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Why ASM is “Everything Material”

Materials scientists and engineers embrace ceramics, polymers and composites, as well as metals and their alloys. We are witnessing an unprecedented growth in new discoveries and inventions to meet the ever-increasing technological demands on performance of systems.

Today, we are involved in superconductive materials with high critical temperature, new classes of magnetic and semiconducting materials, materials for medical devices, materials designed at the micro and nano levels, materials for new sources of power, and the fabrication of materials and composites to mimic human skin, muscles, bones -- even neurons. These are the new frontiers of our world, and the materials scientist and engineer occupy the central position in this fast and furious evolution.

We face high demands to move faster, cheaper and better, and to reach higher into space and deeper in the oceans, while keeping the environment safe and minimizing the use of the limited resources of the earth. Materials scientists and engineers are at the hub of these technological challenges as well. Our successes in terms of discoveries, inventions and innovations will be the key to maintaining the health of society in the future. ASM plays a critical role in bringing materials technology to our membership, and from our membership, to the world. We are uniquely positioned for this important role for three reasons:

We are Materials. When you think about it, everything we touch, feel, see or smell -- everything we deal with that makes technological advances possible -- everything is material. Success in the design of any and all engineered systems is due to the success of material performance. It's all about materials, and ASM is the society for the application of materials advances.

We are International. Unlike natural resources such as oil, gas and minerals, intellectual capital is no longer confined to specific geographic regions of the world. We must continue to develop our relationships with other technologically advanced countries to share knowledge and experience, for the benefit of all.

We are Information. ASM must be on the front line of new technologies so that other scientific and engineering disciplines can then do what is needed. Through our membership, our conferences, our chapters, our seminars and symposia, our partnering with other societies, our reference collections and our communications media, ASM makes this information available and usable – from everywhere in the world it is available, to anywhere in the world it is needed.

We ASM members apply these unique capabilities to serve a critical role in our world. And, we look forward to making future achievements possible. We are Everything Material.

Dr. Bhakta B. Rath, FASM
Naval Research Laboratory
Past President, ASM International