Current TMS News

MS&T20 Virtual Registration Opens

Registration is now open for the first online installment of the Materials Science & Technology (MS&T) conference series. MS&T20 Virtual, which serves as the home of the TMS Fall Meeting, will feature live presentations, a virtual exhibit, and a number of special events during the week of November 2-6, in addition to a technical program featuring 85 symposia in thirteen topic areas. All registrants will receive access to these pre-recorded technical presentations through the end of the year.

Presenting at MS&T20? Instructions for recording your presentation and answers to Frequently Asked Questions are now available through the MS&T20 website. Through the Presenter Tools page, you can download a PowerPoint template to use for your presentation, access the Speaker’s Guide, and view presentation deadlines.

Register early for the conference and make plans to join us for a week of connecting with your TMS colleagues and learning about the latest work being done in your field. See you (online) at MS&T20 Virtual!

TMS Access: Addressing the Needs of TMS Members with Physical, Sensory, or Cognitive Challenges

In 2018, TMS participated in the STEM Inclusion Study project supported by the National Science Foundation¹.  While work continues on gathering and analyzing study data, an initial report revealed that 16% of TMS members identified as having a physical, mental and/or emotional disability.

The TMS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee has formed a Working Group charged with gaining a better understanding of the needs of these members to improve their inclusion and engagement with TMS. The Working Group has to date conducted research into best practices and policies to accommodate physical, cognitive, and sensory disabilities within professional societies. Resources such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, and the Web Consortium Accessibility Guidelines to name a few, have been leveraged to identify potential practices and policies.

The Working Group initially focused attention on challenges presented at large in-person conferences. Some examples for areas where the needs may be greatest include: attending and presenting in technical sessions, navigating between sessions and other functions, participating in networking and interactive sessions and committee meetings, and resting and refocusing during the day. However, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the importance this has placed on virtual engagement, the Working Group has also examined best practices in improving accessibility and usability of online resources and programs for those with specific needs. 

As the Working Group considers options, we are in great need of input from TMS members on what specific approaches could potentially be most impactful in improving inclusion and engagement for those members with physical, sensory, and/or cognitive disabilities. You can provide assistance with this important effort by completing this form with your feedback and input. If you would like to join the Working Group to participate in our ongoing efforts on this topic, please indicate that on the form. We are also seeking to assemble a focus group to provide in-depth, confidential exploration of this issue, so please note on the form if you would be interested in participating in that, as well.

All feedback will be kept anonymous and will only be used to inform the recommendations of the Working Group and the DEI Committee.

The TMS DEI Committee has been exponentially active as a group for more than a decade. In fact, it changed its name from the Diversity Committee to the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee in 2020 to reflect the expanded scope of issues in which it engages. A major responsibility of the DEI Committee is organizing the Diversity in the Minerals, Metals, and Materials Professions 4 (DMMM4), co-located with the TMS 2021 Annual Meeting & Exhibition, scheduled for March 14-18 at the Orlando World Center Marriott. “Engaging Those with Physical, Cognitive or Sensory Challenges,” is one of a number of DEI topic areas set to be examined at this important event, and it is a goal of the Best Policies and Practices Working Group that our efforts help inform this exciting new session. For details, please visit the DMMM4 website.  Please also visit the DEI Committee website for additional information on the Committee’s mission, programs, and initiatives. If you are interested in more information or participation in any of the DEI Committee’s initiatives, please contact Lynne Robinson at TMS.

References:
[1] Cech, Erin and Tom Waidzunas. 2018. "STEM Inclusion Study Organization Report: TMS." Ann Arbor, MI. (For a copy of the report, please contact Lynne Robinson.)

Article submitted by:
Access, Inclusion, and Engagement Best Practices & Policy Working Group
Natasha Vermaak, Chair, TMS Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee
Mark Carroll, Tenneco
KC Cunningham, ATI Metals
Natalie Larson, Harvard University 
Beth Lewis, Wyman Gordon  
Thomas Reeve, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory  

Explore Your TMS Member Benefits

TMS membership is an excellent way to stay connected—with your colleagues around the world, with the latest developments in your field, and with topics of current interest to your community. But have you fully explored all of your member benefits?

Log in to members.tms.org and spend a few minutes testing out a member benefit you may not have tried before. Here are some ideas:

Membership Directory
There are plenty of TMS members you’ve never met—find the ones who share your technical interests and introduce yourself.

Webinar Library
Sign up for a live, upcoming webinar or view past offerings at your leisure—all free to members.

Journals
As a TMS member, you have electronic access to more than 20 technical journals from TMS and our publishing partner Springer. Log in to start reading.

Online Libraries
Explore more than 4,500 technical articles and documents through the TMS Member Library, the AIME Digital Library, and the Superalloys Conference series archives.

Members can access any of these resources by logging in to the Access Member Benefits section of the TMS website. While you’re there, remember to update your member profile with any changes to contact information or technical interests.

Not a member? Learn how you can join and begin accessing your member benefits today.

Read October Open-Access Journal Content

Each month, a limited number of Editor’s Choice articles from TMS journals are selected and made available to the public at no charge. In addition, each month TMS's publishing partner Springer selects one TMS Journal of the Month, and selected content is made available to read at no charge.

Click to read the following selections for free:

October Journal of the Month:
Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A

Editor's Choice Articles from October JOM:
"Electromagnetic Effects on Solidification Defect Formation in Continuous Steel Casting," Seong-Mook Cho and Brian G. Thomas.
"Dross Formation in Aluminum Melts During the Charging of Beverage Can Scrap Bales with Different Densities Using Various Thermal Pretreatments," Jan Steglich, Bernd Friedrich, and Marcel Rosefort.

Editor's Choice Articles from October Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A:
"High-Throughput and Systematic Study of Phase Transformations and Metastability Using Dual-Anneal Diffusion Multiples," Ji-Cheng Zhao.
"Modeling and Simulation of Microstructure Evolution for Additive Manufacturing of Metals: A Critical Review," Carolin Körner, Matthias Markl, and Johannes A. Koepf.
"Perspectives on Quenching and Tempering 4340 Steel," A. J. Clarke, et al.
"Microplasticity at Room Temperature in α/β Titanium Alloys," S. Hémery, P. Villechaise, and D. Banerjee. 

Editor's Choice Articles from October Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B:
"Computational Thermodynamic Calculations: FactSage from CALPHAD Thermodynamic Database to Virtual Process Simulation," In-Ho Jung and Marie-Aline Van Ende.
"Review of Peritectic Solidification Mechanisms and Effects in Steel Casting," Ghavam Azizi, Brian G. Thomas, and Mohsen Asle Zaeem.  

TMS members can access the full content of these journals by logging in to the Journals section of the TMS website.