Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast

Hosted by Taylor Sparks and Andrew Falkowski

Technology Science

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Episodes

120

Latest episode

May 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

In this podcast, Taylor and Andrew investigate the past, present, and future of materials science and engineering. Topic areas ranging from cutting edge materials technology, the history of different materials, the commercialization of new materials, and exciting advances in processing and characterization are all covered in detail. Our episodes include things like the unlikely discovery of superglue or teflon, the fascinating backstories about modern biomaterials like dialysis filters, and updates on new technologies including wearable electronics, next generation batteries, and nanomaterials. In short, we hope to help listeners understand the critical role that materials have played in society and even glimpse into what the future may hold for new materials.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

May 18, 2026Episode 11844 min

Episode 118: The Molecular Universe with SES AI

What if you could know which batteries are worth building before you actually build them? Taylor and Andrew sit down with Dr. Qichao Hu, founder of SES AI, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping battery discovery and his experience in the field. From his decision to ditch solid state electrolytes and double down on liquid, to building a suite of simulation tools that map molecules all the way up to full cell performance. Dr. Hu lays out how SES went from lithium metal battery startup to offering their hard-won design tools as a platform for the rest of the industry. This episode of the Materialism Podcast is sponsored by SES AI. To learn more about their tools and how they can benefit you check out their website. [LINK] This episode of the Materialism Podcast is sponsored by Momentum Transfer. Visit their website for more details about their measurement services. [LINK] The Materialism Podcast is sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational webinars, and more. [LINK] Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show! If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter. Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks, Andrew Falkowski, & Jared Duffy.

May 4, 2026Episode 11737 min

Episode 117: Textiles in Space

The fanciest suit isn't on the runway, it's in orbit. In this follow-up episode, Taylor and Andrew bring back Kate Winning from Oxford Space Systems to dive into the world of space textiles. From the knitted gold-plated mesh antennas that fold up for launch and deploy to the size of a room, to the 14-layer suit that keeps astronauts alive. Learn why tungsten makes a better yarn than you'd expect, how ancient crafts still have a place in high tech manufacturing, and why the hardest part of a spacesuit might just be the gloves. Thanks to Kate from Oxford for talking to us. Learn more about Oxford Space Systems here [LINK] This episode of the Materialism Podcast is sponsored by Momentum Transfer. Visit their website for more details about their measurement services. [LINK] The Materialism Podcast is sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational webinars, and more. [LINK] Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show! If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter. Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks, Andrew Falkowski, & Jared Duffy.

March 31, 2026Episode 11655 min

Episode 116: Textile Materials

Textiles are all around us, they are literally woven into nearly every part of our daily lives. From the everyday materials in the clothes we wear to the specialty materials in parachutes, spacesuits, and even bulletproof armor. They play a bigger role than we often think about but what exactly is a textile? We sit down with Kate Winning from Oxford Space to explore the world of textiles, breaking down the different types, how they are turned from fiber into usable materials, and their wide-ranging applications. Sparks Death Star Sweater [LINK] This episode of the Materialism Podcast is sponsored by Momentum Transfer. Visit their website for more details about their measurement services. [LINK] The Materialism Podcast is sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational webinars, and more. [LINK] Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show! If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter. Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks, Andrew Falkowski, & Jared Duffy.

March 6, 2026Episode 11540 min

Episode 115: Phase Field Modeling

Many digital models use hard boundaries to simulate how materials change, but the real world is rarely that clean. Phase field modeling takes a more natural approach, capturing the gradual, messy transitions that actually occur. This makes it ideal for simulating things like crack growth or dendrite formation. Taylor sits down with Dr. Jake Bair, an assistant professor at Oklahoma State University to discuss how it works and the history behind it. Link of NISTs Phase Field Hub [HERE] This episode was Sponsored by California Nanotechnologies. Check out their upcoming SPS/FAST Experts Workshop in beautiful San Diego at the link. [HERE] This episode of the Materialism Podcast is sponsored by Momentum Transfer. Visit their website for more details about their measurement services. [LINK] The Materialism Podcast is sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational webinars, and more. Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show! If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter. Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks, Andrew Falkowski, & Jared Duffy.

January 21, 2026Episode 11447 min

Episode 114: Synchrotron XRD on Demand

Having access to advanced characterization tools sounds great but sadly they aren't easily attainable. Momentum Transfer seeks to remedy this by offering mail-in access to synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction and scattering measurements. Taylor sits down with Dr. Maxwell Terban co-founder of Momentum Transfer to go over the technology and his history with it. They also discuss some interesting uses of the technology including the characterization of Neanderthal campfire ash. This episode of the Materialism Podcast is sponsored by Momentum Transfer. Visit their website for more details about their measurement services. [LINK] he Materialism Podcast is sponsored by the American Ceramics Society. Visit them, at ceramics.org/materialism to unlock full access to the Bulletin with a free ACerS membership. The Materialism Podcast is sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational webinars, and more. Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show! If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter. Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks, Andrew Falkowski, & Jared Duffy.

December 11, 2025Episode 11351 min

Episode 113: Metal Organic Frameworks

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to pioneers in the field of MOFs, but what exactly is a MOF? We sit down with Dr. Matthew J. Cliffe, an associate professor at the University of Cambridge, to discuss what makes metal–organic frameworks deserving of a Nobel Prize. Our conversation ranges from their potential role in capturing CO₂ from the atmosphere to the unique methods used to characterize these remarkable materials. Matthew's faculty page [LINK] This episode is sponsored by the American Ceramics Society Learning Center. Visit ceramics.org/materialism to learn more or use code MATERIALISM to get $100 off your next On-Demand course registration. This Materialism Podcast is sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational webinars, and more. Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show! If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter. Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks, Andrew Falkowski, & Jared Duffy. https://www.msm.cam.ac.uk/people/academic-staff-overview/cliffe

November 11, 2025Episode 11232 min

Episode 112: Merging 3D Printing and SPS

3D printing and SPS(Spark Plasma Sintering) are two incredible techniques that are best suited for different purposes, but what if there was a way to combine them to open up a whole new world of possibilities. We sit down with Christopher Melnyk, Director of Business Development at CalNano to talk about how they are achieving this combination. We explore the different parts that make up this new hybrid approach as well as the possible use cases that exist. This episode was Sponsored by California Nanotechnologies. Check out their upcoming SPS/FAST Experts Workshop in beautiful San Diego at the link [[HERE](https://www.calnanocorp.com/spsworkshop)]. The Materialism Podcast is sponsored by the American Ceramics Society. Visit them, at this link [HERE] to unlock full access to the Bulletin with a free ACerS membership. This Materialism Podcast is sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational webinars, and more. Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show! If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter. Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks, Andrew Falkowski, & Jared Duffy.

October 9, 2025Episode 11152 min

Episode 111: The Science of Gemstones

There’s a lot more to gems than just sparkly rocks. While we can’t promise they’ll cleanse bad vibes, we can dive into the incredible science behind them. In this episode, Andrew and Taylor chat with Mubashir Mansoor, a gemologist and PhD candidate in Materials Science at Istanbul Technical University, to uncover the rich past of gemstones and how they are shaping the future. From restoring a man’s sight to a possible future in quantum computing, these crystals hold more secrets than you’d think. We trace the evolution of gem technology, from bamboo rods and coal to high-tech scanners that can spot microscopic flaws and reveal exactly where a gem was mined. Most importantly we discuss how gemologists are looking for help from materials scientists and engineers to help crack the secrets of these sparkly rocks. Diamonds are Forever: The Evolution of the Bionic Eye [LINK] This episode is sponsored by the American Ceramics Society Learning Center. Visit ceramics.org/materialism to learn more or use code MATERIALISM to get $100 off your next On-Demand course registration. This Materialism Podcast is sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational webinars, and more. Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show! If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter. Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks, Andrew Falkowski, & Jared Duffy.

September 19, 2025Episode 11027 min

Episode 110: LionGlass

You may not think of glass production as a significant source of CO₂, but the stats may surprise you. Enter Penn State and their LionGlass, a phosphate-based glass that not only lowers the temperature needed for forming, but also avoids the CO₂ emissions that come from the carbonate materials used in conventional glassmaking. We sit down to discuss the recently published paper on this new glass and how its properties compare to the glass we use every day. The Materialism Podcast is sponsored by the American Ceramics Society. Visit them, at this link [HERE] to unlock full access to the Bulletin with a free ACerS membership. This Materialism Podcast is sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational webinars, and more. Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show! If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter. Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks, Andrew Falkowski, & Jared Duffy.

August 26, 2025Episode 10940 min

Episode 109: Operando Transmission Electron Microscopy

Seeing atomic scale interactions in real time may sound like science fiction, but operando TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy) has made it science fact. Unlike traditional TEM, which looks at static samples, operando TEM enables scientists to watch materials evolve dynamically while they undergo reactions. In this episode, we sit down with Patricia Kooyman, a professor at the University of Cape Town, to explore the science behind this technique as well as her unique history with it. This episode is sponsored by Momentum Transfer. They have an upcoming Powder Diffraction workshop at Politecnico di Bari in Italy. This 3 day workshop runs from September 29th to October 1st, 2025. Find more info [HERE]. This episode is sponsored by the American Ceramics Society Learning Center. Visit ceramics.org/materialism to learn more or use code MATERIALISM to get $100 off your next On-Demand course registration. This Materialism Podcast is sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational webinars, and more. Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show! If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter. Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks, Andrew Falkowski, & Jared Duffy.