive, 4-credit lab/lecture course designed to introduce students to a variety of methods for characterizing the mechanical, electrical, optical, and magnetic properties of engineering materials.  Emphasis is placed on specimen preparation and processing, instrumentation, data collection and analysis (particularly statistics and errors), laboratory notebook skills, and technical writing.

Students enrolled in this course:

• will learn the scientific and engineering principles underlying the properties of metals, ceramics, semiconductors, and polymers
• will learn materials properties characterization methods with hands-on experiments, including specimen preparation, data collection, and analysis
• will understand the capabilities and limitations of materials characterization methods and begin to apply knowledge to select methods that are suitable for solving materials design problems
• will develop skills in laboratory notebook keeping, report writing, and working in teams
• will learn to research a technical topic and give an oral presentation

MATS 4400:  Senior Design (S. 2020)

In the senior design project, students apply their expertise in materials science and engineering toward a specific design problem.  Working in a multidisciplinary team and with a mentor from industry, each team will first define a problem or consumer need that requires a new product.  The team will then follow design steps culminating in a product design that includes specification of materials to be used, size and shape, processing or manufacturing steps, performance predictions, testing and standards, economic analysis, environmental impact, health and safety issues, ethical issues, and social issues.

Students enrolled in this course:

• apply and integrate knowledge of the structure, properties, processing, and performance of engineering materials to a specific design problem
• carry out the steps in the design process resulting in a comprehensive design incorporating engineering standards and realistic constraints that include most of the following considerations: economic; environmental; sustainability; manufacturability; ethical; health and safety; social; and political
• learn fundamentals of engineering economics
• develop good communication skills and an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility

MATS 5517:  Electron Microscopy (S. 2014, S. 2015, S. 2017)

This course provides an introduction to transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and materials characterization using TEM. Topics include the description and operation of TEMs, electron sources, basics of electron optics, interaction of electrons with the specimen, diffraction and imaging techniques, and microanalysis. The goal of this course is to enable the student to understand the fundamentals of TEM and microanalysis and to identify which TEM-based method is best suited to solve specific problems encountered in their own research. The students learn about instrumentation, the structure of materials, diffraction physics, optics, and condensed matter physics.

Students enrolled in this course:

• become familiar with the hardware of transmission electron microscopes
• understand and are able to determine the properties of the electron beam and limits of the instrument
• learn the basics of image/diffraction pattern formation in the TEM
• learn about electron/matter interactions and how such processes can be used to quantify properties of the specimen
• are able to identify which TEM technique is best suited to solve specific characterization problems
• learn how specific materials properties affect the electron beam and how this translates into the images/diffraction patterns observed

MATS 5517:  Microscopy of Materials (Revised Electron Microscopy course) (S. 2019, S. 2021)

This 3-credit course provides an introduction to microscopy methods and techniques for materials characterization and is intended for junior- and senior-level undergraduates and graduate students interested in obtaining a basic introduction to materials microscopy methods.  The modalities covered include polarized light microscopy, scanning probe microscopies [atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM)], scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and ancillary techniques of each.  Topics include the description and operation of the various modalities (including hardware and software), basics of optical elements and image formation, fundamentals of electron-matter interactions, interpretation of diffraction patterns and image contrast, basics of microanalysis and spectroscopies, and specimen-preparation methods and requirements.  Contemporary and state-of-the-art topics (e.g., in situ and environmental methods, time-resolved studies, high-resolution techniques, etc.) will be intermixed with the fundamentals of each modality.

Students enrolled in this course will:

• become familiar with the hardware and software of the microscopy modalities covered
• learn the basics of image and (where relevant) diffraction-pattern formation
• learn how to interpret the information gathered and relate that to materials properties
• learn about fundamental electron-matter interactions relevant to the modalities covered
• be able to determine which modality is most suitable for the specific information sought
• learn about current applications and cutting-edge microscopy techniques for all modalities

MATS 8003:  Electronic Properties (S. 2024-present)

Basic physical theory of bonding in metals, alloys, and semiconductors. Review of modern physics, statistical physics, and solid state physics. Structure of matter emphasizing electronic processes. Techniques for predicting and understanding electronic structure of solids. Transport theory, elementary theory of magnetism, and superconductivity.

CSE 1001:  First Year Experience (Volunteer Instructor) (F. 2013)

This course provides an overview of available resources and strategies for college success. Majors and career opportunities offered in the physical sciences, mathematics, and engineering are covered. Personal responsibility, academic integrity, and level of academic rigor required for success are a main focal point. Personal action plans for achievement in the College of Science and Engineering (CSE) are developed. Key course components are integrated into a group project, the culmination of which is a product, device, or other functional apparatus, such as the cardboard sled shown to the right.