Society/Division/Section/Chapter News

For more information: ceramics.org/spotlight

Welcome new ACerS Corporate Partners

ACerS is pleased to welcome its newest Corporate Partners: GCA Glass Packaging, Japan Fine Ceramics Co., Ltd., Pacific Clay Products Inc., Triangle Brick Company, UL Research Institutes, and Xinxing Electronic Ceramics Co., Ltd.

To learn about the benefits of ACerS Corporate Partnership, contact Yolanda Natividad, associate director of membership and industry relations.

ACerS Pittsburgh Section seeks nominations for the J. Earl Frazier Memorial Scholarship

The ACerS Pittsburgh Section is seeking nominations for this year’s Earl Frazier Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship is named in honor of J. Earl Frazier, past president and honorary member of The American Ceramic Society. The student who best exemplifies Frazier’s commitment to the ceramic sciences will be awarded $5,000 to support their studies in ceramics, materials science, and/or engineering.

For more information and details on how to apply, click here.

ACerS Pittsburgh Section presents the William S. Bates Award

The ACerS Pittsburgh Section presented the William S. Bates Award to Section member Glenn McIntyre on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, during the Annual Pittsburgh Golf Outing at the Birdsfoot Golf Course in Freepost, Pa. The award recognizes individuals who further the efforts of the Pittsburgh Section as well as the local community.

McIntyre has been active with the Pittsburgh Section for more than 20 years and is currently serving as treasurer. He says his favorite Section activity is helping judge the Future City competition for junior high school students.

ACerS Pittsburgh Section Annual Golf Outing: Photos and results

The ACerS Pittsburgh Section held the Annual Pittsburgh Golf Outing on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, at the Birdsfoot Golf Course in Freepost, Pa. The day boasted wonderful weather and fun for all. The Section thanks the following hole sponsors for their support:

• Aluchem
• Fusion Ceramics Inc.
• Imerys / KT Clay
• Standard Ceramic
• BNZ
• HarbisonWalker International
• Mount Savage
• Swindell Dressler
• Chiz Brothers
• Henry F. Teichmann
• Refractory Anchors

All proceeds from the outing go toward the Pittsburgh Sections’ J. Earl Frazier Memorial Scholarship Fund, which will be awarded to a college senior majoring in ceramics, materials science, and/or engineering. Special thanks to Brad Lynne of Imerys for his donation of the 50/50 winnings to this fund.

Thanks to all the winners, participants, and staff at Birdsfoot Golf Course for helping make this year’s annual outing a huge success.

ACerS International Brazil Chapter invites members to attend the Third São Carlos School on Glasses and Glass-ceramics

The ACerS International Brazil Chapter invites ACerS members to attend the Third São Carlos School on Glasses and Glass-ceramics in March 2025. This event, which is organized by the Center for Research, Technology, and Education in Vitreous Materials (CeRTEV), offers Brazilian and international Ph.D. students the opportunity to advance their knowledge in glass science.

• Date and venue: March 10–15, 2025, São Carlos, Brazil
• Key topics: Glass structure; crystallization; optical, electrical, mechanical, and biochemical properties
• Instructors: Esteemed faculty from CeRTEV and The New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University
• Student grants: 40 available, with the possibility for more based on industry support
• Application requirements: Submit an abstract of your research and proof of travel funds by Dec. 20, 2024.

For more details, visit the website or contact Edgar Zanotto, Laurie Leal, and Ricardo Felipe Lancelotti.

ACerS International Brazil Chapter co-hosts workshop on ‘How to Prepare and Publish a Scientific Paper’

The ACerS International Brazil Chapter, in collaboration with the Jovens Ceramistas do Brasil network, hosted the workshop “How to Prepare and Publish a Scientific Paper” on Sept. 10, 2024. The event attracted more than 60 participants both in person and remotely.

Leticya L. Coelho, seasoned scientific editor at Elsevier and Ph.D. graduate in chemical engineering from the Federal University of Santa Catarina, led the workshop, offering invaluable insights into the scientific publication process. Key topics included navigating the publication process, submission tips, ethical compliance, and effectively handling rejections.

For those who missed the event or wish to revisit it, the recording is available here. Additionally, Elsevier offers a free e-learning platform that contains extensive resources on research publishing and career development.

ICACC 2025: Student and young professional registration waiver and travel grant

Students or young professionals who are giving a presentation at the 49th International Conference and Expo on Advanced Ceramics and Composites in January 2025 may be eligible to apply for a registration waiver and/or travel grant. For more information, including the application, click here.

ACerS Engineering Ceramics Division announces childcare grant initiative for ICACC 2025

The Engineering Ceramics Division is offering childcare grants for those attending the  49^th International Conference and Expo on Advanced Ceramics and Composites, which will be held Jan. 26–31, 2025,​​​​​​ in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Grants of up to $400 will be given to selected registered meeting attendees who are bringing one or more young children to the conference or who incur extra expenses in leaving them at home (i.e., added hours of daycare or babysitting services). 

For more information, including the application, click here.

ACerS Mentor Programs: Registration open for 2025

ACerS Mentor Programs facilitate knowledge transfer, skill development, and career guidance by pairing seasoned professionals with emerging talents. These year-long programs are offered for students, faculty, and industry.

In 2024 alone, nearly 200 participants connected and collaborated through the ACerS Mentor Programs. You can join the 2025 Mentor Programs and start building the connections that will shape your future.

Member Highlights

For more information: ceramics.org/membership

Volunteer Spotlight: Irene Peterson

ACerS Volunteer Spotlight profiles a member who demonstrates outstanding service to the Society.

Irene Peterson is a principal research scientist in the Materials Conversion Directorate at Corning Research and Development Corporation in Corning, N.Y. She received a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor. After graduation, she worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the National Institute of Standards and Technology before joining Corning.

At Corning, Peterson studies the kinetics of phase reactions in ceramic materials, invents and scales up new products and processes, and provides technical support to glass production plants in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Peterson is an ACerS Fellow, Global Ambassador, and past chair of the Glass & Optical Materials Division. She enjoys organizing sessions for ACerS conferences, especially the “Challenges in Manufacturing” session at the annual GOMD meeting.

We extend our deep appreciation to Peterson for her service to our Society!

ACerStudent Engagement: Kartik Nemani

Kartik Nemani is a Ph.D. candidate in mechanical engineering at Purdue University and served as chair of the Professional Development Committee of ACerS President’s Council of Student Advisors (PCSA) from 2021–2023. Apart from research, Nemani is a passionate artist and bridges science and art using digitally altered electron microscopy images.

“Participating in the development and implementation of ideas and leading a small team in organizing professional development activities at various levels within ACerS was a pivotal aspect of my journey, as it allowed me to serve the Society through the PCSA. As an international delegate, I found this experience incredibly enriching, and I can envision many of my colleagues embracing voluntary roles within the Society.”

You can take advantage of these opportunities as well by becoming a student member of ACerS. Learn more.

Names in the news

Members—Would you like to be included in the Bulletin’s Names in the News? Please send a current head shot along with the link to the article to mmartin@ceramics.org. The deadline is the 30^th of each month.

Several ACerS members were elected as Academicians of the World Academy of Ceramics (WAC). Nominations were approved by the Council on Sept. 4, 2023, and inductions took place during the 14^th International Conference on Ceramic Materials and Components for Energy and Environmental Systems on Aug. 19, 2024, in Budapest, Hungary. Congratulations to the following members:

• Bikramjit Basu, FACerS, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
• Geoff Brennecka, FACerS, Colorado School of Mines
• Kyle Brinkman, FACerS, Clemson University
• Xiang Ming Chen, FACerS, Zhejiang University
• Manoj Choudhary, FACerS, The Ohio State University
• Manabu Fukushima, FACerS, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
• Gideon Grader, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology
• Chun-Hway Hsueh, FACerS, National Taiwan University
• John C. Mauro, FACerS, The Pennsylvania State University
• Eugene A. Olevsky, FACerS, San Diego State University
• Zbigniew Pedzich, AGH University of Science and Technology
• Sanjay Sampath, FACerS, Stony Brook University
• Shujun Zhang, FACerS, University of Wollongong

Jincheng Du, FACerS, University Distinguished Research Professor of materials science and engineering at the University of North Texas (UNT), was appointed as the new chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at UNT.

Hiroyuki Inoue, emeritus professor at the University of Tokyo, was appointed as the new president of the International Commission on Glass. He takes over for Reinhard Conradt, who served as president from 2021–2024.

In Memoriam

• James Ballenger
• David Swinehart

Some detailed obituaries can also be found on the ACerS website.

Awards and Deadlines

For more information: ceramics.org/members/awards

Nomination deadlines for Division awards: Jan. 15, Jan. 21, and Jan. 31, 2025.

Contact: Vicki Evans

Call for Society award nominations

The 2025 ACerS Society award nomination portal is open and accepting submissions through March 1, 2025. ACerS is fully committed to running a thriving awards program that recognizes the contributions of deserving individuals and companies within the ceramics and glass community. Nominations are encouraged for candidates from groups that have been underrepresented in ACerS awards relative to their participation in the Society, including women, underrepresented minorities, industry scientists and engineers, and international members. For specific award information and to access the online submission portal, click here.

2024 Ceramographic Exhibit winners

Roland B. Snow Award for Best in Show

A conversation across 2,000 years—Alexander Frisch, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany

Optical microscopy category

• First: A conversation across 2,000 years—Alexander Frisch, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
• Second: The cracked rainbow fish—Xufei Fang, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
• Third: MXene cichlid—Prerona Kaushik, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.

Scanning electron microscopy category

• First: Spinel tennis ball on a MgO court—Otávio H. Borges, Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
• Second: Multiple personalities: The destructive and the curative faces of temperature—Anita Razavi, University Koblenz, Germany
• Third: Fractal-fractography—Jia-Huei Tien, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.

Transmission electron microscopy category

• First: Sherlock: The MXene chronicles—Krutarth Kamath, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.
• Second: Nanoparticle collision in infinity—Anupma Thakur, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.
• Third: MXenes by the sea—Krutarth Kamath, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.

N4

Contact: Erica Zimmerman

Ixxxd

Txxx

Class and Division awards: Nominations due Jan. 15, 21, 31 or March 1, 2024

Contact: Vicki Evans

2xxxs

Txxx

Nominations for Division Awards

• Deadline: Nomination deadlines for Division awards are XXX
• Contact: Karen McCurdy

Nominations for Society Awards

• Deadline: Nomination deadline is XXX
• Contact: Email Erica Zimmerman or call 614.794.5821.

Students and Outreach

For more information: ceramics.org/resources-for-students

Gr

B

A

T

A

B

Introducing the new Ceramic and Glass Career Center

Celebrating 10 years with a new look and renewed commitment

As the Ceramic and Glass Industry Foundation (CGIF) commemorates its 10^th anniversary, this milestone is marked by a refreshed logo, a generous matching gift fund, and a celebration of the young minds the Foundation has inspired.

New logo for a new era

Central to the new CGIF logo design is a distinctive flame, representing the transformative power of high temperatures essential to the field, coupled with a gear symbolizing the industry it serves. The logo captures the essence of the CGIF’s science and technology focus through these industry motifs.

Investing in the future: ACerS Matching Gift Fund

The American Ceramic Society is providing a $250,000 matching gift fund to commemorate the CGIF’s 10th anniversary. This generous gift allows donors to maximize their contribution with every dollar donated.

Celebrating a decade of inspiring young minds

Reaching more than 50,000 students annually, the CGIF has made significant strides in introducing young people to the wonders of ceramic and glass materials science.

From Material Science Classroom Kits that equip teachers with engaging resources to scholarships specifically designed for underrepresented students, the CGIF has created a multifaceted approach to fostering and engaging young talent. The Foundation also nurtures future leaders through the ACerS President’s Council of Student Advisors (PCSA) by offering travel grants and professional development opportunities.

Looking ahead

The CGIF is grateful to all who have collaborated with or supported the Foundation and its endeavors in engaging the next generation of ceramic and glass science professionals.

"Your support is crucial as we continue to foster the talents that will lead the ceramic and glass materials community into the future," says Marcus Fish, director of development and industry relations at the CGIF.

Join the celebration

Join in celebrating this milestone by contributing to the continued growth and success of the CGIF. Make a donation and have your impact doubled by the ACerS Matching Gift Fund!