Advancing the Science of Ceramics

The 104th Annual Meeting of the American Ceramic Society will provide an opportunity to share information and to advance the science and technology of ceramics and ceramic-containing products.

The America’s Center in St. Louis, Mo., will host the 104th Annual Meeting & Exposition of the American Ceramic Society (ACerS) April 28-May 1. With an expected attendance of more than 2500 people from approximately 25 countries, the event will feature more than 1500 technical papers presented in 22 topical symposia, 12 focused sessions and other forums. Exhibiting companies will display a wide range of products, including raw materials/minerals, furnaces, processing equipment, ceramic components, glass and optical products, glazes, manufacturing equipment, analytical instruments and scientific publishers.

Technical Program

The ACerS annual meeting provides a unique opportunity to share information and knowledge, and to advance the science and technology of ceramics and ceramic-containing products for a vital world economy. The technical program will cover materials science, engineering, technology, manufacturing and applications in areas ranging from traditional whitewares to advanced optoelectronics.

Among the symposia topics will be “Nanostructured Materials and Nanotechnology,” which will focus on the synthesis and processing of inorganic nanomaterials and nanocomposites, structure-property correlations at the nanoscale, understanding of fundamental phenomena in nanoscale systems and processes, and applications of nanostructured materials. More than 65 individual papers will be presented in this symposium by representatives from the U.S., China, Japan, Germany and other countries.

“Science and Technology in Addressing Environmental Issues in the Ceramic Industry,” another symposium topic, will provide answers to address environmental issues as related to consumer and industrial products, ceramic manufacturing and ceramic technologies. This symposium will feature more than 15 individual papers.

Research in the different aspects of bioceramics will be drawn together for the “Bioceramics: Materials and Applications” symposium. Ceramics and glasses used in biomedical, dental and biological applications, including biomimetics and natural bioceramic materials, will be addressed in more than 50 individual papers. Additional symposia topics include “Ceramics for Wireless Technology,” “Ceramic Science and Technology for the Nuclear Industry” and “High-Temperature Superconductor Processing.”

Focused Sessions and Tutorials

Focused sessions at this year’s event will feature three main topics. In the “Materials, Processing and Manufacturing” session, speakers will discuss “Refractories for Glass Manufacturing;” “Glass Manufacturing Issues;” Structure, Properties and Applications of Vitreous Silica;” “High-Temperature Superconductor Processing;” and “Cofiring of Multimatrial Systems.”

The “Basic and Applied Ceramic Science and Technology” session will feature discussions on “Conductive Oxides;” “Applications of Ceramics in Microtechnology;” and “High-Power, High-Temperature Electronic Materials.” Topics for discussion in the “Fundamental Materials, Processing and Characterization Issues” session will include “High Strain Piezoelectronics, Morphotropic Phase Boundary;” “Surface and Interfacial Phenomena;” “Sintering and Microstructure Development;” and “Insights into Glass Structure via NMR Spectroscopy.”

Instructional Tutorials will be held on Monday, April 29. Topics will include “Workshop on How to Characterize, Test and Design with Ceramics;” “Practical Issues in Ceramic Powder Size Characterization;” “Practical Applications of Statistics and Modeling in Manufacturing;” “Ceramic Manufacturing Council Seminars;” and “Fundamentals.”

Division Programming

Several divisions of ACerS will also offer their own programming at the meeting. The Whitewares and Materials Division will offer sessions on “Whiteware Glazes and Glaze Development,” “Processing and Properties of Materials,” and “Composition and Body Development on Firing.” The Engineering Ceramics Division’s sessions will include “New Ceramics and Potential Applications for Industries of the Future” and “Mechanical Properties and Reliability of Structural Ceramics at Room and Elevated Temperatures.” Sessions in the Glass and Optical Materials Division program will feature “Glass Properties and Characterization” and “Glass Structure and Modeling.”

For More Information

For more information, call (614) 890-4700, fax (614) 899-6109, e-mail info@acers.org or visit www.acers.org. Be sure to stop by and say hello to Ceramic Industry's staff at booth 122. See you there!

SIDEBAR: Schedule of Events

Sunday, April 28
9 a.m.-4 p.m. — Artists Workshop
12-7 p.m. — Registration
12-5 p.m. — Employment Center
1-3 p.m. — Student Speaking Contest Semifinals
4-5 p.m. — Student Speaking Contest Finals
2:30-4:15 p.m. — Sunday Speaker Series
5-6 p.m. — Frontiers of Science & Society Lecture
6-8 p.m. — Exposition and Opening Reception

Monday, April 29
7 a.m.-6 p.m. — Registration
8-9 a.m. — Orton Lecture
8 a.m.-6 p.m. — Book Sales
9 a.m.-12 p.m., 1-6 p.m. — Technical Sessions
10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. — Employment Center
11 a.m.-6 p.m. — Exposition
12-2 p.m. — NICE/Keramos Luncheon
4-6 p.m. — Poster Session & Cocktail Party
5-6:30 p.m. — Network Reception

Tuesday, April 30
7 a.m.-5 p.m. — Registration
8-9 a.m. — Friedberg Lecture
8 a.m.-3 p.m. — Book Sales
9 a.m.-12 p.m., 1-6 p.m. — Technical Sessions
9 a.m.-5 p.m. — Employment Center
11 a.m.-3 p.m. — Exposition
12-1 p.m. — ACerS Annual Business Meeting
1-3 p.m. — Poster Session
1:30-2:30 p.m. — Ice Cream Social
7-10 p.m. — Annual Meeting Awards Banquet
7 p.m. — Student Night at the Cardinals Game

Wednesday, May 1
7 a.m.-12 — Registration
8-9 a.m. — Sosman Lecture
9 a.m.-12 p.m., 1-6 p.m. — Technical Sessions
9 a.m.-12 p.m. — Employment Center

SIDEBAR: Companion Program

The Companion Program for this year’s meeting and exposition includes plenty for everyone.

Companion Suite. A companion suite at the Millenium Hotel will open on Sunday, April 28, at 3 p.m. Program updates and information on St. Louis will be available. Continental breakfast will be served Monday-Wednesday from 8-9 a.m., and afternoon refreshments will be available from 3-4 p.m.

Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour. Visitors to the Anheuser-Busch Brewery on Monday, April 29, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. will see how the skilled brewmasters of today maintain a century-old brewing tradition.

Shopping at Plaza Frontenac. A shopping excursion on Tuesday, April 30, from 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m. will take participants to the Plaza Frontenac, a premier upscale shopping experience.

Missouri Botanical Garden. A tour on Wednesday, May 1, from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. will showcase the Missouri Botanical Garden, a National Historic Landmark that maintains one of the world’s leading programs in botanical research.