Feature Article
A View from the Top:
Utah Chapter Assists in Hosting
a Successful 2007 Leadership Days
in Salt Lake City.
For the first time ever, Leadership Days, an annual 
leadership training seminar for chapter officers, was held outside of Cleveland. The Utah Chapter did an amazing job hosting Leadership Days and offered breathtaking mountain scenery as a great backdrop. The Chapter had a high number of their own chapter leaders attend the sessions and assist in the planning and execution of the event. “Great idea to change venue and especially good idea to have a local chapter serve as host,” a member said. The change in venue attracted 81 attendees made the event a true success. Members came from Canada, India and a variety of US states.
The event started with Boot Camp Training for all officers. The Chapters Operation Manual was reviewed and breakout sessions for each officer position were held by Chapter Council Representatives to review roles and responsibilities. Leadership Days Opening Session was lead by Chapter Council Chair JJ Letcavits, ASM President Dr. Larry Wagner and ASM Managing Director Stan Theobald. Mr. Ash Khare an ASM Materials Education Foundation Board member gave an enthusiastic talk on the efforts of the Foundation encouraging Chapters to participate in Foundation activities and initiatives. After dinner, Mr. Letcavits and Dr. Wagner recognized those Chapters that put a great deal of effort in to the success of their chapter by presenting Five, Four and Three Star Awards.
Throughout the weekend, chapters shared best practices by joining sessions covering: Material Camps, ASM Chapter Communities, Strategic Planning and others. Chapter Leaders learned what it takes to run a successful Materials Camp weather it is a teacher camp, mini camp, day camp or residential camp. The capabilities and technology of the new Chapter communities were demonstrated by incoming Chapter Council Chair Greg Petrus. One member stated that the telecommunications backbone that ASM is building for the chapters is outstanding. Within the next year ASM will begin creating these communities for chapters that are interested in joining ASM’s Integrated Enterprise. The role of Chapters in strategic planning was also reviewed along with new programming ideas for the upcoming Chapter year and the benefits of membership.
Saturday night Leadership Days was transported to the beautiful Snowbasin Ski Resort and Lodge. Members took a gondola ride up the mountain and enjoyed a view from the top. That evening, Dr. Wagner and Mr. Letcavits presented the Chapter of Excellence awards to the following Chapters: Category I Chennai , Category II Twin Tier, Category III Atlanta, Category IV Minnesota and Category V Detroit.
That evening members had the opportunity to view K-12 materials demonstrations that they could use when visiting schools or hosting a camp. Chapters brought different posters or displays with them such as: heat treating properties with bobby pins, silly putty creationwith Elmer’s glue, crystal structures with marshmallows and tooth picks and many more.
The Outstanding Chapter Newsletter Competition was held for the second year. Leadership Days attendees reviewed many newsletters to determine which chapter provided the most informative and content rich newsletter to their members. Attendees voted mid-day Saturday and the award was presented to the Pittsburgh Chapter Saturday evening.
The change of venue was successful from the perspective of many Leadership Days attendees. The Chapter Council provided the attendees with the opportunity to complete a survey on how often this venue change should occur in the future and share comments and feedback. “Excellent job on the Snow basin trip; all in all this was a fantastic idea. I hope you continue with this (venue change) in the future,” a member said.
Next year Leadership Days will return home to the Dome in Materials Park, Ohio. Chapter Council will be reviewing the Venue Survey conducted, as well as review other metrics for success to determine if a future move is suitable for the purposes of Leadership Days.
To provide feedback or comments regarding the venue change, please send them to Megan Herrmann at chapters@asminternational.org and to receive additional information on Leadership Days 2007,
visit the website.
Remember, ASM events are determined and fueled by members like you!
Chapter Corner
In 1980, the Los Alamos ASM chapter decided to try something new by offering an educational course on “Plutonium Metallurgy,” a topic of considerable interest at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The intent was to offer it a few times, with the expectation that interest would decrease eventually. However, some 25 years later, the chapter receives numerous requests to attend the course, and has a never-ending waiting list. A few years ago, the chapter added a course on the “Basics of Lasers and Optics,” which has been just as popular.
In just the past year, the chapter has conducted a total 12 classes in “Basics of Lasers and Optics” and “Introduction to Plutonium Metallurgy”. These classes bring the total number of classes taught by the Los Alamos Chapter to 106 since 1980. The “Introduction to Plutonium Metallurgy” class has been taught a total of 94 times and the “Basics of Lasers and Optics” class, a total of 12 times. Typically, the chapter runs 5 courses very year, although some years as many as 12 courses were conducted with generally between 25-30 students per class.
The “Basics of Lasers and Optics class is taught by
Dr. Martin Piltch, a world class instructor having worked in the field for over 30 years, and having taught more than 120 of these and similar classes throughout his career. This introductory level course is designed to give students with limited laser/optics background a solid introduction to lasers and optics. Students gain a general knowledge of solid state, gas, liquid, and diode laser devices.
The “Introduction to Plutonium Metallurgy” class is taught by Dr. Karl P. Staudhammer, FASM, a 37-year member of ASM with more than 25 years experience in plutonium metallurgy. This class was presented using an informational and conceptual approach rather than equations and memorization. This is an introductory level course designed to give students with limited plutonium and/or metallurgy background a solid introduction to the topic. The students gain a general knowledge of a broad-based understanding of plutonium, its physical properties, mechanical properties, and its alloying and transformation behavior.
Both courses provide an excellent opportunity to upgrade anyone's knowledge in minimal time and are designed to familiarize both the technologist and non-technologist with the topic. Both of these courses typically run for a two-day duration although one-day versions have also been given. These courses have also been taught at other DOE and non-DOE facilities, as well as internationally. The chapter has benefited financially from the success of these educational courses offered over the years. However, a good number of the courses have been offered free of charge to the attendees, depending on the request and facility. As a result of the success of these classes, the chapter, under the guidance of Dr. Staudhammer, has been developing and offering other courses on such topics as the metal oxide production as applicable to safety reviewers, and the the radiological Implications of “Dirty Bombs.”
Membership Matters
MEMBERSHIP DAY 2007
An Opportunity to
Focus on Membership
The ASM Membership Committee is planning a special Membership Day onOctober 26 as an opportunity for Chapter leaders, membership committees, ASM leadership groups and the ASM staff to set aside time to focus on membership recruitment and retention activities. The objective is to contact 1000 prospective members and 1000 members due for renewal during the last week of October and first week of November with October 26 the focal point.
“Although membership recruitment and retention must be ongoing activities for our Chapters, Membership Day will be an opportunity for us as Chapter leaders to focus our membership efforts with support from the ASM staff,” says Ken Davis, Chair of the ASM Membership Committee. “For all Chapters interested in participating, lists of prospects and members due for renewal will be provided, along with phone scripts, sample email messages and copies of ASM membership materials for distribution. All local leaders participating will have an opportunity to win prizes and recognition for their Chapters, including “ASM Bucks” for the purchase of ASM products.”
Invitations to participate with complete details will be forwarded to Chapter and Membership Committee Chairs toward the end of September. Contact Scott Giesler, Society Programs Coordinator, via e-mail at scott.giesler@asminternational.org or 440-338-5151, ext. 5655 for further information.
Foundation News
ASM Eisenman Material Camps
Crash, bang, wrench and plop! This is what you heard at the beginning of the 2007 ASM Eisenman Camp as thirty high school juniors and seniors broke scanners, phones, projectors and keyboards to learn and see what they are made of. The ASM International Education Foundation has hosted this camp since 2000 and assists ASM chapters in hosting their own camps as well. In 2007, 24 Chapters hosted camps.
Thirty students were invited to attend Eisenman Camp free of charge to discover and explore the world of material Engineering. These were some of the best and brightest students from around the US and Canada.
Once the students arrived at ASM Headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, they were placed into six groups and given a failure to test and analyze. Each group was lead by an ASM volunteer who mentored and guided the students’ research. The volunteer mentors were: Curriculum Leader Ron Parrington, IMR Test Labs Incorporated; Mentors: Dr. Dan Dennies, Boeing Company; Sue Schreiner, Mittal Steel USA; Tom Glasgow, John Glenn Research Center At Lewis Field (Retired); Frauke Hogue, Hogue Metallography; and Mike Connelly, Casey Products; Mentor in Training Dustin Turnquist, Engineering Systems Incorporated; and Lab Coordinators Carol Hirt, Materials Research Laboratories, Inc.; Judy Arner, Struers, Inc. and Tom Henderson, Carl Zeiss Inc.
Throughout the week the students worked with and learned from their mentors, ASM staff and various guest speakers. They also had the opportunity to tour the lab at Turbine Engine Components Technologies (TECT Corp.) in Cleveland, Ohio. “It was a real nice experience working with all the trained professionals and the other students,” California student Sara Broines said. “I am excited that I am going back home with so much new knowledge and friendships that I will forever treasure.”
While at the Dome, students had access to SEM microscopes, heat treating technology, ASM databases and the ASM library. The Eisenman Camp engaged students on many levels from lectures on polymers, thermal spray, theories of Fuller, a blacksmithing demonstration and time at Geauga Lake amusement park. Goodrich Corporation Brooklyn Hts., Ohio donated lab glasses for the students and Honda of America Mfg., Inc. Marysville, Ohio sent the students home with a unique materials design back-pack chair.
At the end of the week the groups emerged from their labs to present their failure research and possible solutions to the ASM Foundation Board, Material Camp donors and other special ASM guests. “ASM Materials Camp has been a fascinating endeavor that not only challenged my scientific knowledge, but provided forensic explorations that were enjoyable,” Pennsylvania student Patrick Ritsko said.
Look in your October AM&P for additional information and contact our staff with your questions.
Teacher Camps - Jeane Deatherage @ 440-338-5151, ext. 5533 or jeane.deatherage@asminternational.org
Student Camps – Scott Giesler @ 440-338-5151, ext 5655 or scott.giesler@asminternational.org
Material Advantage
Student Events at MS&T 2007
MS&T 2007 is packed with an amazing schedule for out Material Advantage Students! Everything from the Chapter Leadership Workshop, students will receive first hand instruction on role definitions, chapter operations and best practices, to contests involving mug drops and putting contests.
For a full schedule of student events, please visit
www.materialadvantage.org/MST07/activities.asp
Nominations Sought for 2008 Class
