Rebecca Cortez, Ph.D.
Thomas J. Watson, Sr. and Emma Watson Day Professor and Chair of Mechanical Engineering

Union College
Schenectady, NY 12308

Phone: (518) 388-8784
Email: cortezr@union.edu

Teaching and Research Focus

As many of society’s technological advances depend on materials and their functionality, understanding the physical properties of materials is essential.  Dr. Cortez’s research and teaching areas involve concepts associated with materials science and engineering.  She has worked on a variety of interdisciplinary materials-related research projects.  Project topics ranged from examination of solder material for personal computers, encapsulation of hazardous waste material into an environmentally friendly waste product, fatigue of a turbine engine blade alloy, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device development, and nanomaterials characterization.  Dr. Cortez’s teaching goals include instilling an appreciation for the role that materials play in simple and complex applications.  In a classroom environment, she aims to raise awareness of the importance of materials to technological advancements.