Ceramic Tech Chat

Now halfway through the International Year of Glass, glass scientists are looking to carry the momentum beyond this year to advance the future Age of Glass. Mathieu Hubert, glass development scientist and development program manager at Corning, shares how he came to a career in researching advanced glasses, the challenges in educating more people about these materials, and how he helps support the next generation of glass scientists.

View the transcript for this episode here.

About the guest
Mathieu Hubert is a glass development scientist and development program manager at Corning Inc. Since joining ACerS in 2011, he has been heavily involved in the Society, from organizing sessions and symposia for the Glass & Optical Materials Division Annual Meeting and serving as a mentor in the mentoring program run by ACerS President’s Council of Student Advisors.

About ACerS
Founded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

As the current generation of materials scientists approaches retirement, it’s essential to inspire a new generation to take up the reins. Marcus Fish, development director at the Ceramic and Glass Industry Foundation, talks about the history of the Foundation, its mission, and its projects and initiatives to excite students about careers as ceramic and glass professionals.

View the transcript for this episode here.

About the guest
Marcus Fish is development director at the Ceramic and Glass Industry Foundation (CGIF). The American Ceramic Society launched CGIF in 2014 to attract, inspire, and support the next generation of ceramic and glass professionals. Since its inception,  CGIF has launched programs in student outreach, international student exchanges, travel grants, student leadership development, a university-industry network, and its online Ceramic and Glass Career Center. Learn more about CGIF here and donate to the Foundation here.

About ACerS
Founded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

Every artifact in the universe has a surface, and modifying that surface can endow an object with new and improved properties. Christopher Berndt, Distinguished Professor of Surface Science and Engineering at Swinburne University of Technology, describes the use of thermal spray technologies to coat surfaces, the challenges companies face implementing these technologies on an industrial scale, and what is in store for the future of this field.

View the transcript for this episode here.

About the guest
Christopher Berndt is Distinguished Professor of Surface Science and Engineering at Swinburne University of Technology and director of the Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Training Centre in Surface Engineering for Advanced Materials. He has conducted research in the field of surface engineering for close to 45 years, and specifically the application of coatings using thermal spray technologies (examples of recent papers on this topic here and here). He recently was awarded the 2021 Victoria Prize for Science and Innovation in the Physical Sciences.

About ACerS
Founded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

For centuries glass has been the material of choice for storing, shipping, and sipping wine. How did that come to pass, and why? Jim and Penelope Shackelford, authors of the ACerS-Wiley book “The Glass of Wine,” share how they developed a lifelong appreciation of wine, discuss the many intersections between winemaking and wine enjoyment that involve glass, and touch on how ceramics play a role in winemaking as well.

View the transcript for this episode here.

About the guests
Jim Shackelford is an ACerS Fellow and Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of California, Davis. Penelope Shackelford is a former teacher who served as an arts writer for Davis Enterprise, Artweek, and other national arts publications and as associate editor for arts for the journal Multicultural Education. Their book, “The Glass of Wine: The Science, Technology, and Art of Glassware for Transporting and Enjoying Wine,” published by ACerS-Wiley, is available at this link.

About ACerS
Founded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

In May 2021, the United Nations declared 2022 the International Year of Glass. University of Central Florida professor Kathleen Richardson and The Ohio State University professor Manoj Choudhary discuss the importance of glass in our lives, give the history of IYOG, and preview some of the events taking place to celebrate this International Year.

View the transcript for this episode here.

About the guests
Kathleen Richardson is Pegasus Professor of Optics and Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Central Florida and past president of The American Ceramic Society. Manoj Choudhary is retired from a research career at Owens Corning and currently an adjunct professor at The Ohio State University. Richardson and Choudhary serve on the North American Steering Committee for IYOG, which is coordinating IYOG events in the United States and Canada. Learn more about the International Year of Glass at https://ceramics.org/iyog. Tune in for a livestream of the opening ceremonies in Geneva, Switzerland, on February 10 and 11 at https://iyog2022oc.org.

About ACerS
Founded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

Being a professor requires you to wear many hats, including being a teacher, researcher, mentor, and possibly more. Beth Dickey, Teddy & Wilton Hawkins Distinguished Professor and department head of materials science & engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, describes her work to attract and retain the next generation of materials scientists, including by incorporating data science into university materials science curricula, developing new faculty mentorship programs, and in a variety of leadership roles in The American Ceramic Society.

View the transcript for this episode here.

About the guest
Beth Dickey is the Teddy & Wilton Hawkins Distinguished Professor and department head of materials science & engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. Her research group uses electron microscopy and spectroscopy techniques to develop processing–structure–property relationships for materials in which the macroscopic physical properties are governed by point defects, grain boundaries, or internal interfaces. As 2021–2022 ACerS president, one of Dickey's main goals is to begin implementing the new ACerS strategic plan.

About ACerS
Founded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

Strategic plans are a crucial tool for businesses to track their progress toward certain goals, but how do you develop a strategic plan? ACerS executive director Mark Mecklenborg and past president Dana Goski share how the new strategic plan for ACerS was developed, its top-level goals, and how the Society will start working with the plan.

View the transcript for this episode here.

About the guests
Mark Mecklenborg is executive director at The American Ceramic Society. Dana Goski is ACerS past president and vice president of research and development at Allied Mineral Products, a global monolithic refractory producer headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Mecklenborg and Goski helped lead the process to develop ACerS’ new strategic plan, which the Board of Directors approved in September 2021. View a high-level overview of the plan at this link, and find ways to get involved with supporting the plan here. Questions? Contact Mecklenborg at [email protected].

About ACerS
Founded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

Inspiring research in materials science works best when the information is relatable and easily accessible. Ricardo Castro, professor of materials science and engineering at the University of California, Davis, describes how a jet engine demonstration piqued his interest in ceramics, why he uses superheroes to teach students about materials, and discusses the importance of open-access publishing to facilitating science research.

View the transcript for this episode here.

About the guest
Ricardo Castro is professor of materials science and engineering at the University of California, Davis. His research group focuses on the processing and properties of nanoceramics. He has launched several programs to grow student interest in materials science using superheroes, such as the Engineering Superheroes series. He is also editor-in-chief of ACerS' open-access journal, International Journal of Ceramic Engineering & Science.

About ACerS
Founded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

While increased innovation is a desirable outcome of a diverse workforce, the compassion and understanding that arise is what will truly help us break down walls and build a better world. Olivia Graeve, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of California, San Diego, discusses her life growing up in Tijuana, Mexico, why she believes compassion is the key to a diverse community, and describes her work building bridges between Mexico and the U.S. as director of the CaliBaja Center for Resilient Materials & Systems.

View the transcript for this episode here.

About the guest
Olivia Graeve is professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of California, San Diego, and director of the CaliBaja Center for Resilient Materials & Systems. Her research group focuses on the design, development, and manufacturing of materials in extreme environments. The CaliBaja Center is a binational research institute that hosts both research and educational activities to connect students in Mexico and the United States.

About ACerS
Founded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

Diversifying both energy sources and workforce are necessary as we move toward a sustainable future. Sossina Haile, Walter P. Murphy Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University, discusses her work on fuel cell technology, her experience as an immigrant pursuing science in the United States, and some tips for supporting diversification in both of these areas.

View the transcript for this episode here.

About the guest
Sossina Haile is Walter P. Murphy Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University in Illinois. Her research group focuses on solid-state electric chemistry for sustainable energy purposes. Haile is a member of the ACerS Diversity & Inclusion Subcommittee. Also, learn more about the Department of Energy’s Hydrogen Energy Earthshot to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen.

About ACerS
Founded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.