Beer bottling line featuring glass containers. Credit: EPA; Wikipedia.
The 74th Conference on Glass Problems organized by the Glass Manufacturing Industry Council and Alfred University says it is the largest glass manufacturing conference in North America. The three-day program bears witness, with presenters from companies like Corning, Anchor Hocking, Emhart Glass, CelSian Glass & Solar, Owens Corning, and BASF, who will speak in topical symposia on glass melting, air emissions and control, and energy productivity as a competitive edge.
In other words, the conference brings together engineers and glass scientists engaged in real manufacturing, addressing real problems for an industry with a real future.
And who better to be there but students—the rising engineers and problem-solvers in this industry? GMIC executive director Robert Lipetz says, “We believe that student attendance at the GPC is crucial to developing the next generation of glass industry engineers.”
Conference organizers are not just shoveling cullet, though. They intend to award 20 travel grants to qualified students—undergraduate or graduate—to attend GPC in Columbus, Ohio, October 14–17. The grants cover registration, reduced rate accommodations, and up to $850 in travel funds.
The application process is simple.
- Submit a 1-2 page CV, including your complete contact information.
- Write a statement describing how the conference will benefit you.
- Email your CV and statement to Donna Banks, dbanks@gmic.org, by September 1, 2013.
GMIC will notify awardees by September 17, 2013 with instructions for redeeming the travel grant.
Awarded students must register for the conference. Awarded students will be reimbursed by November 1, 2013, pending verification of conference attendance.
Check out the technical program here (pdf). There will also be short courses, an expo, and plenty of networking opportunities.