Society/Division/Section/Chapter News

For more information: ceramics.org

Welcome new ACerS Corporate Partners

ACerS is pleased to welcome its newest Corporate Partners: Chase Nedrow Industries and QML, Inc.

To learn about the benefits of ACerS Corporate Partnership, contact Marcus Fish, director of development and industry relations, at 614-794-5863 or mfish@ceramics.org.

ACerS leaders for 2023–2024

ACerS is pleased to introduce the 2023–2024 Society leadership. New officers and directors were installed at the 125^th Annual Business Meeting on Oct. 2, 2023, at ACerS Annual Meeting at MS&T in Columbus, Ohio.

Society officers and directors

Executive Committee

• President
  Rajendra Bordia (1)
  George J. Bishop III Chair Professor of ceramic and materials engineering; Clemson University; Clemson, S.C.
• President-elect
  Monica Ferraris (2)
  Full professor of science and technology of materials; Politecnico di Torino; Turin, Italy
• Past president
  Sanjay Mathur (3)
  Director and chair; Institute of Inorganic Chemistry; University of Cologne; Cologne, Germany
• Treasurer
  Daniel Tipsord (4)
  General manager; Trans-Tech; Adamstown, Md.
• Secretary
  Mark Mecklenborg (5)
  Executive director; The American Ceramic Society; Westerville, Ohio

Board of Directors (new)

• Alexandra Navrotsky (6)
  Regents Professor of molecular sciences and engineering of matter, transport, and energy; Director of the Navrotsky Eyring Center for Materials of the Universe; Arizona State University; Tempe, Ariz.
• Dileep Singh (7)
  Argonne Distinguished Fellow; Senior scientist and group leader for thermal and structural materials; Applied Materials Division, Argonne National Laboratory; Argonne, Ill.
• Todd Steyer (8)
  Chief engineer for materials and manufacturing R&D; The Boeing Company; Huntington Beach, Calif.

Board of Directors (returning)

• Kristin Breder (9)
  Senior principal scientist; Saint-Gobain Research North America; Northborough, Mass.
• Joseph Cesarano (10)
  President and founder; Robocasting Enterprises LLC; Albuquerque, N.M.
• Olivia Graeve (11)
  Professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering; Director of the CaliBaja Center for Resilient Materials and Systems; University of California, San Diego; San Diego, Calif.
• Shibin Jiang (12)
  President and CEO; AdValue Photonics Inc.; Tucson, Ariz.
• Marissa Reigel (13)
  Senior R&D manager; Saint-Gobain NorPro; Stow, Ohio
• Winnie Wong-Ng (14)
  Research chemist; National Institute of Standards and Technology; Gaithersburg, Md.
• Parliamentarian
  Stephen Freiman (15)
  Freiman Consulting Inc.; Potomac, Md.

Society officers and directors

Executive Committee

• President
  Rajendra Bordia (1)
  George J. Bishop III Chair Professor of ceramic and materials engineering; Clemson University; Clemson, S.C.
• President-elect
  Monica Ferraris (2)
  Full professor of science and technology of materials; Politecnico di Torino; Turin, Italy
• Past president
  Sanjay Mathur (3)
  Director and chair; Institute of Inorganic Chemistry; University of Cologne; Cologne, Germany
• Treasurer
  Daniel Tipsord (4)
  General manager; Trans-Tech; Adamstown, Md.
• Secretary
  Mark Mecklenborg (5)
  Executive director; The American Ceramic Society; Westerville, Ohio

Board of Directors (new)

• Alexandra Navrotsky (6)
  Regents Professor of molecular sciences and engineering of matter, transport, and energy; Director of the Navrotsky Eyring Center for Materials of the Universe; Arizona State University; Tempe, Ariz.
• Dileep Singh (7)
  Argonne Distinguished Fellow; Senior scientist and group leader for thermal and structural materials; Applied Materials Division, Argonne National Laboratory; Argonne, Ill.
• Todd Steyer (8)
  Chief engineer for materials and manufacturing R&D; The Boeing Company; Huntington Beach, Calif.

Board of Directors (returning)

• Kristin Breder (9)
  Senior principal scientist; Saint-Gobain Research North America; Northborough, Mass.
• Joseph Cesarano (10)
  President and founder; Robocasting Enterprises LLC; Albuquerque, N.M.
• Olivia Graeve (11)
  Professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering; Director of the CaliBaja Center for Resilient Materials and Systems; University of California, San Diego; San Diego, Calif.
• Shibin Jiang (12)
  President and CEO; AdValue Photonics Inc.; Tucson, Ariz.
• Marissa Reigel (13)
  Senior R&D manager; Saint-Gobain NorPro; Stow, Ohio
• Winnie Wong-Ng (14)
  Research chemist; National Institute of Standards and Technology; Gaithersburg, Md.
• Parliamentarian
  Stephen Freiman (15)
  Freiman Consulting Inc.; Potomac, Md.

Dayton/Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Section attends Dayton Dragons game

Arizona Section hosts events to promote women in STEM and a summer minicamp for high school students

The Arizona Section hosted the Arizona State University Material Advantage Students and spoke to them regarding women in STEM as part of their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. They highlighted the many women in STEM whose contributions may have been forgotten or marginalized. They also stressed why and how gender role models are critical. The Section also held a discussion with roughly 50 local seniors about women in STEM.

Additionally, the Section hosted 55 high school students for a summer minicamp. The students engaged in several hands-on engaging activities, as seen in the accompanying photos.

Volunteer spotlight

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

Monica Ferraris is full professor of science and technology of materials at Politecnico di Torino, Italy. She received an M.S. in solid-state chemistry from the University of Torino, Italy. She started her career as junior research scientist with the Italian Telecom Research Laboratory before joining Fiat Research Centre and then Politecnico di Torino. Her research focuses on joining and mechanical testing of ceramics, glass, and composites for energy applications, including fuel cells, nuclear fission, and fusion energy.

Ferraris has been an ACerS member since 1995 and a Fellow since 2018. She is affiliated with the Engineering Ceramics Division. She served as co-editor-in-chief (2015–2020) of International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology, chair of the Italy Chapter (2017–present), chair (2015–2016) of the John Jeppson Award Committee, member of the Meetings Committee (2016–present), and member of the Board of Directors (2019–2022).

Ferraris was awarded the Global Star Award (2011) and designated as a Global Ambassador (2016). She has also received the Engineering Ceramic Division “Bridge Building” Award (2021).

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

In Memoriam

• Allen Apblett
• Rolf Janssen

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

Spain Chapter tours Airbus facilities in Madrid

On June 27, 2023, a group from the Spain Chapter, led by Chapter chair Arnaldo Moreno, visited the Airbus facilities in Getafe, Madrid. They took a guided tour, during which they were shown the assembly process of the parts produced in Spain for different Airbus models. The group then visited the Imdea Materials Institute, an Airbus partner. Institute director José Manuel Torralba gave them an explanatory talk about the activities of the Center and the main research and development projects they were conducting for companies in the aerospace, energy, and related sectors. The day closed with a lunch, during which Spain Chapter members had the opportunity to share experiences and impressions of the visits.

Remembering ACerS past president John B. “Jack” Wachtman, Jr.

The American Ceramic Society has lost an esteemed member—John B. “Jack” Wachtman died on Dec. 13, 2023, at the age of 94. He is predeceased by his wife, Edith V. Wachtman.

Wachtman grew up in the small town of Conway, S.C., where he attended public schools. During his early school years, Wachtman was influenced by the discovery of geometry, algebra, and physics. He applied for and received a scholarship from Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Wachtman received B.S. and M.S. degrees in physics from Carnegie Tech and was a research and teaching assistant there from 1949–1951. Wachtman stated in his memoir that “my time at Carnegie was perhaps the highlight of my life. I loved the intellectual life and companionship of the students. The curriculum was designed to give scientists and engineers some degree of liberal arts education to the extent that this was possible.”

Wachtman joined the National Bureau of Standards (NBS, now the National Institute of Standards and Technology [NIST]) in 1951 as a physicist in the Engineering Ceramics Division. He received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Maryland in 1961.

Wachtman left NBS in 1983 and began a second career as the first director of the Center for Ceramic Research at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey–New Brunswick. During his 12 years at Rutgers, Wachtman taught courses on characterization and mechanical properties of ceramics intended for seniors and incoming graduate students.

After retiring from Rutgers, Wachtman wrote books based on the courses he taught. One of these books, Mechanical properties of ceramics, was published in 1996; a revised, second edition that was co-authored with his Rutgers colleagues Roger Cannon and John Matthewson published in 2009. These books were well received, with the first book selling 500 copies in the first six months. According to George Quinn (retired, NIST), these books are by far the best and most balanced textbooks on the topic.

In 1989, Wachtman took on the part-time role as technical editor for ACerS publications, a position he held for 12 years. During this time, his principal focus was on Journal of the American Ceramic Society. In his final year as editor, he, along with ACerS staff, succeeded in putting JACerS online with a subscription system. According to Mark Mecklenborg, ACerS executive director, “Having Dr. Wachtman involved in this process was essential. His knowledge, expertise, and commitment to the Society positioned the journal for success for many years to come.”

One of Wachtman’s final contributions to ACerS was editing the book Ceramic innovations in the 20th century. This book, published in 1999, coincided with the 100th anniversary of the founding of ACerS.

Wachtman collected a multitude of honors from various organizations, including NBS. In his memoir, Wachtman mentioned that the most meaningful honor to him was the election to the International Academy of Ceramics in 1988, as well as serving as president of The American Ceramic Society (1978) and the Federation of Materials Societies (1975). He was a Distinguished Life Member and an ACerS Fellow.

Wachtman was such an inspiration to so many people that it is fitting he ends his memoir with this closing quotation by polymath Albert Schweitzer: “At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lit the flame within us.”

Editor’s notes:
ACerS appreciates NIST Library for sharing the “Oral history interview of John B. Wachtman,” Feb. 4, 2010, and Wachtman’s 24-page “Memories and reflections on a career as a scientist-engineer in research management, teaching, and editing,” 2009, revised 2010.

Wachtman also featured in the December 1999 Ceramic Bulletin (Vol. 78, No. 12), pp. 36–41, “Profiles in ceramics” by Kathy Woodward.

Adrian C. Wright, Distinguished Life Member, 1944–2023

Adrian Carl Wright, ACerS Distinguished Life Member and ACerS Fellow, died on March 22, 2023, at the age of 79. Wright, who dedicated his research career to understanding glass structure, was a member of the Glass & Optical Materials Division and also active in the Society for Glass Technology, where he served as the 49th president from 2002–2004.

Wright was professor of amorphous solid-state physics at the University of Reading, U.K. He earned his B.Sc. in chemistry, Ph.D. in physical chemistry, and D.Sc. degrees from the University of Bristol, U.K. After completing his Ph.D. studies, he took a position in 1969 at the University of Reading, where he remained until his retirement as professor emeritus in 2007.

He spent three sabbatical years in the United States working at leading institutions, including Xerox Palo Alto Research Center; Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory; Argonne National Laboratory; University of California, Los Angeles; University of Florida; and New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University.

Wright pioneered use of neutron scattering and modeling studies to understand the structure and dynamics of a wide range of inorganic glasses and other amorphous solids, including silicate, borate, borosilicate, phosphate, chalcogenide, and fluoroberyllate glasses. He had more than 200 publications in the scientific literature, and he sat on the editorial boards of Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids and Fizika i Khimiya Stekla (Soviet/Russian Journal of Glass Physics and Chemistry).

Wright received several prestigious awards, including Fellow in 1995 of both ACerS and the Society of Glass Technology. In 1990, he shared the Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers of London Award, and in 1996, he received the ACerS Glass &

Optical Materials Division George W. Morey Award for his establishment of the field of amorphography. He presented the 2006 Samuel R. Scholes Lecture at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, and he was made an Honorary Fellow of the Society of Glass Technology in 2009.

Most recently, he shared the 2012 Otto Schott Research Award for “his lifelong outstanding scholarly work devoted to the experimental study of glass structure in general.” In 2014, he presented the ACerS Edward Orton Jr. Memorial Lecture, titled “My borate life: An enigmatic journey,” at ACerS Annual Meeting at MS&T in Pittsburgh, Pa. He served on the Steering Committee and Council of the International Commission on Glass. In 2016, he was designated an ACerS Distinguished Life Member.

“He was the consummate scientist and had many original ideas. He was productive until the end of his life,” says colleague Steve Feller, B.D. Silliman Professor of Physics at Coe College, Iowa.

Alexander Michaelis

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.

Alexander Michaelis was honored with the Rieke Ring of the Deutsche Keramische Gesellschaft e. V. (German Ceramic Society) for his many years of commitment to the DKG. The award ceremony took place on March 29, 2023, at the 98^th DKG Annual Conference in Jena, Germany.

Awards and Deadlines

For more information: ceramics.org/members/awards

Society awards: Nominations due Jan. 15, 2024

Contact: Erica Zimmerman

Society awards will be presented at the Annual Awards Banquet during ACerS Annual Meeting at MS&T in October 2024.

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

Contact: Vicki Evans

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

ACerS Mentor Programs

Register today for The American Ceramic Society’s (ACerS) Mentor Programs. ACerS offers the following programs:

• Student mentor program
• Faculty mentor program
• Industry mentor program

The ACerS Mentor Programs have been designed to equip participants with the insight, tools, and connections necessary to make a lasting impact in their future career.

The goal of ACerS Mentor Programs is to connect members in an impactful way to help them grow personally and professionally. Many mentor program participants choose to return each program year to take on a new mentee and/or continue with an existing mentee.

We encourage all who are interested to sign up for one or more of the mentor programs being offered. Space is limited! Sign up to be a mentor and/or mentee at https://ceramics.org/mentorship.

Grad students: Choose GGRN to advance your career

Build an international network of peers within the ceramic and glass community by joining the Global Graduate Researcher Network (GGRN). GGRN is ACerS membership option that addresses the professional and career development needs of graduate-level research students who have a primary interest in ceramics and glass.

Membership in GGRN is only US $30 per year. Visit www.ceramics.org/ggrn to learn how GGRN membership can help you in your future career. You may also contact Yolanda Natividad, ACerS senior membership manager, if you have any questions.

ACerS resources for students are at your fingertips

ACerS offers an abundance of opportunities for students. For those who are focusing on ceramics and glass, ACerS can help them earn recognition, gain access to the latest technical information, and build their networks necessary for success.

Visit ceramics.org/resources-for-students to learn more about the following resources for students.

• Awards and scholarships
• Financial support
• Student Mentor Program
• Learning Center
• Job Search Resource Center
• …and more!

ACerS Young Professionals Network offers monthly YPN Connect events

Join fellow young professionals at YPN Connect! These monthly virtual networking events are open to both ACerS YPN members and nonmembers, so be sure to invite your colleagues and friends.

Register by visiting www.ceramics.org/ypn so that we may send you the connection details. We look forward to seeing you!

2023 PCSA Creativity Competition awardees

Combining both science and art into any one individual’s skill set is important because it can help nurture creativity in research and cultivate innovation in the workplace. For this reason, ACerS President’s Council of Student Advisors (PCSA) organizes an innovative artistic initiative in the form of the annual PCSA Creativity Competition for students.

This competition serves to encourage the harmonious co-existence of art and science in the ceramics and glass community. Students who dabble in ceramic and glass-related arts either for their research or just for fun are encouraged to share their talent.

Participants may enter any of the following creations: glassblowing, stained glass, pottery, 3D printing (ceramic or glass), artistic painting of a ceramic-related image, digital 3D rendering of a ceramic-related process, or other ceramic or glass-related forms of art.

This year’s PCSA Creativity Competition garnered 24 entries from individuals at 16 different universities around the world. Out of these submissions, three awardees were chosen. Each awardee will receive $100, a glass plaque sponsored by Corning Inc., and will be recognized at the MS&T23 Student Awards Ceremony.

Thanks again to all the participants in this year’s PCSA Creativity Competition! Watch for the 2024 competition opening by visiting www.ceramics.org/pcsacreative.

CGIF launches new Ceramic and Glass Industry Tour program at Allied Mineral Products

The Ceramic and Glass Industry Foundation (CGIF) launched its newest program, Ceramic and Glass Industry Tours, with a kick-off tour for science teachers at Allied Mineral Products, a global leader in refractory ceramics. The tour, along with an industry luncheon, took place at the Allied Mineral Products headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, on July 27, 2023. Fifteen science teachers attended this inaugural tour.

After a brief introduction, teachers were divided into groups led by different Allied professionals. Each group met with another Allied professional who walked them through their role at the company and how their role plays a part in the process of creating and testing different refractory materials.

“I loved the whole tour,” says Todd Bolenbaugh, who teaches at Tolles Career and Technical Center in Plain City, Ohio. “We had five different things that we got to look at, and each one of them had its own unique perspective: creating the batching of materials, how you test materials, how you look at the chemistry of those things, how you operate, how you do quality control. It was so interesting just to see the big picture and all the different components.”

Throughout the tour, each Allied professional also gave the teachers insight into their educational background so that teachers could learn more about potential post-graduation pathways for their high school students. At the industry luncheon, teachers and Allied professionals engaged in lively discussions about their respective classroom and industry experiences.

“I was inspired to attend this tour today because I like seeing how the things that I teach in my class are applied in practical ways in industry, because I’m trying to give my students as many career exploration opportunities as possible,” says Brittnee Lydy, who teaches at Dayton Regional STEM School.

The CGIF is grateful that Allied Mineral Products generously hosted teachers and gave them a professional development experience that will not only help them be better informed teachers, but that will also better inform their students about career opportunities that they do not usually learn about in school.

“I just wanted to thank everybody for hosting us. I think it’s really important to look to the future generations in order to educate folks to see what these new career paths are,” Lydy says. “We’re supposed to be preparing our students to be next century learners, but if we don’t know what’s out there, we can’t prepare them very well. So inviting us here and showing us what you do helps us better understand how to prepare our students.”

Help us create more unique experiences such as industry tours for educators by giving now at ceramics.org/donate.