And Just What Is Materials Science?

Photo credit: everystockphoto.com

If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.
Albert Einstein

I admit, I find it difficult to explain materials science. To explain why it is so important, and how much of it is part of our everyday life. I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that materials science is a collaborative science. It engages scientists across many different fields. The fact that materials chemistry happens by changing materials’ atomic structure (something that cannot be seen by the naked eye) makes it even more challenging to understand.

Simply put, materials science is the study of stuff.

So here is my simplified way of explaining materials science.

Do you recall the movie “The Graduate” with a very young Dustin Hoffman? Do you recall the field of industry this fresh graduate was encouraged to pursue? Plastics.

Plastics are the result of materials science. Different forms of plastic have come about (and continue to be invented) because of materials science.

That cord on your Apple laptop designed to pull away in case you trip on it? Materials science. And speaking of laptops, how about that battery that keeps your laptop going sans cord? How about the materials that go into your cell phone—from the computer chip to the casing that protects the body of your phone?

Pause for a moment and think about the science that has gone into designing the materials in CDs and DVDs. Amazing products that enable you to listen to your favorite Abba CD or watch your favorite chic (or man) flic on an endless loop.

Next time you pour your first cup of coffee or tea, think about the cup you drink from or the insulated container you’re filling. How does it keep your beverage warm? How does it do so without breaking and spilling all over your freshly pressed suit? Pretty amazing, isn’t it?

As start your day, think about all the objects that you rely on, what they’re made of and how amazing they truly are. How did you manage before the invention of some of these items? How about improvements on these items most likely being developed right now? That, my friend, is materials science.

5 ways to help make your international workshop a success

It’s hard to believe that after many months of planning, our 3-day workshop is over. Based on the feedback we received, I’d say it was a success. But success means lots of planning to pull off a seamless looking event. Most of our participants were from different countries. Here are 5 simple ways to help you be “the host with the most” when hosting international attendees.

Exceptional Event Gifts

Everybody likes gifts, right? And just about every conference you’ve attended probably had a gift/give-away to remember the event by.

There are a myriad of products available and for promoting events or creating keepsakes. Ranging from the classic mugs, caps and pens to pretty cool high tech gadgets.

In planning conference gifts, I like to consider unique and memorable items that don’t cost an arm and a leg.

Here are some ideas to consider as you plan your conference’s gift/give away:

Create engagement (and solve problems) through professional photography

Here’s an unusual design challenge.

I needed to design a poster that showed a specific medical product—an asthma inhaler—as part of the research poster.

The first issue I had was that no matter what photo stock house I searched, the inhalers were out-of-date, or (disturbingly) shown improperly used. As a designer, I wanted to show more than “just another inhaler”. I wanted to show the inhaler in an engaging manner (I know. It’s an inhaler. Not very sexy, but still…).

The Enduring Academic Poster

I can walk through the hallowed halls of modern campus buildings, marvel at the touch screen displays, see kiosks featuring new and future technology, but as I round the corner–there it stands–the stoic, unchanging academic poster.