Material Advantage Blog

The Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department at the Colorado School of Mines is hosting an NSF REU site program dedicated to physical metallurgy research, an area that continues to be fundamental to critical national needs in transportation, infrastructure, and energy (TIE). Specifically, the REU program focuses on processing-structure-property relationships of ferrous alloys, non-ferrous alloys, modern welding and joining technologies, and solidification. The Materials Reliability Division at NIST-Boulder will also collaborate on 2 projects and will offer both their vast research facilities and mentorship to the students. The REU students also participate in several half-day workshops that introduce physical metallurgy concepts and tools such as advanced characterization equipment, mechanical testing, foundry, welding, and forging and forming technologies. We will also take tours to local materials engineering industry and government facilities.

Program Dates: May 29 - August 3, 2012
Program website 

Contact Information: Prof. Kip Findley, Prof. Mike Kaufman

We will start considering applications on February 1, 2012.

Each of the four partners, ACerS, AIST, ASM and TMS, in the Material Advantage student program provides a staff liaison for the day to day business. Below is the current staff contact for each and a brief description of the partner’s role in the program.

ACerS Contact
Tricia Freshour
tfreshour@ceramics.org, 614-794-5827
ACerS Responsibilities: Material Advantage website and special programming such as Congressional Visits Days and contests at MS&T

AIST Contact
Chris McKelvey
cmckelvey@aist.org, 724-814-3076
AIST Responsibilities: Marketing of the Material Advantage program and producing the monthly Material Advantage Newsletter

ASM Contact
Candace Cunningham
Candace.cunningham@asminternational.org, 440-338-5151, ext. 5527
ASM Responsibilities: Administering the Material Advantage Chapters and various chapter awards such as Chapters of Excellence

TMS Contact
Bryn Simpson
bsimpson@tms.org, 724-776-9000, ext. 259
TMS Responsibilities: Administration of Material Advantage memberships including annual dues

Let your voice be heard April 17 - 18, 2012, in Washington, D.C. Congressional Visits Day (CVDs) gives participants an exciting opportunity to visit with Legislators and Congressional staff from their own states. The goal of the event is to educate Congress about the importance of research in materials science, engineering, and manufacturing and the need to increase federal R&D funding. Don’t miss this vital opportunity to emphasize the long-term importance of science, engineering and technology to the Nation through meetings with Congressional decision makers. Stay tuned for more details.

Material Advantage designates a theme for each monthly newsletter.  November’s theme is: 

Fundraising Ideas for Chapters

If you have an idea regarding fundraising, feel free to share it!