It involves looking at the structure, properties, processing, and performance of materials and how they affect one another. Well, I've been studying materials science for 5 years now. As an undergraduate, I did research on ceramic materials with Prof. The projects included lithium ion batteries materials, ferroelectrics, and high temperature engine materials. Now I'm doing research with Prof. Yoel Fink in photonic crystals.
Photonic crystals are materials that can guide light losslessly.
My projects include researching new materials for photonic crystals as well as synthesizing novel photonic crystal structures. Karlene, my wife, also went here as an undergraduate. We've known each other since freshman year when were both in the Concourse program together. Concourse is an alternative program for freshman at MIT where you have smaller classes and more resources such as weekly tutorials to go over any problems on problem sets that are troubling. We both became tutors for different classes in Concourse during our sophomore years.