MSE Fall 2014 Newsletter

fall 2014

In this Issue: • Letter from the Chair

Zbar Transformative Gift

• MSE Receives Transformative Estate Gift

CoE Distinguished Engineering Alumnus, 1996 CoE Hall of Fame, 2003

Leda L. and Jack J. Zbar, ChE ‘56

• Brumley D. Pritchett Lecture Series

“My father taught us that you always do what you can to help others, and that if you don’t have money to give, you give of your

• 2014 College of Engineering Alumni Awards • Georgia Tech Institute Awards • Major External Awards

time.”

• “CRAFTed with Pride in the USA” • New Faculty and Promotions

First Lady Val Peterson, Leda and Jack Zbar, President G.P. “Bud” Peterson

• Stefany Holguin Chosen as Sloan Fellow

Endowment for

• MSE Research Scholarship Program • By the Numbers...

• Entrepreneurship in MSE • MSE Industry Day • MSE Poster Competition



Faculty Chair



Faculty Recruitment and Retention



Scholarships

Leda Zbar

Dear Alumni and Friends, Greetings! I am delighted to share with you the Fall 2014 newsletter of the School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) at Georgia Tech, highlighting the achievements of faculty, students, and alumni during the past year.

In the 2013 academic year, we graduated 62 B.S., 12 M.S., and 25 Ph.D. students. Fall 2014 semester began with a record number of 91 new students entering MSE. This brings the total undergraduate enrollment to 344 – an increase of more than 10% for the second year in a row. Graduate student enrollment is at 185, with 24 of those being recipients of the prestigious Georgia Tech Presidential Fellowship, as well as the highly-competitive NSF, NDSEG, and SMART fellowships.

Two new faculty members recently joined MSE; Paul Russo as the Hightower Chair in Biopolymers, and Mark Losego as an Assistant Professor working in the area of organic-inorganic hybrid systems. Haskell Beckham moved on to pursue a career at Exponent.

Feedback from our five-year academic program review was positive.

Performed by an external committee that included two engineering deans, a materials department head, and a representative each from a national lab and industry, the committee was impressed by the strength and breadth of the materials science and engineering graduate and undergraduate curriculum, increased research vitality of the faculty, and opportunities for additional growth and excellence. The committee expressed high expectations of the MSE School at Georgia Tech.

We continue to pursue our goal of partnering with industry. With industry supporting about 20% of faculty sponsored research, capstone design projects, and the MSE Research Scholarship Program, our partnership is reaching new heights. The MSE Industry Day in the fall and the student-led, industrysponsored poster competition in the spring have become annual events.

Entrepreneurship is a key element of our discipline. Our faculty are active in pursuing startup companies, and so are our alumni. In this newsletter we feature some of the startups of our faculty and alumni, as we prepare for an entrepreneurship course culminating in a competition in spring 2015 (stay tuned).

MSE was honored to receive an estate commitment, a transformative gift, from long-time Georgia Tech family members, Leda and Jack Zbar (ChE ‘56).

We are proud of the accomplishments of our alumni, such as Jack Zbar, and are thankful for their philanthropic support which is helping us attain our vision for the School: to define the future of our discipline.

I have had the good fortune of meeting with many of you through alumni gatherings, industry visits, and one-on-one meetings. I very much appreciate these opportunities. It is always delightful to learn about your personal and professional accomplishments, and the passion with which you value your Georgia Tech experience. I look forward to meeting with many more of you in the times ahead. I also invite you to come visit with us and see the way in which your school is evolving in its pursuit of excellence.

Naresh Thadhani Professor and Chair, MSE

In the words of our students...

What is MSE? “MSE is having an understanding of the materials that make-up everything, allowing one the flexibility to do almost anything.”

- Erin Flynn, 2nd year “Chemistry + Physics + Engineering = MSE. The science makes every class exciting and the application teaches me how to change the world one molecule at a time.”

- Robert Kiblinger, 4th year “MSE is improving the materials we use every day to improve our lives and our future.”

- Zach Robbins, 3rd year “MSE is not just the study of materials, but the way materials affect individuals throughout their daily lives.

It is a type of engineering that can provide solutions to a broad range of needs, comfort, convenience, and safety to the consumer.

MSE is the definition of progress.”

- Sean McGaha, recent graduate

Estate Commitment Boosts the Future of MSE! The first thing you’ll notice about Jack (ChE ’56) and Leda Zbar is that they like to laugh. Both have a ready smile and a welcoming nature, and in Jack’s case, a propensity to nickname the people he cares about. The Zbars possess a generosity of laughter, love, and spirit, and if you are fortunate enough to know them as I do, you can consider yourself very, very lucky. And you’ll also soon realize that helping others is what Leda and Jack do—it’s always been an important part of their lives. “My father taught us that you always do what you can to help others, and that if you don’t have money to give, you give of your time,” said Leda.

Although a chemical engineering alumnus, Jack’s involvement with MSE Jack and Leda Zbar during a recent visit to Georgia Tech dates back to the days of the School of Textile Engineering (TE) when he was President and CEO of Arrow Engineering, a producer of specialty chemicals for the textile and other industries. As a result of his expertise and strong ties to the textile industry, he first became engaged with TE in the 1980s, eventually spending eight years on the School’s External Advisory Board from 1992-2000.

In 1986, Jack and Leda made their first generous gift in support of the School, endowing the Jack J. and Leda L. Zbar Scholarship. In the almost three decades since the scholarship was established, many of the School’s top students have attended Georgia Tech as a result of the Zbars’ generosity. This year alone, the Zbar scholarship is benefiting eight students, providing the resources necessary for these students to earn a Georgia Tech degree.

In 2000, the Zbars established an unrestricted endowment, which provided the School Chair with the flexibility to address key challenges and to seize emerging opportunities. In appreciation for this important gift, the School named the former PTFE Enrollment Office, now the MSE Finance Suite, in the Zbars’ honor.

Although his tenure on the School’s External Advisory Board concluded 14 years ago, Jack has kept in close contact with Georgia Tech, visiting the School annually and staying in touch with the School’s leadership.

Most recently, Jack and Leda have committed transformative support for MSE through a significant bequest provision, for which we remain profoundly grateful. They have made a commitment of $9 million total in support of Georgia Tech, directing to MSE $1.5 million for an endowed chair, $1 million to an endowed need-based scholarship fund, and a $675,000 endowment in support of faculty retention, recruitment, and development. The couple has made similar commitments for the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. At the Institute level, they have committed $2.5 million for an unrestricted endowment which will provide critical support for the Institute, enabling the President to respond to challenges and opportunities as they arise in the years ahead.

The Brumley D. Pritchett Lecture Series Jennnifer A. Lewis, HansjÖrg Wyss Professor of Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences was the 2014 Pritchett Lecture Series speaker.

Her presentation was entitled “3D Printing of Functional and Biological Materials.” The Pritchett Lecture Series is an annual event established in 2006 as a memorial to the late Col. Brumley D. Pritchett.

When I asked Jack if we could publicize their gift, I knew they might be uncomfortable, as their philanthropy comes not from a need for recognition, but from a desire to make the world a better place. After careful consideration, Jack agreed to let us recognize them for their generosity and said, “We realized that by sharing our story, we could inspire others to give back as well.”

Jennnifer A. Lewis, 2014 Pritchett Lecture Series speaker

Jack and Leda’s philanthropic investments in MSE are indeed inspirational, and the School—its students, faculty, and programs—will benefit from their visionary support for generations to come.

Mary Z. McEneaney, Director of Development

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College of Engineering Alumni Awards Each year, the College of Engineering recognizes select alumni who have contributed to the profession, progressed in their careers, and advanced the lives of others both personally and professionally. The 2014 College of Engineering Alumni Awards Induction Ceremony was held Saturday, April 5, 2014 at the Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta. The following MSE alumni were recognized: Arthur R. Cox, Engineering Alumni Hall of Fame, B.S. ChE ‘61, M.S. Met ‘62, Manager, Advanced Materials and Process Technology, Pratt & Whitney, United Technologies (Retired); Distinguished Engineering Alumnus, 1995.

Mark S. Terry, Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni, B.S. CerE ‘81, President and CEO, Polysius/TKIS. Nicole Nichols Wilson, Council of Outstanding Young Engineering Alumni, B.S. PTCH ‘04, President, Pure Filter Solutions.

MSE Grand Slam with Institute Awards Professor Z.L. Wang received the Class of 1934 Distinguished Professor Award. The award recognizes his tremendous impact on the Institute as a teacher and researcher, and is the highest faculty honor awarded at Georgia Tech.

Professor Ken Sandhage received the Outstanding Faculty Leadership Award for the Development of Graduate Research Assistants. The award recognizes his contributions in providing leadership in direct research advising and support of graduate research assistants, in addition to the impact that he has made on his students and on the greater community.

Z.L. Wang receives the Class of 1934 Distinguished Professor Award from President G.P. “Bud” Peterson

Professor Ken Gall was awarded the Senior Faculty Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award. The award recognizes Gall’s extensive engagement with undergraduates from across the Colleges of Engineering and Sciences, and how he has facilitated these researchers’ success.

Professor Seth Marder (Chemistry, with Courtesy appointment in MSE) received the Outstanding Faculty Research Author Award for his peer-reviewed publications describing the results of his research conducted at Georgia Tech in the past five years. During this period, Marder co-authored more than 125 peer-reviewed publications.

Major External Awards Professor C.P. Wong was elected as a Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE). He was officially inducted at the 2014 CAE Annual Meeting in Beijing in June.

Professor Z.L. Wang was awarded the prestigious NANOSMAT prize based on his breakthrough and inspirational research in the fields of nano-piezo and nano-ferroelectric materials. Wang also received the prestigious James C. McGroddy Prize from the American Physical Society for “seminal contributions to the synthesis, fundamental understanding, and applications of ZnO nanostructures in sensing, energy harvesting, and piezotronics.”

Professor Vladimir Tsukruk was elected as Fellow of the American Chemical Society (ACS). He was formally honored at the 2014 ACS National meeting in San Francisco in August.

Professor Robert Speyer was awarded the Defense ManTech Achievement Award for outstanding technical accomplishments that advance the achievement of the vision of the Department of Defense Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Program.

Professor Wenshan Cai received the 2014 Joseph W. Goodman Book Writing Award for “Optical Metamaterials: Fundamentals and Applications,” published by Springer.

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SCHOOL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING, GEORGIA TECH

“CRAFTed With Pride in the USA” Receives $2 Million from Walmart and the Walmart Foundation A collaborative led by Sundaresan Jayaraman, Kolon Professor in MSE, was awarded a $2 million U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Fund from Walmart and the Walmart Foundation.

The fund is established in conjunction with the United States Conference of Mayors. The announcement came at the 2014 U.S. Manufacturing Summit in Denver, where seven leading research and development institutions were awarded $4 million in grants to create new processes, ideas, and jobs that will foster America’s growing manufacturing footprint.

The collaborative will receive $2 million in funding to further develop the project “CRAFTed With Pride in the USA.” Researchers from Georgia Tech’s CRAFT (Center for Research in Apparel Fabrication Technologies) are collaborating on an automated manufacturing process to create apparel, from blue jeans to T-shirts, without a person sewing.

The innovative technology plan is to use robotics, high-speed machine vision systems and materials-handling machines to create garments of a higher quality and at a lower cost than what is currently realized through offshore manufacturing.

This innovative process automates the refined skills of a person who sews – visual quality control, handling of

material, and sewing. The technology in the team’s proposal exists now as a laboratory prototype that can automatically complete a basic set of sewing functions with a high degree of accuracy. Ultimately, bringing this kind of technology out of the lab and into the real world will give the American apparel industry a muchneeded boost.

“The Walmart Foundation’s U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Fund grant gives us the unique opportunity to transform the labor-intensive apparel manufacturing process into a costeffective, automated and high-tech operation,” said Jayaraman, the principal investigator on the project.

“In doing so, we will fundamentally alter the landscape of today’s apparel industry by neutralizing the cost advantage of low-wage countries and triggering a ‘lost’ industry’s return to America. Bringing this research to life and commercializing it will open new high-tech jobs to manufacture the robots and other equipment needed to make the system work.”

Along with Jayaraman, the Georgia Tech collaborative includes Steve Dickerson, CTO and co-founder of SoftWear Automation, Inc., developer of technologies for apparel automation, a member of Georgia Tech’s Advanced Technology and

Faculty Promotions Zhiqun Lin Lin’s research focuses on understanding the fundamentals of nanostructured functional materials. Lin was promoted from associate to full professor.

Donggang Yao Yao’s research deals with precision molding, composites processing, fiber processing, constitutive modeling, and process modeling.

Yao was promoted from associate to full professor.

Sundaresan Jayaraman with Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed at the summit in Denver

Development Center (ATDC), and professor-emeritus of Georgia Tech’s George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering; and Wayne Book, emeritus HUSCO/Ramirez Professor of Fluid Power and Motion Control in mechanical engineering.

The Walmart Foundation’s U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Fund, which focuses on the development of domestic manufacturing with a specific goal of advancing the production or assembly of consumer products in the U.S., will provide a total of $10 million in grants over the next five years.

Laura Reilly Institute Communications

New Faculty Mark Losego Losego joined MSE in fall 2014 as assistant professor. His research focuses on understanding transport phenomena at organic/inorganic interfaces and in 3-D nanostructured systems used in energy and environmental applications.

Paul Russo Russo joined MSE in spring 2014 as the Hightower Chair in Biopolymers. Russo’s research is rooted in rodlike polymers, such as plant viruses, cellulose derivatives, and aromatic backbone materials.

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Student Spotlight Stefany Holguin chosen as Alfred P. Sloan/Georgia

Institute of Technology University Centers of Exemplary Mentoring (UCEM) Fellow Stefany Holguin was one of seven Georgia Tech Ph.D. students in the inaugural class of UCEM Fellows. The Sloan/Georgia Tech-UCEM fellowship provides financial support in the form of stipend and professional development funds to promote and retain outstanding minority Ph.D. Stefany Holguin, Sloan/Georgia Tech students. Holguin is engaged in interdisciplinary drug delivery research UCEM Fellow utilizing laser-activated nanoparticles. Holguin is co-advised by Professors Naresh Thadhani (MSE) and Mark Prausnitz (ChBE). In her spare time, she participates in outreach activities to promote STEM fields to underrepresented groups.

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a philanthropic, not-for-profit grant-making institution based in New York City. Established in 1934 by Alfred Pritchard Sloan Jr., then President and Chief Executive Officer of General Motors, the Foundation makes grants in support of original research and education in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and economic performance. This grant was made through the Foundation’s STEM Higher Education Program Area, which aims to increase the quality and diversity of higher education in the STEM fields.

Recruiting and Retaining the Best and Brightest Students the MSE Research Scholarship Program How do you attract, retain, and train the best and the brightest students? Give them a scholarship and a challenge. Enter the MSE Research Scholarship Program.

The program, initiated by Professor Valeria Milam, unique to MSE, allows top tier freshman students the opportunity to spend the summer working in a lab setting doing actual research. Beyond providing students with additional cash in their pocket, they experience career enhancing challenges and gain necessary skills for future success.

Students are matched with faculty and industry sponsors to work in an area of mutual interest.

Funding for the program comes from sponsors looking to directly observe, mentor, and evaluate student talent, enhancing future recruiting activities. Additionally, sponsors are invited to participate in the Research Scholars’ poster presentations during the Annual MSE Industry Day event to view all of the program’s research topics and outcomes.

The MSE Research Scholarship Program was unveiled in 2013. Launched with seven students, the numbers doubled for the 2014 program.

Results from the program have been outstanding.

Kevin Fan, a 2013 scholar, describes his experience, “The MSE Research Scholarship Program introduced

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me to professional research and it was my first fulltime employment opportunity in college. It was also the first time I worked closely with a postdoc. I was able to learn advanced lab practices and how to use analytical instruments, some of which I would use again the next summer. As a whole, the program gave me confidence to pursue other research and employment opportunities.”

Many companies have continued their sponsorship. Solvay had such a positive experience regarding the quality of the students and the research results that they increased their sponsorship. “Our support for this program is well aligned with our commitment to nurture the development of the next generation of scientists and engineers who will continue to deliver extraordinary benefits to society and sustainability,” said George Corbin, Director of Research, Development, and Technology at Solvay Specialty Polymers.

In only two summers, the Research Scholarship Program, with continued corporate sponsorship, has made MSE more attractive to some of the best students at Georgia Tech, and provided an experience to explore the world of materials beyond the classroom.

SCHOOL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING, GEORGIA TECH

Ph.D.

M.S.

By the Numbers...

Female

33

3

134

Graduate Students Male

15

Total

167

18

FY14 Degrees Awarded

Fall 2014 Enrollment

Ph.D.

Female

M.S.

Ph.D.

Female

7

2

Male

18

10

Total

25

12

Fall 2014 Student Profile

134

15

Total

167

18

Ph.D.

Research Areas Soft Materials

U.S. National

39%

61%

M.S.

Student Support Female

International

49%

51%

33

3

Male

M.S.

1% 7

2

Federal Scholarships

14%

Male Hard Materials

18

Sponsored Research

10

85%

Other

Total

12

26

Female

Ph.D.

Undergraduate Students Female

FY14 Degrees Awarded

M.S.

36

Male

33

3

62

Total

Fall 2014134 Enrollment 26 Female

Male

15

M.S.

Female

Male

Total

Total

26

Female

Total

Male

36

Ph.D.

167 Total

Female Ph.D.

7

2

7

10% Female

18

10 Male

12 Total

219

M.S.

33%

125

57%

125 Ph.D.

Total

Male

Total

Fall 2014 Student Profile Male

M.S.

10

M.S.

344

219 Female

2

7

18 Declared Concentrations Male

In-state Total

26% 12

Out-of-state

25%

International 219

167

18

Female

62

134

15

125

134 Male

33

62

Male

Female

M.S.

36

3

167

18

Ph.D.

Total

49%

344

18

10 12

Structural / Functional Biomaterials Polymers / Fibers

344

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Entrepreneurship in MSE

T

he InVenture Prize, VentureLab, Startup House, TI:GER – these are just a few of the resources available to entrepreneurs at Georgia Tech.

But did you know we have several MSE faculty members and alumni who have successfully launched their own startups? A few share their stories here.

Professor Robert Speyer, President and CEO, Verco Materials Tell us about your company, Verco Materials.

We manufacture high hardness boron carbide and silicon carbide in complex shapes for armor and wear applications.

How did Verco Materials get started?

It all began with academic research. Boron carbide, (B4C), the 3rd hardest material after diamond, did not sinter well, a process that consolidates particles, eliminating pores to yield a fully dense solid material. We built an instrument called a differential dilatometer that could measure the expansion and contraction of materials during heat treatment to temperatures as high as 4,800 degrees Fahrenheit. We used the dilatometer to study why boron carbide did not sinter well and found ways around the problem, thereby increasing the density of the material. From there, we began considering commercial uses for the product. Armor was an obvious application, since the military had been using boron carbide for body armor since the 1960s.

What support did you receive?

In 2006, we started Verco Materials with the advisory support of Georgia Tech’s Venture Lab, which helps students and faculty commercialize their research. We also received two technology commercialization grants from the Georgia Research Alliance to fabricate prototypes for military usage.

Over the life of the company we have received more than $7 million in government contracts to further our development and growth.

Professor Speyer demonstrating a formed ceramic, a trademark of Verco Materials

cost competitive. Also, having frequent interaction with various manufacturing processes has given me a different perspective. There are nuances in every piece of equipment. A lot of ‘lessons learned’ have made their way into my teaching.

What stumbling points have you encountered?

Early on, I believed it would be easy to move laboratory research to a commercial setting. There were a lot of things I didn’t consider. It’s not as easy as it looks on paper.

What advice do you have for future entrepreneurs?

Be careful – not all startups succeed. There is a lot of risk. But it’s fun to see everything come to fruition on a commercial scale.

What has been your most satisfying moment?

Watching the company grow and enjoying the comradery among our employees – all Georgia Tech graduates.

Has owning a company affected your teaching?

Definitely! I have developed a much stronger corporate sensitivity. In principle, you want to produce the best product possible. Being in business, I now realize there are constraints that must be considered. You must be

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SCHOOL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING, GEORGIA TECH

Entrepreneurship in MSE Professor Ken Gall, Founder, Consultant, Vertera Spine and MedShape You’ve started two companies. What can you tell us about them?

MedShape is an orthopedic device company that uses proprietary shape memory biomaterials that transform and adapt inside the body. Vertera Spine is developing and commercializing unique spine solutions that improve the way spinal implants integrate with bone.

Professor Gall develops unique shape-memory polymers to open blocked arteries, probe neurons in the brain, and engineer a tougher spine

What motivates you?

I’m considered a translational researcher. I like to see research that can have a societal impact translated to commercial uses. It’s rewarding to see your research put to practical applications that have relatively short-term, direct benefits.

How do you balance your academic research with your startup commitments?

The balance can be challenging. You can’t wedge time in a bucket. There are certain commitments that I just can’t make – both with my teaching responsibilities and with MedShape and Vertera. But there are also many advantages. I’m able to attract alternative funding sources I didn’t have access to before. It also gives me a different perspective on research.

Have you faced any sacrifices?

I’ve been limited in my ability to pursue basic scientific research. I’m not leading a big research center, but I’m happy where I am.

With two successful startups, will you continue in academia?

Definitely. I started MedShape in 2005 and I’m still here. I really like working with students, as well as teaching and researching. Also, being at Georgia Tech gives me access to cutting edge technology that is not available anywhere else.

How has being in business impacted your teaching?

It has been extremely helpful. I started with zero industry experience. Now I can relate my experience with my students using real-world examples. I’m also using what I’ve learned to teach a special topics class, Materials Entrepreneurship, on how to start a company. The course meets once a week and covers everything from product conception and fund raising to market launch. The course culminates with students presenting plans for commercializing their own idea/product.

What resources at Georgia Tech have helped?

VentureLab was instrumental in helping to secure funding with Georgia Research Alliance commercialization grants for both Vertera and MedShape. Georgia Tech, with its many resources available to entrepreneurs, is a great place for startups.

What is your next venture?

MedShape is close to being profitable – quite an accomplishment for a medical device company. We are anticipating FDA clearance for Vertera’s products in 2015.

What advice do you have for future entrepreneurs?

You need to be able to adapt quickly. Things can be very dynamic. There will never be a perfect alignment of the stars.

Just jump in and get started. Prior to starting MedShape, I kept waiting for the right moment to move ahead. Later, I realized I could have started it years before.

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Entrepreneurship in MSE Yancy Riddle, M.S. MSE ‘98, Ph.D. MSE ‘01, CEO, SixthSense MedTech Tell us about SixthSense MedTech.

We make a very sophisticated imaging integration device used during cardiac surgeries.

Did you always want to be an entrepreneur?

No. I started my career in large scale industry as a mechanical engineer designing products, industrial processes, and manufacturing equipment. Along the way I learned a lot about best practices in manufacturing and eventually became involved in the implementation of best practices across various departments. I didn’t notice it at the time, but I was always willing to jump into the unknown to tackle issues. I wasn’t afraid of failing during the pursuit of success. This attitude is what has driven me towards entrepreneurship.

How did MSE at Georgia Tech contribute to your entrepreneurial spirit?

MSE encourages wide creative latitude, giving you an opportunity to solve real world industrial needs. That appeals to me.

What sacrifices have you had to make?

I’ve been fortunate to travel the world many times over for many different business and personal reasons. That has been highly enriching for which there is no substitute, but it does sometimes come at the expense of a conventional lifestyle. Sometimes the ventures are short lived and I need to move. That can be very disruptive to your personal life.

What setbacks have you encountered?

I started as an engineer focused on perfection and ignoring the other parts of what makes a business successful. I lacked an appreciation for the work of other departments.

I thought that without engineers making great products/ services, a company was doomed. My career growth stalled for a few years until I realized I needed to work together with other departments and develop a real understanding of what they do, how they do it, and be 9999999able to communicate with them in their own language.

What would you say to students and faculty to encourage entrepreneurism?

Don’t be afraid of failure, especially at a young age because your elasticity is very high. You’ll bounce back higher than you fell. That probably breaks a law of physics, but not a law of business.

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Nicole Nichols Wilson, B.S. PTCH ‘04, President, Pure Filter Solutions What is Pure Filter Solutions?

We make filters that remove contaminants from water being pumped from manholes/vaults and above ground structures. Our filters are used by many Fortune 500 utility companies, their contractors and spill response companies, because our technologies significantly reduce their liabilities and water treatment costs.

Did you always want to be an entrepreneur?

I grew up in a home of entrepreneurs. I knew it was not an easy route, but it definitely is the most fulfilling one for me.

Did MSE at Georgia Tech help your entrepreneurial spirit?

MSE gave me the support I needed to be successful in school and continues to provide support now that I’m out of school. Professor Fred Cook serves as technical advisor to Pure Filter Solutions.

What sacrifices have you faced?

When I first started out I moved home to my mom’s. I was sewing long hours in her basement, living on very little money and being a “one woman” show until I got it off the ground.

What have been your stumbling points?

Learning that I can’t do it all myself and determining where I need help the most.

What has been your most satisfying moment?

There are so many, but overall, the moments when I stop and think: look at what we have created. [Seeing] all the years of hard work paying off.

What advice would you give to future entrepreneurs?

Do what you love, take pride in your work, whether you are an entrepreneur or not. Surround yourself with family and friends who will encourage and support you.

What’s your next endeavor?

We are actively developing and testing filters to clean produced water for reuse in hydraulic fracturing.

Any other advice you’d like to share?

Start small - bigger isn’t always better. I started in my mother’s basement with two industrial sewing machines and sewed until I could afford a manufacturing facility. It takes time, passion, and hard work.

SCHOOL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING, GEORGIA TECH

Students Shine at the Annual MSE Poster Competition The Annual MSE Poster Competition was held Thursday, March 27, 2014 in the Christopher W. Klaus Advanced Computing Building.

2014 Graduate poster competition winners, alphabetically: Jennifer Breidenich, Phillip Campbell, Xin Dong, Nathan Evans, Chaowei Feng, Jeffrey Geldmeier, Stefany Holguin, Kesong Hu, Ruilong Ma, Bradley Newcomb, Simiao Niu, Timothy Pruyn, Shalini Saxena, David Scripka, Matthew Smith, Gordon Waller, Yushu Wang, Ruomeng Yu

The competition was organized and run by the Graduate Student Advisory Group, (GSAG).

The premier sponsor of the event was Solvay, a global company founded in 1863, serving diversified markets worldwide, from consumer goods to energy. Additional sponsors included GE, NicePak, TE Connectivity, Invista, Atlanta Chapter of ASM International, Technical Polymers, and PhosphorTech.

2014 Undergraduate poster competition winners, alphabetically: Janine Feirer, Keith Johnson, Julien Turner

For the 62 poster participants, the competition provided an opportunity to showcase their research, and connect and share their work with industry representatives, faculty, and other students. Industry representatives, including those with an eye to future hiring, were provided an opportunity to get to know the skills and capabilities of the participating students.

Prizes were awarded for the following categories: Biomaterials, Nanomaterials, Structural Materials, Energy/Electronic Materials, Polymers, Undergraduate, and Best in Show. Posters were judged on quality of research, poster design and presentation, as well as each student’s verbal presentation of his or her research. Graduate student Nathan Evans won the Solvay Best in Show award, valued at $1000.

Annual MSE Industry Day MSE faculty and students had the opportunity to showcase their cutting-edge research at the annual MSE Industry Day on Thursday, October 30, 2014.

The day began with industry panel presentations for both graduate and undergraduate students. The panelists discussed how they got where they are today and provided guidance about what industry looks for when hiring. They also related how their Georgia Tech experience influenced their current work and professional success. Represented organizations included PepsiCo, The American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics, Ginn Mineral Technology, EcoLab, Halyard Health, and others.

A poster session showcased the experiences of our students and types of research being conducted in practically all forms of materials, addressing societal grand challenges in the areas of energy, environment, health and human welfare, infrastructure, security, and transportation.

The highlight of the day was an Industry Networking Career Social, a forum for representatives from industry to present employment, co-op, and internship opportunities at their organization, and have one-on-one, speed-dating style interviews with our undergraduate and graduate students.

Graduate student Parisa Pooyan discusses her research with industry guest, John Herbert, TCh ‘91

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fall 2014 771 Ferst Drive • Atlanta, GA 30332-0245

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 3023 ATLANTA,GA

www.mse.gatech.edu

MSE External Advisory Board Ms. Jennifer P. Bailey, CerE ’70, M.S. CerE ‘71, BASF (Retired)

Mr. Gary Foote, President, Technical Polymers

Dr. David Bowden, M.S. Met ’78, Ph.D. Chem ‘82, Technical Fellow, Boeing Company

Mr. Michael L. Fulbright, Text ‘72, President and CEO (Retired), JPS Industries, Inc.

Mr. G. L. (Roy) Bowen, III, President, Georgia Association of Manufacturers

Mr. Michael Ginn, M.S. CerE ‘80, Ginn Mineral Technology, Inc.

Mr. Fran Brantley, Text ‘64, Vice President (Retired), J&J Industries

Dr. Parmeet Grover, M.S. MetE ’93, Ph.D. MetE ’96, Partner, McKinsey & Company, Inc.

Mr. Lee Bryan, President, TenCate Geosynthetics, North America Dr. George Corbin, Director of Research, Development, and Technology, Solvay Specialty Polymers

Dr. Kurt Jacobus, ME ‘93, (Chair), Chairman, President and CEO, MedShape, Inc.

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Dr. Sandra H. Magnus, Ph.D. CerE ‘96, President, The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Mr. Jeffrey A. Martin, TE ‘82, President and CEO, Yulex Corporation Dr. Yancy W. Riddle, M.S. MSE ’98, Ph.D. MSE ‘01, CEO, SixthSense MedTech Mr. Herb Upton, Mgt. ‘93, Director, Specialty Products Division, Shaw Industries Group Mr. Phil Williams, Text ‘70, Vice President, Consultants and Builders, Inc.

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Alyssa Barnes, Communication Officer alyssa.barnes@mse.gatech.edu