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Advanced Materials, Alfred Professors Inspire Students to Explore

Posted By Alfred University

Sep 24, 2026 | Alumni Art & Design Current Students Engineering General Blogs Pre-College

Imagine studying advanced engineered materials with a professor whose research could help shape the future of safe nuclear energy—or stepping into a glass studio where an accomplished artist encourages you to experiment, take creative risks, and develop a voice of your own.

At Alfred University, students have opportunities to do both.

Two professors in the New York State College of Ceramics were recently recognized among SUNY’s most distinguished faculty. S.K. Sundaram, Inamori Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, received the Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Professorship, while Angus Powers ’00, professor of glass in Alfred University’s School of Art and Design, received the Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Teaching Professorship.

The honors recognize different accomplishments, but together they highlight something students experience across Alfred: learning from accomplished faculty who bring their expertise, curiosity and passion into the classroom, studio and laboratory. They have also been teaching a junior-level course, “GlassArtEngine,” across the Inamori School of Engineering and the School of Art and Design to bring art and engineering students together to learn from each other, over the past decade in collaboration with other faculty.

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Exploring materials that could change the future

Sundaram’s research explores how ceramics, glass, and other advanced materials can be used to address complex challenges.

His work has included a U.S. Department of Energy-supported project focused on developing a new material (cermet - a composite containing ceramics and metals and alloys) for immobilizing wastes from advanced nuclear reactors as a waste form for safe disposal over extended periods of time. The research, conducted in collaboration with five universities and two national laboratories, has resulted in a U.S. patent and an R&D100 award as one of the promising 100 technologies developed in 2026.

Other research by Sundaram’s group has explored the structure and properties of ceramics, glasses, and engineered materials with potential applications in areas ranging from cancer detection and sensing to deep space travel to high-speed communications.

It’s sophisticated research, but it also creates an environment where students can see how concepts they encounter in class connect to challenges well beyond campus.

“What excites me about introducing undergraduate students to research is to watch their curiosity transforming into scientific experiments, measurements, results, and interpretation,” said Sundaram. “I hope the students acquire knowledge and skill sets required to perform cutting-edge research and enjoy the joy of discovery, which will be helpful when they begin working on real-world problems.”

That opportunity to explore is an important part of studying engineering at Alfred. Students aren't simply learning what is already known about a material. They can ask new questions, test ideas, and begin discovering where their own interests might lead.

Finding a voice through glass

Across campus, Powers brings a different kind of exploration to his glass students.

A 2000 Alfred graduate himself, Powers combines technical mastery with creative experimentation. His hands-on approach gives students a strong understanding of glass as a material while encouraging them to push boundaries and develop their own artistic identities.

Alfred University cited that approach when nominating Powers for the Distinguished Teaching Professorship, noting his ability to create an environment where students can build technical skills while finding their unique artistic voices.

“Glass is a material that teaches you to pay attention to the heat, to the moment, and to the choices you make,” said Powers. “When I teach alongside engineers, I want our students to see that creativity and technical thinking aren’t separate and they can challenge and strengthen one another. I challenge my students to be thoughtful, to take risks, and to embrace uncertainty. Most of all, I want them to find their own voice and to discover where they belong and what they have to contribute. It is a tall order to work with different folks with different backgrounds and experiences, but yields unexpected results that they can all stand behind.”

Many of Powers’ former students have gone on to achieve success in the glass art world. But that process begins in the studio, where learning can be physical, experimental, and sometimes unexpected.

Students make. They test. They fail. They try again. And along the way, they begin to understand not only what glass can do, but what they can do with it.

Photo: (l to r) Sam Drumgoole, glass artist resident, working with Professor Powers.

Where expertise inspires exploration

Sundaram and Powers were inducted into the SUNY Distinguished Academy during an August ceremony in Albany. The Distinguished Professorship recognizes faculty who have achieved national or international prominence through significant research, scholarship or creative work. The Distinguished Teaching Professorship recognizes sustained excellence and innovation in teaching.

Gabrielle Gaustad ’04, dean of Alfred University’s Inamori School of Engineering and vice president for Statutory Affairs, nominated both professors for the honors.

“These prestigious appointments underscore the extraordinary caliber of faculty at the New York State College of Ceramics,” Gaustad said. “Angus Powers and S.K. Sundaram have made distinctive contributions to teaching, scholarship, and the field, and their recognition reflects the impact our faculty have well beyond Alfred.”

That impact can also be felt much closer to home—in Alfred’s classrooms, laboratories and studios, where students have the opportunity to learn alongside faculty who are advancing their fields.

Whether they’re experimenting with glass in the studio or investigating materials that could address global challenges, Alfred students are encouraged to ask questions, explore possibilities, and discover where their own ideas can lead.

Inspired by news story published 8/24/2026

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