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HIGHL IGHTS A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | J U L Y / A U G U S T 2 0 1 9 6 3 CHAPTERS IN THE NEWS ASM President Makes Scintillating Visit to India Ravi Ravindran, FASM, 2014 ASM President Dr. Frederick (“Mur Doc”) Schmidt, FASM, 2017 ASM President, made a unique and historic visit to India, Sep- tember 24 - October 10, 2018. President Schmidt vis- ited seven ASM chapters and several special events. This involved meticulous planning by the India Council, India Chapters, and ASM leaders with international acumen. He presided over the MET+HTS (Materials Engineering Technol- ogy Symposium + Heat Treat Show) conference and deliv- ered a plenary lecture on failure analysis. The conference was organized by the ASM India Chapter and inaugurated by Mr. Nitin Gadkari, the Government of India Minister for Road Transport and Highways. There were several parallel sessions encompassing aspects of innovation in materials, manufacturing, fabrication, and heat treatment. The large exhibition area included participation by the private and public sectors demonstrating capabilities in areas such as defense, aerospace, and manufacturing. President Schmidt visited the Pune Chapter (Oct. 1-2), Ahmedabad Chapter (Oct. 2-3), New Delhi Chapter (Oct. 4-6), Chennai chapter (Oct. 6-8), and Bengaluru chapter (Oct. 8-9), with a final wrap-up session in Mumbai (Oct. 9). He was overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and passion for ASM, and he likewise motivated ASMers everywhere during his trip. Schmidt also was invited by the Chennai Chapter to participate in a provocative and futuristic expert panel dis- cussion on Materials for the 21st Century: Paradigm Shift of Materials Development and Manufacturing. This discussion was preceded by a special news release that highlighted the Chapter’s accomplishments for 2017-2018. This Chap- ter won the ASM award for best communication and inno- vative programming. In addition to organizing a HTS+SE (Heat Treatment and Surface Engineering) conference, the Chapter conducted technical workshops and seminars on metallography, career growth and innovative sustainability, nanomechanical testing and lightweighting. A successful ASM Materials Camp was organized for students, and this effort was particularly appreciated by President Schmidt. The panel consisted of eminent materials engineers including Dr. P. Sivakumar (former director, Combat Vehi- cles R&D, Defense Research and Development Organiza- tion), Prof. M.V. Surappa (vice chancellor, Anna University, Chennai), Dr. U. Kamachi Mudali, FASM (chairman and CEO, Heavy Water Board, Department of Atomic Energy) and Dr. M. Sathya Prasad (vice president, Product Development, Ashok Leyland). The panel discussion was chaired by Presi- dent Schmidt and moderated by Dr. T. Sundararajan, FASM (chair, ASM India Chapter and senior general manager, Wheels India Ltd.). There were two rounds of discussion. Schmidt started off the discourse, highlighting materials development in U.S. aerospace, defense, and transpor- tation. Prof. Surappa focused on disruptive technologies impacting human lifestyle. Dr. Sivakumar focused on mate- rials development for defense. Dr. Sathyaprasad highlighted the supply chain globalization of components for vehicles. Dr. Kamachi Mudali focused on materials challenges in renewable energy and clean coal technology. There also was a lively discussion on computational design of materi- als. President Schmidt spoke on the materials genome and innovative developments in additive manufacturing. He made pointed reference to on-board fabrication by the U.S. Navy and interactive development of medical prosthetic devices through international cooperation, unique applica- tions of additive manufacturing. President Schmidt developed a close and productive rapport with ASM leaders andmembers in India. His visit left a positive and indelible impact on the country’s materials community and enabled the ASM Board to gain a further appreciation of the commitment and active role of ASM vol- unteers in India. Chief guest Shri Nitin Gadkari (left) unveils the MET+HTS 2018 Inaugural Board in Mumbai. Dr. Frederick Schmidt, FASM, tours Microlab in Chennai, hosted by Director Sudharsan Balasubramaniam, India Council chair V.L. Sirdharan, and scientists. CHAPTERS IN THE NEWS