History

The Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering continues one hundred years of traditions of education in the field of materials science at the Warsaw University of Technology. Its beginnings go back to the Chair of Metals Technology, which existed since 1920 at the Faculty of Mechanics, with its part, the Division of Metallurgy. Its first head was Professor Witold Broniewski, a student and then a collaborator of the world-known chemist, Professor Henry Le Chatelier. Another step towards development of materials science at the University was the 1929 establishment of the Chair of Metallurgy and Materials Science at the Faculty of Chemistry, and five years later, separation of an independent Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science under the supervision of an outstanding scientist, Professor Jan Czochralski. Despite great efforts, the functioning of both units was stopped by the Second World War.  

After the war, the Faculty of Mechanics was reopened and the Division of Metallurgy and Materials Science was also reactivated. It functioned in this form uninterruptedly until 1969, under the supervision of Wesołowski, BSc, who continued the work of Professor Broniewski. At the same time, in 1961, at the Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering the Chair of Materials Science was established, led since 1965 by a former student of Professor Czochralski, Professor Stanisław Jaźwiński.

In 1970, the structure of the University was reorganised and the Chair of Metals Science at the Faculty of Mechanics and Technology was transformed into the Institute of Metals Science; the Chair of Materials Science at the Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering gave rise to the Institute of Materials Engineering led by Professor Jaźwiński. Five years later, these two institutes merged into one institute functioning like a faculty, called the Institute of Materials Engineering. Its intensive development and advanced research led to establishment of the institute as an independent teaching unit; in October 1991, it became a faculty.  

In 1999, the Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering was divided into divisions; three of them were established: of Materials Engineering Fundamentals, of Surface Engineering, and of Structural and Functional Materials. Five years later, the fourth division was set up, the Division of Ceramic Materials Design.

Since 1999, the Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering has had its seat at 141, Wołoska Street. At present, it comprises four Divisions: of Surface Engineering, of Structural and Functional Materials, of Materials Design, and of Ceramic and Polymer Materials. It is a leading research centre in the field of materials engineering in Poland. It also holds full academic rights – it conducts doctoral and habilitacja proceedings for its academic staff and for people from other national and international institutions.