Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Fiber Science

The common focus of the field is the study of fibrous materials and their use as apparel, as engineering structures (such as composite materials), in biomedical applications, and in home furnishings. The Field of Fiber Science and Apparel Design is applied and multidisciplinary, with faculty members drawn from the Colleges of Human Ecology and Engineering. Students are expected to develop strength in their base discipline as well as gain appropriate breadth to support the area of specialization. Active research programs exist in high-performance fibers and fiber-reinforced composites; Green composites; detergency and surface chemistry; perfume treated fabrics; textile materials in biomedical and geotechnical applications; polymers for electronics; liquid-crystal polymers; textile-dye chemistry; crystal morphology of fibers; electrospin of fibers; cellulose; apparel and fashion design, design ethnography; sizing and fit of apparel; functional apparel; cultural and historic studies of clothing and textiles; mass customization and technology; and technology management in the apparel industry. For Ph.D. students, a minimum of four committee members are required: one faculty member representing the major, one for each of the two minor areas, and a fourth member appointed by the Director of Graduate Studies to act for the field. The oral and written Admission to Candidacy examination and the final oral examination are required for the Ph.D. degree. The field does not require a foreign language. Outstanding facilities for research and study are available in the College of Human Ecology and the College of Engineering. Textile and polymer science laboratories are equipped with modern instrumentation for chemical, physical, and mechanical analysis and with a controlled temperature and humidity room. Apparel design studios are equipped with industrial sewing equipment. Video image-capture and photography equipment is available in a visual analysis lab. The functional apparel lab houses a variety of human-factors testing equipment, including a full-body scanner.