
The Carolinas Section serves ACerS members in both North and South Carolina.
Section Officers
Chair: Jacob Jones, NC State University, Raleigh, NC
Vice-Chair: Cheryl Brayman, Rauschert Industries, Charlotte, NC
Treasurer: Fei Peng, Clemson University, Clemson, SC
Secretary: Divine Kumah, NC State University, Raleigh, NC
Industry Representative: Charles Lakeman, SCHOTT North America,
D & I Representative: Cheryl Xu, North Carolina State University
Student Representative: Taylor Barrett-Crvich, University of North Carolina, Charlotte
If you would like to contact any of the Carolinas Section officers, log in and visit the ACerS online membership directory for contact details. You must be a member to access the directory. Or contact Marilyn Stoltz at mstoltz@ceramics.org.
Meetings and Events
ACerS Carolinas Section 2023 Annual Meeting
Invited Presentations On: Advances in Processing and Performance of Functional Ceramics
Poster Presentations: Encouraged in all areas of Ceramics
Sponsored by the American Ceramic Society's Carolina Section and the Department of MSE at Clemson
March 30, 2023, 1 - 7 p.m.
Advanced Materials Research Lab (AMRL), Clemson University, Clemson, SC
Agenda includes speakers, posters, section business meeting, laboratory tours, and networking reception.
Invited talks:
- Carolyn Grimley, Lucideon, "Field-enhanced sintering: Exploiting field interactions with ceramics"
- Kevin Huang, University of South Carolina, "Manufacturing planar and tubular solid oxide cells for power and H2 production"
- Hai Xiao, Clemson University, "Advanced manufacturing of ceramics and glasses by integrated 3D printing, ultrafast laser micromachining, and laser sintering/melting"
- Lily Yang, NC State University, "Functionalities of PDC-based composites in extreme environments"
- Elizabeth Hoffman, Savannah River National Laboratory, "Make an Impact! Research Opportunities at Savannah River National Laboratory"
The location of the event is:
Advanced Materials Research Lab (AMRL), Clemson University
Building Address: 91 Technology Dr., Anderson, SC 29625
Parking behind building: P-4-19, Anderson, SC 29625
This location is about 10 min south of the main Clemson University campus.
https://goo.gl/maps/Rzbs9FzGCKnYtgQx8
Agenda
1:00-1:45 PM – Arrival and check-in
1:45-4:00 PM – Welcome messages, invited and keynote presentations
-Jacob Jones, Chair, Carolinas Section of ACerS
-Kyle Brinkman, Chair, Department of MSE of Clemson
-Carolyn Grimley, Lucideon
-Kevin Huang, USC
-Hai Xiao, Clemson University
-Lily Yang, NC State University
-Elizabeth Hoffman, Savannah River National Laboratory
4:15-5:15 – Optional Laboratory Tours
- Electron microscopy facility
- Advanced, laser-based manufacturing facility
5:00-7:00 PM – Student Poster Presentations, Reception & Networking with Catered Food, Beer, and Wine
6:45 PM – Student Poster Awards
Contacts for any questions: jacobjones@ncsu.edu, fpeng@clemson.edu, c.brayman@rauschertna.com, and/or dpkumah@ncsu.edu
Attendance is encouraged from all working in areas of ceramic science and education, regardless of membership status.
Registration deadlines (short abstracts for posters to be submitted with registration):
- Free if registered by January 31, 2023
- Early bird registration incentive! $100 in travel funding available for the first 10 students and postdocs to register and submit abstracts.
- Register and submit abstract at this link.
Happy hour at MS&T
Members of the Carolina Section gathered for networking during the recent ACerS Annual Meeting at MS&T in Pittsburgh, PA on Tuesday, October 11, 2022.

May 10, 2022: Carolinas Section hosted tour, networking and student poster session at University of North Carolina at Charlotte
On May 10, 2022, ACerS members and other ceramists including students gathered at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. After opening remarks by the Section Chair, Jacob Jones, Brigid Mullany, a local professor and associate dean for research, presented on the recently established Center for Additive Manufacture of Advanced Ceramics (CAMAC) that was established by a $1.25M grant from The University of North Carolina System Research Opportunities Initiative (ROI) program.
The presentation was followed by a tour of CAMAC facilities and its newly established equipment as well as a tour of the Center for Precision Metrology .
After the tours, the Carolina Section conducted a business meeting and discussed and planned future events. Finally, approximately a dozen students presented their research during a poster session.
The attendees expressed positive thoughts about the ability to attend an in-person event. The Carolinas Section aims to host at least one in-person event annually and with several additional online events, providing both forms of connectivity for its members.





December 8 virtual event: "Science and Technology of Asian Ceramics and Glass at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art."
The Carolinas Section of the American Ceramic Society hosted a unique lecture & networking event on Wednesday, December 8, 2021.
Dr. Blythe McCarthy, the Andrew W. Mellon Senior Scientist at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, presented "Science and Technology of Asian Ceramics and Glass at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art." An abstract is pasted below.
Full abstract: Ceramics and glass research at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art is undertaken to understand the technology as well as determine or confirm place of origin. Scientific studies of ceramics have been undertaken at the museum since the 1950s. Case studies of Asian ceramics and glass will be discussed, highlighting the non-destructive and microsampling methods in use at the museum today and their limitations.
Congratulations to the winner of the MS&T RegistrAtion scholarship
The Carolinas Section is pleased to announce Manira Akter was awarded a registration scholarship for the ACerS Annual Meeting at MS&T21!

The Carolinas Section hosted a webinar on February 4, 2020, which highlighted "Electronic Ceramics in the Carolinas".
The featured speakers were:
Veronica Augustyn, Assistant Professor at NC State University. Her talk covered some of the current research in electronic ceramics, specifically the electrochemistry of transition metal oxides. Her research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of materials for electrochemical energy technologies including batteries, electrochemical capacitors, electrolyzers, and fuel cells.
Craig Nies, Senior Technical Staff at AVX Corporation, who shared his experience on electronics ceramic device materials and manufacturing. His presentation covered the major applications of ceramic technology at AVX Corporation, a major supplier of advanced electronic devices. His interests include ceramic composition and microstructural control for optimal electrical performance and reliability.
ACerS members and non-members can view the webinar below.