08/30 -
MS&T’11 PLENARY SESSION FEATURES U.S. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION DIRECTOR, NOBEL PRIZE WINNER
Contact:
Patti Dobranski
Communication Specialist
The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society
Telephone: 800-759-4867, ext. 218 (U.S. and Canada only)
Direct: 724-814-3122
pdobranski@tms.org
Columbus, Ohio – August 3, 2011 — The Materials, Science and Technology 2011 Conference & Exhibition (MS&T) will host an outstanding plenary session, “Grasping Excellence: Opportunities for Science and Engineering Research, Education and Workforce Development in the United States,” on Monday, 17 October 2011, 8:30 a.m. – Noon at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio.
Grasping Excellence will feature individual presentations by Subra Suresh, director, U.S. National Science Foundation, Carl E. Wieman, associate director for science, Office of Science and Technology Policy, The White House, Jeffrey Wadsworth, president and CEO, Battelle Memorial Institute, and Alton D. Romig Jr., vice president and general manager of advanced development programs, The Skunk Works©, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. A question and answer session will follow the individual presentations.
The four speakers represent a wealth of technical knowledge and academic, corporate and governmental experience. Their individual presentations concern many of the most pressing issues in today’s scientific community, including fostering continual innovation, improving science education, and answering energy, environmental and security challenges.
“Developing and maintaining a highly educated workforce is critical to the future of the US, “ said Dr. David Matlock, professor, Colorado School of Mines and chairman, Plenary Session Organizing Committee. “This unique program brings together individuals keenly knowledgeable on the current issues in engineering research and education and on the opportunities for future advances in materials science and technology.”
Dr. Suresh will discuss the challenges that lay ahead for materials scientists in the United States in “Innovation Ecosystems: Where Do We Go From Here?” These challenges have long-term consequences for the vitality of American enterprise and quality of life. The concept of an innovation ecosystem provides a bridge for people, institutions and enterprises providing an opportunity for innovation to emerge. Suresh previously served as dean of the Engineering School and Vannevar Bush Professor of Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
“Taking a Scientific Approach to Learning and Teaching STEM” is the title of Dr. Wieman’s presentation. Science has advanced rapidly in the past 500 years, guided by experimental tests of theory and practice. Tradition and dogma have contributed to keeping science education largely medieval. The presentation concerns the failure of traditional science educational practices, even as used by very good teachers, and the success of new practices and technology. Wieman was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics (2001) for the creation of a new form of matter known as Bose-Einstein condensation, as well as numerous national teaching awards, including the National Science Foundation’s Distinguished Teaching Scholar Award.
Dr. Wadsworth’s presentation, “Responding to Increasing, Energy, Environmental, Health and National Security Challenges — Investment, Policy and Talent Issues,” involves the response to the challenges of energy usage in environmental, health and national security arenas. As president and CEO of Battelle Memorial Institute, the world’s largest nonprofit R&D organization, Wadsworth can offer insight into improving the current talent source to meet future U.S. needs. He has worked at Stanford, Lockheed Martin, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory before joining Battelle in 2002 as part of the White House Transition Planning Office for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The rich and varied tradition of invention is a cornerstone of the “American Dream.” However, it is a widely held belief that U.S. technological superiority will recede in the 21st Century. Dr. Romig will discuss the opportunity this technological crisis is creating in the aerospace and defense sectors in his “Challenges in Aerospace and Defense” presentation. Prior to leading Skunk Works©, Romig spent more than 30 years with Sandia National Labs in support of U.S. programs in military technology, homeland security and energy programs.
Through MS&T, four leading materials societies – The American Ceramic Society (ACerS), the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST), ASM International (ASM) and The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS) – bring together scientists, engineers, students, policy makers, suppliers and more to discuss current research and technical applications, and to shape the future of materials science and technology. NACE International, The Corrosion Society, will again co-sponsor MS&T. Whether just starting a career in materials science or seasoned professional, MS&T offers an unmatched opportunity to network and learn.
For more information on MS&T ’11, visit the web site at: www.matscitech.org/
About TMS
TMS is the professional organization encompassing the entire range of materials science and engineering, from minerals processing and primary metals production to basic research and the advanced applications of materials. Included among its professional and student members are metallurgical and materials engineers, scientists, researchers, educators and administrators from more than 68 countries on six continents.
For more information on TMS, visit our Web site at: http://www.tms.org
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