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P R O C E S S E S | J U L Y / A U G U S T
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CHAPTERS IN THE NEWS
What attracted you to engineering?
I did a project on metallurgy during chemistry in high
school. When I found out that you could have an entire
career based on that, I was hooked.
Did you ever consider doing something else with your
life besides engineering?
Yes, I started college as a double major in chemistry
and social sciences. Since switching majors, I have not seri-
ously considered a different career.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on bringing about six different parts to
fruition for small companies, very large companies, and
national labs. We’re also doing research on welding addi-
tively manufactured parts and how the additional process-
ing affects mechanical properties.
How many people do you work with?
My company employs 43 people and I’m in a unique
position to work with all of them on a weekly basis. I also
work with perhaps 75 to 100 customers at a time—mainly
engineers—to ensure they receive all the information they
need and a quality product.
If a young person approached you for career advice
about pursuing engineering, what would you tell them?
The most important part of engineering is finding your
passion. Before I found lasers, I had worked with compos-
ites, photovoltaics, and shape memory alloys. Once you fig-
ure out what you like, talk to people in that field and figure
out what you can do with it. It’s a flexible, constantly chang-
ing career choice.
Hobbies?
Weightlifting and reading.
Last book read?
“The Round House” by Louise Erdrich.
For more information about ASM’s Women in Materials
Engineering Committee, visit asminternational.org/wime.
CHAPTERS IN THE NEWS
Chennai Organizes Heat Treatment,
Automotive Conference
In May, the 2nd International Conference and Expo
on Heat Treatment and Surface Engineering concurrent
with Automotive Materials and Manufacturing was held in
India. Organized by the Chennai Chapter, the event received
an overwhelming response from across the country and
abroad, with more than 250 attendees. The event featured
12 plenary lectures and 44 invited presentations in the
technical sessions, including speakers from the U.S., Brazil,
Belgium, France, UK, Germany, Singapore, Korea, and Aus-
tralia. More than 50 exhibitors were featured in the exhibi-
tion. The meeting was opened on May 12 by Mr. Sivanesan
of Ashok Leyland, and T.S. Sudarshan, FASM, of Materials
Modifications Inc. delivered the Guest of Honor Lecture.
Many technical topics were covered such as surface modifi-
cations using lasers, properties of additively manufactured
materials, low pressure carburizing for energy savings, and
development of ultra-high strength steels.
University of Maryland Materials Science
Students Win Alumni Cup
In April, the University of Maryland’s materials science
and engineering department won the famous “Alumni Cup”
for the first time. Since 2012, this annual engineering com-
petition challenges each department in the engineering
school during a one-week contest to develop a machine
that will perform a specific task within certain parameters.
This year, the challenge was to design a Rube Goldberg
machine that would successfully complete, in a minimum
of 20 steps, moving a pencil 2 ft into a sharpener and then
removing it after 10 seconds. The pencil must then be capa-
More than 250 attendees visited a May conference on heat
treatment and automotive materials organized by the Chennai
Chapter.
Alumni Cup winners from the University of Maryland’s materials
science and engineering department.