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materials wi tness
ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES •
JUNE 2014
2
A celebration of science and life
A
s I write this column, I’m sitting in the
airport one day after NIST’s 100th an-
niversary celebration of its metallurgy divi-
sion and 50th year of its polymers
program. Longtime NISTers Bob Shull and
Chad Snyder spent several months pulling
together amazing speakers and entertain-
ment to commemorate a century of mate-
rials science advances at the National
Bureau of Standards (NBS), which became
the National Institute of Science and Tech-
nology (NIST) in 1988. The festivities were
full of interesting and funny stories, tales of
technology advances, and an optimistic look toward the future of materials science and
engineering (MS&E).
Looking back with a nod to the past, associate director for laboratory programsWillie
May—with 43 years under his belt at NIST—kicked off the celebration with a warm wel-
come and a bit of history from 1901, when NBS was first established. Eric Lin, MS&E divi-
sion chief, then thanked the sponsors (including a shout-out to ASM) and talked about
NIST’s dedication to public service, technical excellence, and an open and dynamic work-
ing environment.
Lin turned things over to Isaac Sanchez, a fixture in the polymers division during the
1970s and 80s, who shared a few good stories plus some tidbits of advice that helped
shape his life. One gem he kept in mind throughout his career involved Ed DiMarzio, his
original NIST advisor. DiMarzio said you don’t need hundreds of great ideas to build a ca-
reer, only two or three good ones per year. Sanchez admitted that, in reality, he’s only had
about one good idea each year, but this has sustained him throughout a long and inter-
esting career.
In the next lecture, Richard Fields spoke about several disaster investigations NIST
has been involved with from the early days to recent times. He shared how tragedies
drove the creation of the metallurgy division: From 1902 to 1912, 41,578 train derailments
occurred, with roughly 13,000 deaths each year. The division was established in 1913 to
improve train safety, which translated to improvements in steelmaking. This knowledge
was then transferred to shipbuilding, with technologies such as welded construction vs.
rivets. Fields also spoke about bridge collapses, airline accidents, and the Twin Towers in-
vestigation, and how such tragedies can lead to new standards and technologies.
Next up, several other interesting speakers rounded out the day, followed by a lively
reception catered by Dogfish Head Alehouse. The best part besides tasty craft beer and
pork sliders? NIST director Pat Gallagher presented a gift to renowned materials scientist
John Cahn. You could have heard a pin drop when Cahn spoke. He recalled that before
he came to NIST, he was a“tired 49-year-old professor”with no time for his own research,
as he spent all his hours helping students write grant proposals. His wife accepted a job
with the Carter Administration and was headed to D.C. At that point, Cahn was faced with
either a commuter marriage or looking for a new position, so he called some NIST con-
tacts and landed a position there. It gave him a new lease on life, and he expressed his
gratitude for a hugely rewarding second career. The takeaway? You never knowwhat’s just
around the corner.
frances.richards@asminternational.orgRichard Fields (at NIST from 1977-2004) with
Frances Richards and NIST’s ASM Historical
Landmark designation.