References

The American Ceramic Society was founded in 1898. Today the organization encompasses more than 6,000 scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plat personnel, educators, students, marketing and sales professionals from over 60 countries. The mission of the society is to serve the international ceramics community though education, forums, an annual conference and scientific publications.

The Materials Research Society is an organization that has dedicated itself to promoting greater interaction among researchers through interdisciplinary, focused symposia. The society was founded in the late 1960’s and today has over 14,000 members world wide, who are working in the field of materials science.

The Materials Science and Technology Conference and Exhibition (MS&T) is an annual conference sponsored by the American Ceramic Society, ASM International, the Association for Iron & Steel Technology and The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society. The conference brings together the professional and academic worlds of materials science with industry and student presentations. Iowa State University’s Materials Advantage club sponsors a trip every year to the MS&T conference for all Materials Engineering students.

The Electrochemical Society was originally founded in 1902 as the American Electrochemical Society but in 1930 the name was changed to reflect the international activities of the group. ECS is a nonprofit, educational organization that focuses on the areas of phenomena relating to electrochemical and solid-state science and technology. The main objectives of the society are to advance the theory and practice of electrochemistry, solid-state science and allied subjects; to encourage research and knowledge in these fields; and to assure the availability of proper training and education of fundamental and applied scientists and engineers in these fields.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that was created by Congress in 1950, “to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense…” The NSF provides approximately 20 percent of the funding for federally supported research in America’s colleges and universities. The National Science Foundation is the only federal agency to fully support all fields of fundamental science and engineering, excluding the medical sciences, by supporting traditional as well as “high-risk, high pay-off” academic areas and promoting the education and training of highly qualified scientists and engineers.