TABLE OF CONTENTS

METALLURGICAL P.E. EXAM EXPANDS TO INCLUDE MATERIALS
New Exam Begins in October 2008

WHAT'S NEW AT MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY@TMS:
A Look at the Materials for Nuclear Power Community

FROM OUR SPONSOR: KEYENCE
High Resolution Digital Microscope Provides 3D Images & Surface Data

STUDENTS VISIT CAPITOL HILL . . .
. . . Paving the Way for Congressional Visits Day 2007

5TH ANNUAL ENGINEERING R&D SYMPOSIUM . . .
. . . Explores U.S. R&D Priorities and Policy Impact on Science

FROM OUR SPONSOR: IT’S SCHOOL TIME!
Gatan Electron Microscopy Specimen Preparation Training Schools

WASHINGTON NEWS FROM THE FEDERATION OF MATERIALS SOCIETIES
Updates on Science, Technology, and Innovation Legislation

TOP TEN . . .
. . . Ways to Speak up for MSE Funding

TMS CONFERENCES SEEK ABSTRACTS . . .
. . . On Nanomaterials, Nitride Semiconductors, and Superalloys

New Exam Begins in October 2008

The specifications of the Metallurgical P.E. Exam have been revised to reflect changing demographics and job requirements of practicing materials engineers. The Metallurgical P.E. will be offered for the last time in October 2007 and will be replaced with the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering P.E. Exam beginning in October 2008. To avoid possible confusion, the revised specifications will not be published until after October 2007.

The specifications have not changed dramatically and the exam will still emphasize metals, but some coverage of non-metallic materials will be included. The process and rationalization for the changes in exam specifications, and some more general issues related to professional registration, will be discussed in an article in the May issue of JOM.

The TMS Professional Registration Committee worked on the new exam standards during a workshop at the TMS 2007 Annual Meeting last month (pictured).

A Look at the Materials for Nuclear Power Community

Last month, TMS unveiled a new on-line resource for materials professionals: Materials Technology@TMS. Over the next several months, TMS e-News will take a closer look at each of the six technical communities within the site, offering a look at what's new and a preview of what's to come. This month's focus is Materials for Nuclear Power.

This week, two editions of the International Symposia on Environmental Degradation of Materials in Nuclear Power Systems-Water Reactors have become available through the digital resource center of the Materials for Nuclear Power community. TMS members will be able to view the complete proceedings from the 12th edition, published in 2005, and the 9th edition, published in 1999, of this conference series.

Though there is plenty of content available now, this site will continue to grow. In its current state, the site's resources focus primarily on materials applications in nuclear power plants. This summer, however, TMS plans to roll out an additional section that deals with nuclear waste issues, according to Todd M. Osman, TMS technical director and moderator for the content presented on the materials for nuclear power site.

Here's a look at what's ahead:

• April: Spotlight on content from the April issue of JOM, which is devoted to nuclear materials issues.
• May: A recap of the Materials Information Luncheon on materials for nuclear power.
• June: Roll out of Radiation Materials Science, a webcast presentation by the University of Michigan's Gary S. Was.

High Resolution Digital Microscope Provides 3D Images & Surface Data

The Keyence VHX-500 Digital Microscope incorporates technological innovations providing performance beyond the capabilities of most high-end optical systems. A depth-of-field 20x greater than conventional microscopes with 3-D Image Composition produces exceptional image quality. Features include 3-D Surface Profiling with color topographic displays, real-time/on-screen measurements including particle counting, Halation Correction to eliminate glare and reflection, and a pushbutton operator's console. The microscope's 18 mega-pixel CCD camera can be handheld for large target inspection. Details and specs.

. . . Paving the Way for Congressional Visits Day 2007

Materials science, engineering, and manufacturing are vital to a secure and prosperous nation in the 21st century. This was the message that students from throughout the United States carried to their Congressional leaders last week at the first Material Advantage Congressional Visits Day. The purpose? To encourage increased federal R&D funding for these areas.

The event was modeled after the Science-Engineering-Technology Congressional Visits Day (CVD), a two-day annual event that brings scientists, engineers, researchers, educators, and technology executives to Washington D.C. to raise visibility and support for science, engineering, and technology. TMS has become increasingly involved in CVD activities in the past few years, sending large delegations, including students.

This year, a separate CVD was held for students in the Material Advantage program who might not be able to attend in May due to final exams. Approximately 55 Material Advantage students representing 13 colleges and universities received training and education from a series of talks, coordinated by the Federation of Materials Societies, before visiting with Congressional representatives from their own areas. In addition to meeting with Congressional leaders, students also had the opportunity to meet with leaders of scientific agencies and societies. Pictured (left to right) is Arden Bement, director of the U.S. National Science Foundation (and a TMS member) with Erin Robertson, a student from the University of Maryland; Bob Shull, 2007 TMS president; and Bowen Li, a student from Michigan Technological University.

Congressional Visits Day 2007 will take place May 1–2 in Washington, D.C., and TMS invites members of the materials community to join them in visiting with Congressional leaders. Training is provided. Contact TMS Executive Director Warren Hunt for more details.

. . . Explores U.S. R&D Priorities and Policy Impact on Science

In May, materials professionals will have another opportunity to learn about R&D funding and public policy issues at the 5th Annual Engineering R&D Symposium on May 8 in Washington, D.C. TMS will co-sponsor the symposium, which helps participants to gain firsthand knowledge of the R&D priorities and the potential impact of U.S. President George W. Bush's fiscal year 2008 budget request on the engineering, science, and technology community.

Engineers play a critical role in the public policy process, providing expertise and knowledge regarding research and technology issues facing the nation. The symposium will feature representatives from government, industry, and academia, who will discuss innovation, U.S. competitiveness, R&D, and the state of the U.S. engineering enterprise.

Attendance for this event is limited. For more information, contact Warren Hunt, TMS executive director.

Gatan Electron Microscopy Specimen Preparation Training Schools

TEM Specimen Preparation:
April 30–May 2, 2007.

SEM Specimen Preparation:
May 3–4, 2007.

Are you looking for hands-on, professional training and education in the latest TEM or SEM specimen preparation methods and instruments? Welcome to the 2007 Gatan Electron Microscopy Specimen Preparation Training Schools. These professional training schools offer electron microscopists extensive and comprehensive education and laboratory training on the latest specimen preparation techniques and technologies. The instructors are highly trained and experienced scientists and experts in their fields. Each school offers a unique, interactive curriculum combining both classroom teaching and extensive laboratory sessions. All schools are held at Gatan's Research & Development Headquarters in Pleasanton, California, USA.

Updates on Science, Technology, and Innovation Legislation

House Moves on Science and Technology

The House overwhelmingly approved three pieces of legislation aimed at improving America's global competitiveness, increasing energy efficiency and advancing research. The bills now go to the Senate for consideration. H.R. 1068 amends the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 to improve planning and coordination for interagency research and development in information technology. H.R. 85, the Energy Technology Transfer Act, establishes a network of Advanced Energy Technology Transfer Centers to partner with the U.S. Department of Energy to showcase advanced energy technologies, spurring the transfer of advanced energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies from DOE labs to the public. H.R. 1126 reauthorizes the Steel and Aluminum Energy Conservation and Technology Competitiveness Act of 1988 to provide cost-share funds, to be matched by the steel industry, that support research at universities to promote energy efficiency and environmental improvements.

Innovation Proclamation

Over 270 organizations, including TMS and the Federation of Materials Societies, on March 13 issued an American Innovation Proclamation, calling on Congress to double the basic research budgets at the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Department of Energy's Office of Science, and the Department of Defense; improve student achievement in math and science through increased funding of proven programs and incentives for science and math teacher recruitment and professional development; reform U.S. visa policies to "welcome highly educated foreign professionals, particularly those holding advanced science, technology, engineering or mathematics degrees, especially from U.S. universities;" and make permanent a strengthened R&D tax credit to encourage continued private sector innovation investment.

. . . Ways to Speak up for MSE Funding

Now that science and engineering funding is on your mind, here are additional ways for U.S.-based materials scientists and engineers to educate themselves on the issues and raise their voice in support of increased funding for R&D in materials.

10. Learn the Issues: Stay up-to-date on materials funding and legislation issues through monthly Washington News reports in JOM and TMS e-News.

9. Know Who Represents You: Find names, contact information, and background on your local senators and representatives.

8. Identify the Broader Impact of Your Work: How does your research help to solve problems facing the country? What impact does it have on your local area? Answering these questions will provide you with a message to present to Congressional leaders.

7. Write a Letter: It doesn't have to be long. Just let your Congressional representatives know how much you appreciate your graduate stipend or research funding from government agencies. Handwritten is best, but slow. E-mail is faster, but less personal. Fax is fast and lets you include a personal signature. Your choice.

6. Make Your Own Congressional Visit: If you are visiting Washington, D.C., arrange a personal constituent visit with your local senator or representative. Betsy Houston at the Federation of Materials Societies can help you arrange a meeting.

5. Meet at a Local Office: Congressional representatives also have local (district) offices. Arrange to meet them (or a staff member) there to dicuss support for education and research.

4. Have Congress Come to You: Invite your representative or senator to visit your laboratory or department where they can see your research first-hand and interact with students. (Coordinate with your university or lab, of course.)

3. Join the Club: The TMS Public & Governmental Affairs Committee actively promotes the economic and environmental importance of materials R&D to both the public and government. To participate in the activities of this committee, contact the committee chair.

2. Participate in 2007 Congressional Visits Day: On May 1–2, TMS will send a delegation of materials professionals to Washington, D.C., to participate in the 12th Annual Science-Engineering-Technology Congressional Visits Day. If you are interested in participating, write to Warren Hunt, TMS executive director. Professionals and students from industry and academia alike are welcome to participate.

1. Stay for the Materials Information Luncheon: On May 3, immediately following Congressional Visits Day, TMS, in cooperation with ASM International and the American Nuclear Society, will present a Materials Information Luncheon. Experts in the field will present information on materials for nuclear power to Congressional leaders, and members of the materials community are welcome to attend.

. . . On Nanomaterials, Nitride Semiconductors, and Superalloys

Abstracts are now being accepted for the following conferences. To submit an abstract for any of the following conferences, please visit CMS-Plus, the on-line TMS Conference Management System.

Commercialization of NanoMaterials 2007
November 11–13, 2007
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Abstracts Due: April 15
This conference seeks papers on nanomaterials commercialization needs; environment, health, and safety issues; and nanomaterials technologies in the areas of BioNano, coatings, functional nanomaterials, and structural nanomaterials. This conference brings together Fortune 500 companies that can make high-volume production of nanomaterials a reality; emerging nanomaterials companies introducing products to the market; university research centers transferring nanomaterials knowledge; and government laboratories supporting the development of nanotechnologies.

7th International Conference on Nitride Semiconductors
September 16–21, 2007
Las Vegas, Nevada
Abstracts Due: May 1
This conference is accepting abstracts in the following areas: bulk crystals, defect engineering, devices (LEDs, laser-diodes, transistors, sensors), epitaxial growth (MBE, MOVPE, HVPE, etc.), materials issues (III-V-N, InN, etc.), nanostructures, optical characterization, structural analysis, and theory.

Superalloys 2008
September 14–18, 2008
Champion, Pennsylvania
Abstracts Due: August 15
This symposium will cover all aspects of the development, production, behavior, and integration of superalloys and related high-temperature materials into gas turbines for aircraft, power generation and other applications. Papers are solicited on cast, wrought, and powder superalloys and associated coating systems. Behavioral studies are also welcome, and emphasis will be placed on the perspective of the customer. Papers on current trends in customer requirements, and the latest response of the superalloys community to customer challenges, are sought in particular.

ABOUT e-NEWS

TMS e-News is a monthly e-mailed newsletter that provides information on The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society's membership, meetings, publications, and other activities of interest.

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News Editor:
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EDITORS' CHOICE

The editors of TMS publications select the must-read papers from the latest editions:

MARCH JOM: " You Voted, We Counted: The 50 Greatest Moments in Materials, Part II: Nos. 1–10 " by James J. Robinson
After months of speculation and participation, it is time to reveal the ten greatest materials moments. This well-illustrated article counts down the top ten, as voted on by JOM readers, materials professionals, and the general public. It also provides a comparison of how materials professionals voted versus the general public. [READ]

MARCH JOM: " The Materials Informatics Workshop: Theory and Application " by Loni Peurrung, Kim Ferris, and Todd M. Osman
A workshop titled "Materials Informatics: Theory and Application" was held at the Materials Science & Technology 2006 conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, on October 15, 2006. The workshop provided an introduction to materials informatics with a review of issues and discussion of applications provided by panelists who are practitioners in the field followed by a panel-directed forum. Panel members included Krishna Rajan of Iowa State University, Laura Bartolo of Kent State University, Kim Ferris of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Paul Mason of ThermoCalc Software, Inc. The speakers' slides from this workshop are archived on the JOM web site. [READ]

MARCH JOM: " Polymer Nanocomposites: A Small Part of the Story " by L.S. Schadler, L.C. Brinson, and W.G. Sawyer
Polymer nanocomposites are polymer-matrix composites in which the fillers are less than 100 nm in at least one dimension. These composites have exhibited extraordinarily interesting properties. A defining feature of polymer nanocomposites is that the small size of the fillers leads to a dramatic increase in interfacial area as compared to traditional composites. This interfacial area creates a significant volume fraction of interfacial polymer with properties different from the bulk polymer even at low loadings. The properties and structure of this interfacial region are not yet known quantitatively, presenting a challenge both for controlling and predicting the properties of polymer nanocomposites. This paper provides a brief overview of polymer nanocomposites with emphasis on the impact of the interfacial region. [READ]

FEBRUARY JOURNAL OF ELECTRONIC MATERIALS: " InAlSb/InAs/AlGaSb Quantum Well Heterostructures for High-Electron-Mobility Transistors " by Brian R. Bennett, et al.
Heterostructures for InAs-channel high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) were investigated. Reactive AlSb buffer and barrier layers were replaced by more stable Al_0.7Ga_0.3Sb and In_0.2Al_0.8Sb alloys. The distance between the gate and the channel was reduced to 7–13 nm to allow good aspect ratios for very short gate lengths. In addition, n⁺-InAs caps were successfully deposited on the In_0.2Al_0.8Sb upper barrier allowing for low sheet resistance with relatively low sheet carrier density in the channel. These advances are expected to result in InAs-channel HEMTs with enhanced microwave performance and better reliability. [READ]

Programs, on-line registration, and more:

5th International Conference on Advanced Materials and Processing (ICAMP-5)
Harbin, China
September 3-6, 2008

2008 International Hydrogen Conference: Effects of Hydrogen on Materials
Moran, Wyoming
September 7-10, 2008

11th Intl. Symposium on Superalloys (Superalloys 2008)
Champion, Pennsylvania
September 14–18, 2008

3rd Global Foundry Sourcing Conference 2008
Qingdao, China
September 16-17, 2008

The 13th National Conference & Exhibition on Titanium
Luoyang, China
September 17-18, 2008

10th CNS International Conference on CANDU Fuel
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
October 5-8, 2008

Materials Science & Technology 2008 Conference and Exhibition (MS&T'08)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
October 5-9, 2008

2008 Global Symposium on Recycling, Waste Treatment and Clean Technology (REWAS 2008)
Cancun, Mexico
October 12-15, 2008

2008 Fourth International Conference on Multiscale Materials Modeling (MMM-2008)
Tallahassee, Florida
October 27-31, 2008

Processing Materials for Properties-III (PMP-III)
Bangkok, Thailand
December 7-10, 2008

2nd International Conference on Thermomechanical Simulations and Processing of Steel (SimPro'08)
Ranchi, India
December 9-11, 2008

TMS 2009 Annual Meeting
San Francisco, California
February 15-19, 2009

5th International Materials Symposium (MATERIAiS 2009)
Abstracts due: 10/31/2008
Lisbon, Portugal
April 5-8, 2009

International Deep Drawing Research Group Conference 2009 (IDDRG 2009)
Abstracts due: 12/1/2008
Golden, Colorado
June 1-3, 2009

Electronic Materials Conference (EMC 2009)
University Park, Pennsylvania
June 24-26, 2009

European Metallurgical Conference 2009 (EMC2009)
Innsbruck, Austria
June 28 - July 1, 2009

Conference of Metallurgists (COM 2009) Nickel-Cobalt 2009
Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
August 23-26, 2009

14th International Conference on Environmental Degradation in Nuclear Power Systems
Virginia Beach, Virginia
August 23-27, 2009

Thermec 2009: Sixth International Conference on Advanced Materials and Processes
Abstracts due: 11/7/2008
Berlin, Germany
August 25-29, 2009

2009 International Symposium on Liquid Metal Processing and Casting
Abstracts due: 1/15/2009
Sante Fe, New Mexico
September 20-23, 2009

5th International Conference on Science and Technology of Ironmaking (ICSTI'09)
Abstracts due: 10/31/2008
Shanghai, China
October 19-22, 2009

Materials Science & Technology 2009 Conference and Exhibition (MS&T'09)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
October 25-29, 2009

TRANSFAC '09 - International Conference on Innovative Solutions for the Advancement of the Transport Industry
Detroit, Michigan
October 31 - November 3, 2009

TMS 2010 Annual Meeting
Seattle, Washington
February 14-18, 2010

NEWSWIRES