Ceramic Tech Chat

With global demand for cement and concrete continuing to rise, there is a similarly increasing focus on the industry’s carbon footprint. Shiho Kawashima, associate professor of civil engineering and engineering mechanics at Columbia University, identifies the main culprits behind high carbon emissions in the cement and concrete industry, outlines several approaches to lowering emissions, and describes the role her research plays in innovating solutions to this challenge.View the transcript for this episode here.About the guestShiho Kawashima is associate professor of civil engineering and engineering mechanics at Columbia University in New York. Her research group studies cement rheology and processing, including a recent focus on 3D concrete printing. Their work supports the development of low-carbon cements and concretes. More information on this topic can be found in the U.S. Department of Energy report Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Low-Carbon Cement.About ACerSFounded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

Multilayer ceramic capacitors, or MLCCs, are at the heart of almost every electronic device today. Yoshiki Iwazaki, senior principal scientist and general manager at Taiyo Yuden in Japan, describes his research on MLCCs using first-principles calculations, discusses the changes that come with transitioning into a managerial role at work, and shares where he sees electroceramics research at Taiyo Yuden headed in the future.View the transcript for this episode here.About the guestYoshiki Iwazaki is senior principal scientist and general manager at Japanese materials and electronics company Taiyo Yuden. He uses simulations based on first-principles calculations to study materials and processing of multilayer ceramic capacitors. He is a previous recipient of The American Ceramic Society’s Richard M. Fulrath Award, which promotes technical and personal friendships between professional Japanese and U.S. ceramic engineers and scientists.About ACerSFounded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

Glass is a material with nearly infinite possibilities. John Mauro, Dorothy Pate Enright Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at The Pennsylvania State University, shares his experience working with glass in the worlds of industry and academia, discusses the do’s and don’ts of publishing your research in journals, and talks about the similarities between scientific and fantasy fiction writing.View the transcript for this episode here.About the guestJohn Mauro is Dorothy Pate Enright Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at The Pennsylvania State University. Before moving to Penn State six years ago, he spent the first 18 years of his career as a glass scientist at Corning . He has made numerous contributions to the development of new glass systems, including a family called LionGlass that has half the carbon footprint of soda lime silicate glass. In his spare time, Mauro writes reviews of fantasy fiction books. His reviews can be found on Grimdark Magazine, Before We Go Blog, and Goodreads.About ACerSFounded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

Even the most advanced products start with raw materials. Michael Silver, president and CEO of American Elements, explains how he became involved in the materials supply chain, describes what comprises innovation at a materials supply company, and discusses how these companies handle some of the most challenging market factors affecting industries right now.View the transcript for this episode here.About the guestMichael Silver is president and CEO of American Elements, a global manufacturer and distributor of advanced materials. Silver founded American Elements in the 1990s and has personally experienced the growth in importance that materials suppliers play in today’s global market.About ACerSFounded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

Since the discovery of bioactive glasses in the 1960s, specialty glass manufacturer Mo-Sci has played a key role in bringing these materials to market. Steven Jung, chief technology officer at Mo-Sci, overviews the history of the company, discusses the science behind some of their well-known products, and describes how the company develops specialty glass products for a variety of end-user industries.View the transcript for this episode here.About the guestSteven Jung is chief technology officer at Mo-Sci, a specialty glass manufacturer located in Rolla, Mo. Throughout his career, Jung has helped develop dozens of glass-based healthcare innovations, including the world’s first bioactive glass-based wound care product, MIRRAGEN.About ACerSFounded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

Nuclear power has been an important contributor to the U.S. energy portfolio since the 1950s, but few nuclear reactors have been built in recent decades. Rita Baranwal, senior vice president for energy systems at Westinghouse Electric Company, provides an overview of the nuclear power industry today, talks about the emerging focus on small modular reactors as well as full-size plants, and describes the new technologies that Westinghouse is developing to support the future of low-carbon energy. View the transcript for this episode here.About the guestRita Baranwal is senior vice president for energy systems at Westinghouse Electric Company. She is responsible for the development of the company’s new AP300 small modular reactor, which you can learn more about in this video.  Baranwal recently served as assistant secretary of nuclear energy at the U.S. Department of Energy, from July 2019 to January 2021.About ACerSFounded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

The U.S. national laboratory system serves a unique role in the country’s research and development landscape. Chris Heckle, director of the new Materials Manufacturing Innovation Center at Argonne National Lab, talks about how the national labs contribute to the innovation ecosystem, overviews the research that takes place at Argonne specifically, and describes how the new Materials Manufacturing Innovation Center aims to improve and expand the labs’ support for industry. View the transcript for this episode here.About the guestChris Heckle is director of the Materials Manufacturing Innovation Center at Argonne National Lab. She came to Argonne from Corning Inc., where she served as research director for inorganic materials research and Asia research labs. The Materials Manufacturing Innovation Center is a new initiative at Argonne that aims to accelerate the scale-up of advanced materials and process technologies. Learn more about working with the Center at this link.About ACerSFounded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

Government space agencies traditionally drive most space exploration, but new entrepreneurs see opportunity to create space-based businesses. Jonathan Volk, senior manager of in-space manufacturing and advanced materials at commercial space company Sierra Space, talks about how he became involved with the commercial space industry, outlines Sierra Space’s vision for commercializing space, and considers the broader impacts of making space a more accessible destination. View the transcript for this episode here.About the guestJonathan Volk is senior manager of in-space manufacturing and advanced materials at Sierra Space, a commercial space company headquartered in Colorado. Sierra Space aims to develop in-space vehicles, platforms, and capabilities to improve life on Earth.About ACerSFounded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

More than one hundred years since The American Ceramic Society began, brick remains an integral—and interesting—part of today’s built world. John Sanders, director of the National Brick Research Center at Clemson University, shares how he became interested in researching brick and other clay-based construction materials, overviews what takes place at the National Brick Research Center, and discusses how brick is positioned to help support our sustainable future. View the transcript for this episode here. About the guestJohn Sanders is director of the National Brick Research Center and associate professor at Clemson University, S.C. At the industrially funded Center, he helps oversee the provision of research, education, and services to producers and users of bricks and other clay-based construction materials.About ACerSFounded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.   

What will it take to mitigate the effects of climate change? Jürgen Rödel, professor and ceramics group leader at the Technical University of Darmstadt, discusses the most concerning effects of climate change, shares how he became active in advocating for sustainability, and describes what individual and organizational actions can be taken to preserve the Earth for future generations.View the transcript for this episode here.About the guestJürgen Rödel is professor and ceramics group leader at the Technical University of Darmstadt in Germany. His group studies lead-free piezoceramics and their use in energy storage applications, as well as dislocation-based functionalities of ceramic materials. In recent years, he has become a passionate advocate for sustainability while recognizing the complex interweave of economic, geographic, political, and technological factors. He published a “Letter to the editor” on this topic in the September 2022 Bulletin. For more information, read the sixth assessment report on climate change published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2022, and learn about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.About ACerSFounded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.  

When transitioning from student life to your professional career, finding supportive mentors in your community is key. Sanjay Mathur, director of the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Cologne in Germany, shares his experiences mentoring students, reviews his current research on hybrid material interfaces and their properties, and talks about how societies like ACerS provide additional support for students and help them lay the groundwork for a professional career. View the transcript for this episode here. About the guestSanjay Mathur is director of the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Cologne, Germany. His research group studies functionalization of nanocrystalline powders for energy and biomedical applications. As 2022–2023 ACerS president, Mathur's aims to help ACerS sharpen its value proposition and find ways to connect to younger communities.About ACerSFounded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.  

What if ceramics are not as brittle as conventionally believed? Xufei Fang, junior group leader in the nonmetallic inorganic materials research group at the Technical University of Darmstadt, shares how his background in metals positioned him to pursue the study of dislocations in ceramics, reviews his current research in the TU Darmstadt group led by Jürgen Rödel, and describes initiatives underway to educate the larger ceramics community about this research field.View the transcript for this episode here.About the guestXufei Fang is junior group leader in the nonmetallic inorganic materials research group led by Jürgen Rödel at the Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany. He studies dislocation-based functionality of ceramic materials and their mechanical properties. He and colleagues recently established a master's course on ceramic dislocations, as well as helped organize sessions at several meetings on this topic.About ACerSFounded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials. 

While astronauts have some of the most public-facing roles at NASA, what other research takes place behind the scenes to make launching into space possible? Valerie Wiesner, research materials engineer at NASA Langley Research Center, shares how she became involved with the materials side of space research, describes working on mitigation strategies to minimize the impact of lunar dust, and gives her thoughts on what to expect from space exploration and travel in the coming years.View the transcript for this episode here.About the guestValerie Wiesner is research materials engineer at the Advanced Materials and Processing Branch of the NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia. This summer, she served in a temporary position as acting assistant branch head of the Crew Systems and Aviation Operations Branch at Langley. She is actively involved in ACerS Engineering Ceramics Division, including serving as chair of the 44th International Conference and Exposition on Advanced Ceramics and Composites in 2020.About ACerSFounded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials. 

What are the benefits and challenges of researching and publishing about ceramics from both an art and science perspective? Ryan Coppage, director of introductory and inorganic laboratories at the University of Richmond, shares how he became involved in both the art and science side of ceramics, describes his research on ceramic glazes, and talks about the new book he just published with The American Ceramic Society’s International Ceramic Artists Network.View the transcript for this episode here.About the guestRyan Coppage is director of introductory and inorganic laboratories at the University of Richmond in Virginia—and also a ceramic artist! He is drawn to the Venn diagram overlap between science and art, and he currently works on research projects that are frequently split between the University of Richmond and the Visual Arts Center of Richmond, developing low metal-loading color alternatives for ceramic surfaces. He just a book published with The American Ceramic Society’s International Ceramic Artists Network titled “The Anatomy of a Good Pot.”About ACerSFounded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials. 

To develop materials that function in extreme environments, scientists need instruments capable of measuring material properties in those environments as well. Rick Weber, president and founder of Materials Development Incorporated, describes how his company develops instruments to test materials in extreme environments, discusses some recent experiments they have on the International Space Station, and shares what he thinks the future of materials science research in space will look like.View the transcript for this episode here.About the guestRick Weber is president and founder of Materials Development Incorporated in Evanston, Illinois. The company develops instruments for measuring thermophysical properties of materials in extreme environments and provides technical support to clients working with advanced materials, as well as conducts its own materials research. Weber and his team  currently are helping to conduct two experiments on the International Space Station.About ACerSFounded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

Materials scientists often look ahead to the next big thing—but sometimes looking back may inspire future research. Katherine Faber, Simon Ramo Professor of Materials Science at the California Institute of Technology, shares her journey to researching ceramic materials, how she got involved with studying objects of cultural heritage, and describes some of her recent projects.View the transcript for this episode here.About the guestKatherine Faber is the Simon Ramo Professor of Materials Science at the California Institute of Technology. Her group focuses on the fracture of brittle materials and mechanisms by which such materials can be toughened and strengthened. Their studies comprise  ceramics for energy-related applications, including thermal and environmental barrier coatings; porous solids for filters and flow; and scientific studies of cultural heritage objects. She is an ACerS Distinguished Life Member and past ACerS president (2006–2007).About ACerSFounded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

Now halfway through the International Year of Glass, glass scientists are looking to carry the momentum beyond this year to advance the future Age of Glass. Mathieu Hubert, glass development scientist and development program manager at Corning, shares how he came to a career in researching advanced glasses, the challenges in educating more people about these materials, and how he helps support the next generation of glass scientists.View the transcript for this episode here.About the guestMathieu Hubert is a glass development scientist and development program manager at Corning Inc. Since joining ACerS in 2011, he has been heavily involved in the Society, from organizing sessions and symposia for the Glass & Optical Materials Division Annual Meeting and serving as a mentor in the mentoring program run by ACerS President’s Council of Student Advisors.About ACerSFounded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

As the current generation of materials scientists approaches retirement, it’s essential to inspire a new generation to take up the reins. Marcus Fish, development director at the Ceramic and Glass Industry Foundation, talks about the history of the Foundation, its mission, and its projects and initiatives to excite students about careers as ceramic and glass professionals.View the transcript for this episode here.About the guestMarcus Fish is development director at the Ceramic and Glass Industry Foundation (CGIF). The American Ceramic Society launched CGIF in 2014 to attract, inspire, and support the next generation of ceramic and glass professionals. Since its inception,  CGIF has launched programs in student outreach, international student exchanges, travel grants, student leadership development, a university-industry network, and its online Ceramic and Glass Career Center. Learn more about CGIF here and donate to the Foundation here.About ACerSFounded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

Every artifact in the universe has a surface, and modifying that surface can endow an object with new and improved properties. Christopher Berndt, Distinguished Professor of Surface Science and Engineering at Swinburne University of Technology, describes the use of thermal spray technologies to coat surfaces, the challenges companies face implementing these technologies on an industrial scale, and what is in store for the future of this field.View the transcript for this episode here.About the guestChristopher Berndt is Distinguished Professor of Surface Science and Engineering at Swinburne University of Technology and director of the Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Training Centre in Surface Engineering for Advanced Materials. He has conducted research in the field of surface engineering for close to 45 years, and specifically the application of coatings using thermal spray technologies (examples of recent papers on this topic here and here). He recently was awarded the 2021 Victoria Prize for Science and Innovation in the Physical Sciences.About ACerSFounded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

For centuries glass has been the material of choice for storing, shipping, and sipping wine. How did that come to pass, and why? Jim and Penelope Shackelford, authors of the ACerS-Wiley book “The Glass of Wine,” share how they developed a lifelong appreciation of wine, discuss the many intersections between winemaking and wine enjoyment that involve glass, and touch on how ceramics play a role in winemaking as well.View the transcript for this episode here.About the guestsJim Shackelford is an ACerS Fellow and Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of California, Davis. Penelope Shackelford is a former teacher who served as an arts writer for Davis Enterprise, Artweek, and other national arts publications and as associate editor for arts for the journal Multicultural Education. Their book, “The Glass of Wine: The Science, Technology, and Art of Glassware for Transporting and Enjoying Wine,” published by ACerS-Wiley, is available at this link.About ACerSFounded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.