Perfecting Motion®

For our October episode we are following up with instructors from the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning education course from our 2024 STLE Annual Meeting in Minneapolis.   Returning from that course is Max Marian of Leibniz Universität Hannover, Nick Garabedian of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, and Omar Zouina of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology moderates as we discuss updates to this rapidly evolving field and it's advancements related to Tribology.  

If you want to hear more about how Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning play a role in technology, consider signing up for our education course at our Annual Meeting in Atlanta on May 18, 2025.   AI-ML is just one of the many courses we will be offering this year in addition to over 100 technical sessions, panel discussions, and numerous networking opportunities.  Registration opens in early November, but for more information, click here: https://www.stle.org/AnnualMeeting/call .

Meet our speakers:
Omar Zouina, 2nd year PhD candidate at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Applied Materials (IAM) and Microtribology Center, my research focuses on solid lubricants particularly graphite with an emphasis on the lubrication mechanisms under high mechanical loads for rolling bearings applications.

Max Marian is a professor specializing in tribology and machine design. His research focuses on improving energy efficiency and sustainability through surface modification techniques. He has published extensively, received numerous awards, and is involved in several professional organizations. 

Dr. Nick Garabedian works at the intersection of linked data engineering, experimental tribology and machine learning. He is currently the CEO of datin – a newly-founded software startup for research data management and sharing.

This month’s episode is dedicated to highlighting the incredible experiences and benefits of being a student member of STLE.  Join us as our host, STLE UK Student Chair, Nicole Rosik interviews STLE student members Andrew Velasquez of Southwest Research Institute, Parker LaMascus a doctoral candidate at the University of Pennsylvania, Alexander MacLaren of PCS Instruments, and Manisha Tripathy of Bruker Nano on their experiences in utilizing the benefits of STLE to start their careers.  

From networking and professional development to mentorship and community involvement, our student guests will share their personal stories and insights into how membership has positively impacted their lives. Whether you're a current member, considering joining, or simply curious about what the association has to offer, this podcast is for you.   

For more information on how STLE can advance your career visit: www.stle.org .

This month’s episode talks about increasingly integrating sustainability into core business strategies, setting clear targets for greenhouse gas reductions, and publicly reporting on their progress. Joining us we have Pang Lin Ong, a longtime member of the STLE CLS committee member, and current Business Growth Manager at Infineum. Pang looks at efforts to develop more sustainable products and focus on using renewable feedstocks, extending product lifespan through advanced formulations, and improving recycling and reuse practices. While challenges remain, especially in the realm of grease disposal, the industry is actively collaborating to find solutions for lubrication, demonstrating a strong commitment to a low-carbon future.

This month's episode talks about the often-overlooked world of friction, wear, and lubrication in aerospace.  Discussing the importance of tribology in space travel, we have former NASA Senior Tribology Technologist, and current University of Akron Mechanical Engineering Professor, Dr. Christopher DellaCorte.  Also on our panel, former Air Force Research Laboratory Nanoelectric Materials and Process Research Team Leader, and current Associate Dean for Research at the University of North Texas, Dr. Andrey Voevodin.  We'll dive into the changing landscape of space with the emergence of private industries versus traditional government run entities.  Finally, we will consider where we have been and where we are going as humans continue to follow their desire to explore the stars.  Join us as we discuss the ingenious materials, coatings, and lubricants that ensure a frictionless ride into the sky and to the future.

Also, be prepared for Aerospace Tribology technical sessions at our 2025 Annual Meeting in Atlanta.  These will showcase presentations on tribological advancements related to both astronautical and aeronautical applications. These applications function under conditions very different from those on earth, requiring innovative solutions to tribological challenges. As human exploration extends from low earth orbit to the lunar surface to the depths of space, tribology research tailored to aerospace applications will become increasingly important.  Check in with https://www.stle.org/annualmeeting for more information on the 2025 Annual Meeting. 

This month’s episode focuses on engine lubricant testing methods.  We consider what drives engine test methods, types of tests, why we do them, and why we worry about them.  The discussion also goes into the differences between diesel and gasoline engines along with the special test fuel used for them.  Hosting this podcast is STLE board member Bill Anderson from Afton Chemical.  He is joined by guests Robert Warden and Patrick Lang both from the Southwest Research Institute.

For feedback, or if you are interested in working with us on a podcast, please visit STLE Podcast Survey. 

Join us for our first episode in a series we call Titans of Tribology.   For this installment, and fresh off receiving the Raymond Thibault Award at the 2024 STLE Annual Meeting, we interview STLE member Doug Sackett.   Doug discusses his unlikely journey into the field of tribology, some mentors and their advice from along the way, and how STLE helped shape and guide him to success in his career. 

STLE Membership Director Julie O'Rouke sits down with STLE president Hong Liang, incoming STLE president Jack McKenna, and STLE Treasurer Steffon Bots to talk about the benefits that come with an STLE membership.   The group discusses what it means to be an STLE member, how their membership has advanced their careers, and reflects on the mentors they have met along the way that could have only been facilitated by being a part of the STLE community.

In Episode 13 of this podcast series we continue STLE's celebration of women in tribology.  Our executive director, Rebecca Lintow, interviews members Mandi McElwain and Fran Lockwood on their contributions and challenges as women in the field of tribology.  For more information on Women in Tribology, please visit your March 2024 edition of TLT for more great content.

Contributors: Mandi McElwain, Senior Sales Account Manager, Univar Solutions; Rebecca Lintow, Executive Director, STLE; Fran Lockwood, President, Solar Energy Solutions LLC.

In Episode 12 of this podcast series, we explored tribology testing and how it can be used to improve sustainability.  In this Episode, we explore the use of rheology testing for the same purpose. Rheology is the study of the deformation and flow of solids and liquids. Rheology has applications in materials science, human biology, pharmaceutics, engineering, food science and geophysics, to name just a few. The use of rheology has a huge potential for improved sustainability and in this Episode we will talk about a few of these areas.

Contributors: Dr. Peter Lee, FSTLE, Institute Engineer and Chief Tribologist, Southwest Research Institute, Kartik Pondicherry, Principal Scientist and Product Manager, Anton Paar GmbH, Carlos Sanchez, Senior Research Engineer, Southwest Research Institute

The role of tribology in facilitating the move to sustainability does not just involve reducing friction and wear in industrial machinery and automobiles, but also is critical in gaining a better understanding of what we eat and what steps can be taken to improve the availability of healthier foods. This episode focuses on the topic of chocolate and research that is ongoing to better understand how this food is eaten and how tribology is used to better understand this process. A discussion is held with Dr. Siavash Soltanahmadi, Research Fellow at the University of Leeds (UK), who describes ongoing research trying to better understand the process of eating dark chocolate. When eating a piece of chocolate, an enjoyable sensation is felt due to the creamy feel of this food which provides a textural sensation. In discussing the eating of chocolate, a phase transfer takes place as the solid chocolate transitions into a molten fat phase followed by introduction of saliva, leading to the formation of an emulsion as digestion is initiated. Through a series of studies using a tongue-like surface, oral tribology is used to better understand the eating process. From this work, a multiscale tribology-informed smart design of chocolate is proposed that uses a gradient technology to retain the pleasurable eating sensation, but reduces the fat content of chocolate, leading to a healthier food.

Contributors: Dr. Neil Canter, STLE Advisor, Technical Programs and Services, Dr. Siavash Soltanahmadi, Research Fellow, University of Leeds, UK