Technical assistance provided by the Center for Advanced Ceramic Technology (CACT) at Alfred University led to an improved design for the eternal flame that will be part of the permanent memorial to victims of the September 11, 2002, attack on the World Trade Center. Through the auspices of the CACT, Licio Pennisi, Ph.D., assistant director, performed a series of analyses to advise the New York City Department of Design and Construction which types of stone and other materials would be best suited for the flame. "The Department of Design and Construction wanted to know what types of stone or other materials would maintain their appearance and withstand the heat from the eternal flame," said Pennisi, who performed several thermal analyses and confirmed mineralogical data on the various materials proposed for use in the memorial.

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