Polymer Materials Engineering
At a Glance
Degree Type
Bachelor of Science
Total Credits
150
Degree Requirements
Accreditation
Contacts
Lisa Ochs
Pre-major Advisor
John Misasi
Program Director

Program Overview
Western's Engineering and Design department offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Polymer Materials Engineering (previously Plastics & Composites Engineering). This program prepares students for productive, professional careers in the plastics and composites industries. The technical curriculum is built upon a firm base of mathematics, physics, chemistry, and materials science, and provides extensive coverage of polymeric and composite materials and processing methods. Practical experience in design, materials, processing, economics, testing, and analysis is a crucial part of the hands-on curriculum that is provided in the program's extensive and well-equipped laboratory facilities. The Polymer Materials Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org. Accreditation and enrollment numbers are available on our Assessment and Accreditation page.
Through these experiences, WWU engineering students learn to apply theoretical knowledge learned in the classroom to solve practical, application-based problems in industry. Our PME curriculum is designed through close collaboration with a committee of industry experts, preparing our graduates to be professionally competitive upon graduation. Additionally, students have the opportunity to work on industry projects with faculty during their coursework, and most students choose to partner with a company for their year-long senior project.
WWU's Polymer Materials Engineering program was recently ranked as one of the best programs across the nation.

What is PME?
Watch the video to learn more about the Polymer Materials Engineering program at WWU!
Explore Classes

Learn about senior projects and what students are working on the labs. Explore classes

SAMPE 2023
Congratulations to four junior PME research students who recently won 1st place in the poster competition at the 2023 SAMPE conference in Seattle.
Research topic: Impacts of Mechanical Recycling on the Processing & Properties of ULTEM 1000 (overhead bins in airplanes)
L to R: Tyrone Woodard, Ingrid Shipstead, Luke Grant, and Nicholas Gajkowski

Ocean Plastics Recycling Project
Associate Professor, John Misasi, and his undergraduate students are proving that ocean plastics aren't just landfill material.
To learn more about this ongoing important work and research happening on our campus, read the latest Windows magazine article.
SPE Scholarships

The Society of Plastics Engineers Foundation awarded over $200,000 to students in 2022. Four PME students received between $6,000 and $13,000 each for this academic year. Congratulations to Tyrone Woodard, Nicholas Gajkowski, Emmaline Lenz, and Halka Inagaki!

Congratulations to the Polymer Materials Engineering Class of 2023!
Good luck in your career and/or educational journey! We can't wait to see what you do next.

Dan Struble, Class of 2023
PhD Candidate, University of Southern Mississippi, Polymer Science & Engineering

Juliana Covarrubias, Class of 2022
Research and Development Project Engineer, Janicki Industries