ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JANUARY 2026 33 Renee Parente serves as moderator of the industry panel. INDUSTRY EXPERTS PANEL Dr. Aziz Asphahani, FASM QuesTek Innovations LLC Chairman and CEO Moderator Renee Parente Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Director, Technology and Product Engineering Dr. David Furrer, FASM Pratt & Whitney Principal Fellow, Discipline Lead, Materials & Processes Engineering Dr. Dehua Yang, FASM Ebatco President John R. (Chip) Keough, P.E., FASM Lightspeed Concepts / Joyworks LLC Chairman and President KEY TAKEAWAYS—INDUSTRY • There is growing interest in transitioning from a traditional R&D approach of “trial and error” to “concurrent engineering,” based on integrated computations and simulations, to shorten the time and lower the cost of designing and deploying innovative materials. • Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) technologies are accelerating materials innovation to meet the demand for higher- performance products. • ICME has created many tools; now large language models (LLMs) can be used to string them together. • Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) tools provide a bridge between data and fundamental principles of materials science and physics; used wisely, AI/ML can help define options to address materials issues. • The old adage “design for manufacturing” is being replaced by the new effort to “design for performance.” • There is an increased need to gather digital data, store it, and retrieve it for research and decision making. • ASM International’s Technical Committees help foster communications between counterparts in design, materials science, and manufacturing. • ASM International can assist in leveling up knowledge through its ASM Handbooks. • New business models are emerging: startups developing R&D are acquired by companies needing their services; this replaces the previous model of large research organizations tied to a company. • The circular economy has led to the “product-as-a-service” model, followed by reuse, and repair to extend the life of the product. • Partnerships between industry and National Labs as well as academia (e.g., senior capstone projects) can provide students with access to cutting edge technology and a road toward commercialization. • Wise strategic partnerships utilize master agreements and NDAs to protect intellectual property. • Workforce development needs to include familiarization with technology tools (e.g., ICME, AI/ML, modeling, and data management), as well as traditional metallurgy. Chip Keough, as a panelist representing industry, shares some insights. The industry panel.
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