Many rural communities have a great need for expanded access to STEM education. Katrina Donovan, faculty member in the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, discusses her expansive background across different materials, describes her current research on using local materials to create clays and ceramic glazes, and shares her numerous STEM outreach programs to help inspire and teach students and educators across the state.

View the transcript for this episode here.

About the guest
Katrina Donovan is faculty member in the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Her current research focuses on using local materials to make clays and ceramic glazes. She is passionate about STEM outreach and runs several different programs to support science education in her local community. Learn about some of these programs: STEM experiences for high school students in partnership with the U.S. Army; National Science Foundation grant to incorporate creative ceramic and glass science elements into the undergraduate materials engineering curriculum; and National Science Foundation grant to establish an educational research experience for students that is tied to local South Dakota geology and culture.

About ACerS
Founded 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.

Machine learning has the potential to play a big role in the future of materials discovery and development. Sergei Kalinin, Weston Fulton Professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, shares how his development of advanced scanning probe microscopy techniques led to an interest in machine learning and describes some of the benefits, limitations, and challenges of adopting machine learning for materials research.

View the transcript for this episode here.

About the guest
Sergei Kalinin is Weston Fulton Professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and chief scientist in artificial intelligence and machine learning for physical sciences at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. He previously helped develop several advanced scanning probe microscopy techniques when working at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and he now investigates the use of machine learning methods to improve the technique’s downstream applications for materials discovery and optimization. He taught a course on automated experimentation through the ACerS Online Learning Center in spring 2024, and he will teach another course on scanning probe microscopy this fall.

About ACerS
Founded 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.

There are many ways for students and young professionals to network and build relationships with others in the materials science community. Alessandro De Zanet, Materials Research Fellow at Leonardo Labs, explains how networking led to his involvement in the ceramics field, describes some of the communities he’s involved with in ACerS, and previews the reimagined annual student section of the upcoming June/July 2024 ACerS Bulletin.

View the transcript for this episode here.

About the guest
Alessandro De Zanet is Materials Research Fellow at Leonardo Labs in Rome, Italy. His research is focused in two areas: adhesion technologies for coatings and for joining of dissimilar materials, and ceramics and ceramic matrix composites. He is currently chair of ACerS Young Professionals Network, and he will be one of the featured authors in the “Emerging Professionals” section of the upcoming June/July 2024 ACerS Bulletin, which publishes June 6.

About ACerS
Founded 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.

Embracing spontaneity in research and networking can be the first step to a successful career. Jessica Rimsza, staff scientist at Sandia National Laboratories, discusses her work on modeling disordered and complex material systems, describes what is involved in organizing a scientific conference, and explains how joining a professional society can help young researchers define their identity as a scientist.

View the transcript for this episode here.

About the guest
Jessica Rimsza is a staff scientist at Sandia National Laboratories. She works in the Climate Security Division at Sandia, where she models disordered and complex material systems. She is currently chair of ACerS Meetings Committee, which is responsible for planning, developing, and organizing the Society’s conferences.

About ACerS
Founded 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 as the tools and platforms for education have changed drastically in the past century, the need for programs to upskill employees remains as strong as ever. Carl Frahme, longtime consultant and educator in the ceramic, metals, and materials industries, shares how he first became involved as an instructor for ACerS educational courses, describes how these courses evolved over time, and explains why he finds being a science educator so fulfilling.

View the transcript for this episode here.

About the guest
Carl Frahme is a long-time consultant and educator in the ceramic, metals, and materials industries. He offers consulting through his company, Frahme Consulting Services, and teaches many of the courses available on ACerS Online Learning Center.

About ACerS
Founded 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.

From ancient times till today, terracotta remains a steadfast option for roof tiles. David Jensen, sample coordinator and glaze production scheduler at Ludowici Roof Tile, describes the advantages of and his work on clay roof tiles, shares how he became interested in the history of Ludowici, and explains how that interest led to the discovery of a glass slide collection created by ACerS founder Edward Orton Jr.

View the transcript for this episode here.

About the guest
David Jensen is sample coordinator and glaze production scheduler at Ludowici Roof Tile in New Lexington, Ohio. After joining Ludowici, Jensen became the company’s de facto historian, and his research led to a surprise discovery of more than 800 glass sides created by Edward Orton Jr. that provides a look at the ceramics industry in the early 1900s. The Columbus Metropolitan Library is digitizing these slides as part of a Columbus area history project, and people can freely view the digitized slides at this link.

About ACerS
Founded 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 planning for the future is important, listening to others and adapting to new opportunities can lead to the most fulfilling and fruitful careers. Rajendra Bordia, the George J. Bishop, III Chair Professor of Ceramics and Materials Engineering at Clemson University, shares his somewhat unplanned pathway from mechanical into ceramic engineering, describes his approach to mentoring students, and discusses his goals as this year’s president of The American Ceramic Society.

View the transcript for this episode here.

About the guest
Rajendra Bordia is the George J. Bishop, III Chair Professor of Ceramics and Materials Engineering at Clemson University in South Carolina. His research focuses on how processing conditions affect the final microstructure and properties of ceramics, with a specific focus on thermal processing methods. He is currently serving as president of The American Ceramic Society for 2023–2024, a role in which he will lead the Society through the development of a new strategic plan.

About ACerS
Founded 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.

Training the next generation of ceramic engineers requires engagement on multiple fronts. Geoff Brennecka, Herman F. Coors Distinguished Professor of Ceramic Engineering at Colorado School of Mines, discusses the importance of having degree programs that focus specifically on ceramics, recalls the history and evolution of ACerS President’s Council of Student Advisors, and describes how the Ceramic and Glass Industry Foundation’s new Teacher Training Workshops provide K–12 teachers guidance on effective ways to teach materials science.

View the transcript for this episode here.

About the guest
Geoff Brennecka is the Herman F. Coors Distinguished Professor of Ceramic Engineering at Colorado School of Mines, which recently launched a degree program in ceramic engineering. His group works on the fabrication, characterization, and analysis of advanced dielectrics, ferroelectrics, and piezoelectrics. He is actively involved in ACerS, helping to establish ACerS President’s Council of Student Advisors, and currently serves as chair of the Ceramic and Glass Industry Foundation Board.

About ACerS
Founded 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.