TCU Launches PhD Researching Advanced Materials
From wearable technologies and protective equipment to medical textiles and aerospace applications, advanced materials are reshaping how products are designed, manufactured and used.
Texas Christian University’s College of Fine Arts is expanding opportunities for interdisciplinary research with the launch of a Doctor of Philosophy in Advanced Softgoods and Textile Systems, a new research-focused degree within the Department of Fashion Merchandising.
The program will prepare scholars and research leaders to develop, test and advance textiles, flexible materials and integrated systems with applications across healthcare, human performance, aerospace, defense and advanced manufacturing.
Advancing Innovation Through Textiles
Developed in response to workforce needs identified by Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) and industry partners, the program seeks to bridge the gap between textile science
and engineering.
For Charles Freeman, fashion merchandising chair and director of research and creative scholarship initiatives, the degree represents an opportunity to prepare researchers to address emerging industry challenges.
“This degree is really focused on industry needs,” Freeman said. “It's looking at what are the challenges in the industry, what are the problems that we're solving in the industry today for our future, whether it's in aerospace and space flight, whether it is in national defense, whether it is in advanced textiles and composites.”
The program builds on TCU's investment in textile research, including the Athlete Equipment and Materials Design Lab, where doctoral students will have opportunities to develop, test and evaluate advanced materials and products using industry-standard equipment.
“Having a lab like the Athlete Equipment and Materials Design Lab enables our Ph.D. students to be working in an industry environment and be building and testing and innovating new products, creating solutions to challenges that we're not able to solve today,” Freeman said.
He said the degree reflects TCU's commitment to addressing workforce needs in Texas, particularly in the aerospace and defense industries.
“We decided to serve the citizens of Texas, the needs of the industry in Texas by creating a program and a degree that is built off of what they told us they wanted,” Freeman said.
Preparing the Next Generation of Research Leaders
Designed for students from a range of academic and professional backgrounds, the Ph.D.
brings together expertise in textiles, engineering, materials science, product development,
kinesiology and related fields.
For Erin Tillery, postdoctoral fellow, assembling students with different areas of expertise is central to the program's approach to research and innovation.
"We're interested in students from any background as long as they're interested in this area of research and kind of applying their unique sets of knowledge to this program," Tillery said.
Students will develop individualized research interests through advanced coursework, faculty mentorship and industry collaboration. The curriculum also emphasizes research funding and technology translation, preparing graduates to navigate careers in academia, industry and government.
For Tillery, the program's emphasis on the student experience is equally important.
"If you are a driven student who wants those opportunities and is going to work hard, we are going to match that," Tillery said. "And you're going to get a lot out of this program."
The 74-credit hour program combines research methods, advanced materials, textile-system performance, innovation and dissertation research. Students may pursue full-time or part-time study, with assistantship opportunities available to eligible full-time students.
*Pending SACSCOC approval
*Anticipated to launch in fall 2027
Learn more about the Ph.D. in Advanced Softgoods and Textile Systems.