Yamagata University　Polymer Engineering Features

Polymers have played a major part in the advancement of modern society and individual human lives, and will continue to play an increasingly essential role.  The Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, in the Faculty of Engineering at Yamagata University, is recognized as one of the largest polymer research groups in Japan, and has a long-standing history of providing contributions to polymer research and education.  More than 30 faculty members belong to this department at the undergraduate level, and additionally, our department is closely related to two graduate courses — in the Department of Polymer Science and Engineering and the Department of Organic Device Engineering — at the Graduate School of Science and Engineering.  In total, around 50 faculty members belong to these departments at the graduate level.  The faculty members, who have a variety of experience in chemistry, physics, biology, material science, electronics, and process engineering, are involved in conducting interdisciplinary research between basic polymer science and advanced material/technology science.  These topics include organic electroluminescence, environmentally friendly and energy creative materials, bio-related materials, food science, computer simulation (of molecular dynamics methods), precise analysis, and micro- and nano-molding.  In addition to traditional strengths in new polymer synthesis and manufacturing processes, our departments also focus on divergent research fields involving computational simulations, rheology, morphology, surface and optical characterization, nanotechnologies, and photonics.  Most faculty members participate in both undergraduate and graduate educational and research programs.  At present, we have about 500 undergraduate students and nearly 130 graduate students.

Yamagata University’s Faculty of Engineering celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2010, following the establishment of Yonezawa Higher Technical School, the predecessor of the Faculty, in 1910.  At that time, the school was composed of two departments: the Dyeing Division and the Weaving Division.  In 1944, Yonezawa Higher Technical School was renamed Yonezawa Engineering College, and in 1949, this was reorganized to become the Yamagata University Faculty of Engineering.  The creation of this faculty, which included the Department of Textile Technology amongst its four departments, accompanied the foundation of Yamagata University.  In 1965, the Department of Polymer Chemistry was established, and in 1973, the Department of Textile Technology was renamed the Department of Textile and Polymer Technology.  Ten years later, this became the Department of Polymer Materials Engineering.  In 1990, four departments, including the Departments of Polymer Materials Engineering and Polymer Chemistry, were reorganized into the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, out of which the current Department of Polymer Science and Engineering was born in 2000. 
The University’s Graduate School of Engineering (Master’s Program) was established in 1964, and originally offered five research courses.  In 1999, the Graduate School of Engineering was reorganized into the Graduate School of Science and Engineering, and it now provides nine research courses under the Master’s Program.  At present, two of these programs are closely related to polymer science and engineering — those in the Department of Polymer Science and Engineering and the Department of Organic Device Engineering.
In 1993, the Doctoral Program was opened, and this now comprises a total of five courses.  Students in the Doctoral Program conduct even more specialized research.  Most faculty members in the Department of Polymer Science and Engineering belong to the Organic Materials Engineering Doctoral Program.  In line with increasing globalization, the fields of polymer science and engineering are becoming more interdisciplinary.  Consequently, the Doctoral Program provides world-leading education and research opportunities and advanced interdisciplinary views that extend beyond traditional frameworks.

Please add @yz.yamagata-u.ac.jp to the E-mail address. The list includes the menbers of the Graduate School of Science and Engineering (Department of Polymer Science and Engineering and Department of Organic Device Engineering).