HIGHLIGHTS ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | SEPTEMBER 2023 59 ASM Digital Short Course: Powder Characterization for Metal Additive Manufacturing This new ASM selfguided digital short course uses helpful visuals, narrated animations, and inter- active quizzes to teach powder characterization for metal additive manufacturing. Students will gain an understanding of powder flowability that will help them optimize powder selection. The course ex- plains the tests used to assess powder flowability and the basic principles and applications of micro-x-ray computer tomography (µXCT) in studying powder porosity characteristics nondestructively. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/47B0i7H. ASM offers 14 digital short courses on a variety of subjects including metallography, materials characterization, corrosion, heat treatment, and failure analysis. Visit asminternational.org/learning/courses/online/. EMERGING PROFESSIONALS How Can ASM Chapters Better Engage with Students? ASM’s Emerging Professionals Committee (EPC) recently gathered insights from a nationwide survey focused on the interaction between local ASM chapters and students. Recognizing that universities play a pivotal role in attracting prospective ASM members, it is worth understanding the current relationships between ASM chapters and universities. The survey found that 88.5% of all ASM chapters are in regular contact with nearby colleges and universities. The questions then delved deeper into student perspectives that could help cultivate a younger demographic within local chapters. A key finding is that many students expressed an overarching need to foster a personal connection within the chapter. In addition, student-centered programming such as resume writing, job interview preparation, and networking mixers have proven consistently valuable for attracting students to chapter meetings. However, university students have expressed reservations about the authenticity of so-called “networking” events, perceiving them as “forced.” Some suggestions include hosting social events such as game nights and brewery tours to allow networking to occur organically. Further, the chance to attend industry tours is widely favored by students nationwide, reflecting a strong interest in gaining insights into what materials industry professionals do in the real world. Hosting student poster symposiums also provides a great opportunity for students to interact with peers, learn from industry professionals, and encourage involvement with local chapters. Announcing student prizes for such events has been shown to boost attendance. Contact ASM Chapter Relations (chapter@asminternational.org) for assistance with ordering merchandise such as t-shirts and mugs. In general, involving student members in event suggestions has yielded positive outcomes and high turnout. The most effective means of engaging new members include word-of-mouth recommendations and fostering personal connections. University educators serve as early mentors for many students, so it is important that these professionals know the value of getting students involved in chapter activities. For more information, contact staff liaison Drew Fleming at drew.fleming@asminternational.org. Kentaro Lunn Design Engineer, Toyota Racing Development USA THE FACE OF MATERIALS ENGINEERING This profile series features members from around the world at all stages in their careers. Here we speak with Tom Ackerson, principal metallurgical engineer at Blue Origin LLC, Merritt Island, Florida. What part of your job do you like most? I love what I do because I help people solve materials-related problems. I spent most of my career in the commercial lab testing business helping customers through testing and failure analysis. Today I’m doing the same activities, but for internal “customers” at Blue Origin. What a great way to round out my career working on building a rocket that will get us back to the moon! What is your greatest professional achievement? It’s very rewarding to see things I’ve worked on and improved when I’m out and about. One example would be the perforated aluminum running board inserts on a popular German SUV. They were having trouble getting a good anodizing treatment of the aluminum inserts and I EMERGING PROFESSIONALS Particle size analysis of nickelbase alloy powder captured via optical microscopy. From ASM Handbook, Volume 10: Materials Characterization. Lunn Ackerson
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