[Image above] Alicia Durán, on behalf of the ICG, announces publication of the special edition of “Making Glass Better,” based on the glass research roadmap developed by International Materials Institute—New Functionality in Glass. Credit: ACerS
The Society’s Glass and Optical Materials Division annual meeting opened Monday in Miami, Fla., with about 425 in attendance. For the second consecutive year, the GOMD collaborated with the German Glass Society (DGG) to organize a joint meeting. Last year the DGG-GOMD conference was in Aachen, Germany (read the CTT report).
According to program organizer Gang Chen, about half of attendees are international, and about one-fourth are students. The technical program offered a few new sessions, Chen says, such as amorphous semiconductors and challenges for glass manufacturing.
“This GOMD-DGG brings together people working on theory, experimental, and manufacturing. Because DGG is here, attendees from U.S. manufacturing and industry were attracted to come, too,” says Chen.
Much more than the conference is going on this week. The International Commission on Glass meets this week to plan future meetings, including the 2019 International Congress on Glass in Boston, Mass. ICG used Sunday’s GOMD-DGG opening reception to announce publication of a special edition of its publication, “Making Glass Better.” The special edition documents the outcome of an NSF-sponsored glass research roadmapping project conducted by the International Materials Institute—New Functionality in Glass (IMI-NFG).
The book’s release at GOMD set the stage for ACerS president Kathleen Richardson to announce news that ACerS was awarded a planning grant by NIST’s Advanced Manufacturing Technology program to form the Functional Glass Manufacturing Innovation Consortium. The FGMIC will identify advanced manufacturing challenges facing functional glass manufacturing with roadmapping workshops and prioritizing precompetitive research opportunities. The $480,000, two-year project begins June 1.
Besides GOMD, the Society’s recently established Art, Archaeology, and Conservation Science Division (AACS) organized a workshop on Sunday, taking advantage of the weekend between the GOMD-DGG meeting this week and the annual meeting last week, also in Miami, of the American Institute for Conservation. The theme of Sunday’s day-long workshop—attended by about 25—was “What’s new in ancient glass research.”
One approach to researching the activities of the ancients is to replicate their processes and reproduce artifacts. To this end, Pamela Vandiver demonstrated core vessel construction. The process involves melting glass powder over a clay core (in this case firebrick) and adding decorative strips of glass from colorful, softened glass canes. The clay core is “martyred,” leaving behind a glass vessel.
The experience took place outdoors next to a river on a beautiful, sunny, hot afternoon. Feeling the extra heat from the furnace and watching Vandiver manipulate viscous molten glass into colorful designs provided a glimpse into the extraordinary accomplishments of ancient artisans, whose work we continue to enjoy today.
Monday night held GOMD-DGG’s traditional poster session. Prizes for superior posters from the student cohort will be announced at Tuesday’s conference banquet. Meanwhile, technical sessions continue through Thursday, including a roundtable discussion on bioglasses for healthcare Tuesday afternoon.
Take a moment to enjoy these images from Sunday and Monday.
Blythe McCarthy describes her research on Egyptian core vessels at Sunday’s AACS workshop. McCarthy is senior scientist at the Smithsonian’s Freer Art Gallery. Credit: ACerS
Core vessel demonstration at Art, Archaeology, and Conservation Science workshop. Credit: ACerS
Carol Jantzen, former ACerS president and DLM, greets Larry Hench, DLM, at the GOMD-DGG opening reception on Sunday. Credit: ACerS
Jincheng Du, Gang Chen, and Steve Martin. Chen and Martin organized the technical program. Reinhard Contradt (not pictured) organized the DGG contributions to the program. Credit: ACerS
Hansjuergen Barklage-Hilgefort of the DGG and Steve Feller, GOMD chair, welcome everyone to the 2015 GOMD-DGG. Credit: ACerS
Randy Youngman (left) presents the Stookey award to N.B. Singh. Singh’s lecture covered his work on chalcogenide and chalcopyrite glasses and crystals. Credit: ACerS
Monday evening’s poster session and reception stimulated many conversations. Credit: ACerS
