Lorraine Francis retires after 35 years of teaching, research, and service

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (09/28/2026) — After more than 35 years of service to the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Professor Lorraine Francis has retired. Since joining CEMS in 1990, she has helped shape materials science education through curriculum development, mentorship, and a collaborative approach to teaching and scholarship. 

Reflecting on her time in the department, Francis said: 

"I am thankful to have had this opportunity to contribute to the research, teaching and service missions of CEMS over the past 35 years. I enjoyed the collaborative nature of the department, particularly co-advising graduate students and team teaching. It was a joy to work together with exceptional people, including faculty colleagues, students and staff, on common goals." 

Among her contributions to materials science education was the development of the textbook Materials Processing: A Unified Approach to Processing of Metals, Ceramics and Polymers, now in its second edition. The book grew out of her teaching of MATS 4301: Materials Processing. Francis noted that many faculty colleagues contributed ideas and support to both the course and the textbook. Former student Dr. Christine C. Roberts (Ph.D. 2007), now at Sandia National Laboratories, co-authored a chapter. Another chapter was written by Professor Beth Stadler of the University of Minnesota's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

During her tenure as 3M Chair in Experiential Learning in the College of Science and Engineering (CSE), Francis helped develop CSE 1012: Project-Based Inquiry, an experiential, hands-on course for first-year students in their second semester. The course involves extensive collaboration and participation from faculty across CSE. It also includes 3D printing, a topic Francis enjoyed teaching and continues to pursue as a hobby. Francis also worked with Professor Mike Manno to incorporate 3D printing into the senior laboratory courses MATS 4221: Materials Performance and MATS 4301: Materials Processing. 

Former Department Head Professor Dan Frisbie reflected on her impact, saying:

"Lorraine Francis is an outstanding symbol of the work ethic and dedication of our faculty to research, teaching, and service. She has an amazing can-do attitude and when she decides to take on a challenge, whether it be designing a new course, writing a textbook, or launching a new research program, she is unstoppable. 

I have tremendous admiration for Lorraine. She is one of our most accomplished faculty and yet she has not a shred of egotism. I have really learned a lot from her through our research collaborations and joint advising of students and postdocs.

Above all, she has taught me about the critical role of processing in materials science and engineering. I would not be working on some of the problems I am currently excited about, without her influence over many, many years!"

As she enters retirement, her influence will continue through the courses she helped develop, the textbook she authored, and the many students and colleagues whose work she helped shape.