The Department of Polymer Materials Engineering M.Sc Research Program at Shenkar is the only one of its kind in Israel.

Its objective is to train engineers with the ability to carry out research and development for the polymers and plastics industry in Israel, in order to advance the level of R&D and move onto updated and advanced fields of these industries.

To that end, the program is intended to:

• Raise the knowledge level of students in advanced engineering (including mathematics, polymer chemistry and physics, as well as thermodynamics), in advanced polymer materials (biodegradable, nano-compounded, compounds, adhesives, polymer supplements, product specification), and advanced processing and design processes (rheology, computerized analysis, material and content selection).
• Train students on how to carry out R&D jobs in the polymers and plastics field, pursuant to the global developments and the industry’s needs.

Opening the Plastics Engineering M.Sc Research Program at Shenkar resulted in certain international collaborations with similar programs around the world, like the agreement with the University of Massachusetts for a joint PhD program, which is jointly funded.

Both departments of plastics engineering, in the University of Massachusetts and at Shenakr, have mutually acknowledged the B.Sc. and M.Sc. programs of each other and accordingly, no completion courses are required. Courses can be taken in either institution, as well as the research program. Until now, 10 students have finished their PhD. studies in Plastics Engineering. A similar agreement was signed with the Polymers Department at the Akron University and one student is due to finish his PhD studies there this year.

Finally, based on the high academic level of the staff and the unique infrastructure offered by Shenkar in R&D equipment, the department intends to ask for recognition of the Plastics Engineering M.Sc Research Program in cooperation with universities in Israel, pursuant to the regulations of the Council for Higher Education.