2012 IJTC Keynote Summary

If you missed this year's IJTC, or if you missed the keynote while you were there, you may be interested in taking a look at this one-of-a-kind presentation now.

Frankie Flood, professor at University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and this year's keynote presenter, was kind enough to provide a copy of his presentation, and a link to the video that was also played during the presentation - The Making of a Medallion.

The talk features multiple projects, provides some great insight into UMW's programs and conveys the overall theme of the talk entitled Material, Form and Function: The Art of Tribology. You can get more information at Flood's website, his blog, or read our pre-conference interview with him. Enjoy!


The Making of a Medallion from frankie flood on Vimeo.

Your Post-Conference To-Do List

Here is a quick list of things you should do once you get back from any industry conference - once the jet lag or the gallons of coffee wear off...

1. Sort through business cards you got at the event. Hopefully, you made notes on the back of each card to make the next step easier. Put them into piles - those that require immediate attention and those you can wait a day or two to follow up with.
2. Send some emails and connect online with those you met at the conference. You should include some of the items you discussed or at least where you met. Make it personalized so that person feels like the interaction was important. Use business cards to find these folks online - via LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.
3. Follow up on action items - chances are you added some to-dos to your list while at the conference, so be sure to make good on what you promised.
4. Review your notes and share what you learned - organize and start to create a report for yourself on what you attended, what you learned, what you'd like to learn more about, and so on. Some supervisors ask that you create a report of the event, but even if they don't, consider copying them anyway. It never hurts to provide some tangible ROI (in preparation for next year), and you can send notes to your colleagues to share ideas and information from the meeting. You may also consider posting your summaries, photos and other media on a blog or on STLE's blog to share with other conference attendees - it's a great way to maintain the dialogue and make new contacts. If you want to be a conference blogger, just let me know via email klemar@stle.org. We'd love to have your perspective! 
5. Search for blogs and other items published by fellow attendees - make comments and follow up with their input - you may make even hear about something you missed.
6. Start planning for next year - if you are considering presenting, attending or participating in some other way, start planning for it now. You'll have an advantage when your work starts to pile up later in the year.
7. And, if you feel like it, unpack somewhere before or between steps 1 and 6.

What's on your list? What do you traditionally do after a conference to get the most out of the experience?

Surviving a Conference: Essential Tools You Must Have!

Whether you're attending the upcoming #IJTC2012, or you're planning on attending #STLE2013 in Detroit, MI, here are some great tools that could come in handy as you walk around the show or prepare for your trip:

• TaxiMagic: a travel app to help you get from the conference to the airport and back
• GroupMe: free group text messaging - use with co-workers or colleagues on site to coordinate plans
• Evernote: take notes and share with others at the conference (if you're into sharing)
• Cardmunch: iPhone app that allows you to scan a card on the spot, connect with that person on LinkedIn and make notes about the conversation and when/where you met them. You can also send emails to the contact from the app and forward the contact to your other accounts or to someone else.
• #IJTC2012 and #STLE2013: use the Twitter hashtag to keep up with the conference - including sessions you cannot attend, connecting with other attendees and making your own comments/notes for post-conference use. If following, use a social media management/monitoring tool to keep up with discussions and tweetable tidbits (i.e. Tweetchat, Hootsuite, Tweetdeck, etc.); you can also use Storify to organize all the relevant items mentioned about the conference that you've found on social media
• Flickr: share photos in real time on STLE's photo stream either by uploading your own photos or by tagging yourself and friends in the photos we post. You could use any photo-sharing site - another popular site is Picasa. If you want it on the go, you can use Instagram.

If this is your first time attending, see our tips to help you acclimate. Once the event is over, be sure to check out our upcoming post on what to do after the conference.

What are your tips, tricks and best practices for attending a conference? What apps, tools, resources or websites would you recommend for the upcoming meeting? Leave a comment and make suggestions for your fellow travelers!

20 Minutes with Frankie Flood, #IJTC2012 Keynote

In this interview, we spend some time with Frankie Flood, the 2012 International Joint Tribology Conference Keynote, who will speak on Material, Form and Function: The Art of Tribology. Click here for more information about his keynote address.


How were you first introduced to tribology? How did you get into this field? I was introduced to the formal field of tribology by a engineering colleague at my University. But I was introduced to tribology as a real world application as a young boy when I rebuilt my first combustion engine. Since then my knowledge of the field of tribology has grown through my personal research. Using machine tools to create my artistic work as well as teaching industrial processes and methodologies to my students as ways of creating new designs, ideas, and objects has lead to interesting investigations into tribology.



Did anyone inspire you, or serve as your mentor? If so, who? I have had several mentors that have helped me achieve my professional goals and helped me navigate the institution, but the largest inspiration has been my parents in supporting my interests as a child and encouraging me to follow my academic interests. My talk will discuss some of my early experiences which helped guide me to this point.



What led you to teaching? I was fortunate enough to have several teachers throughout my life that encouraged me to pursue my interests in the academic setting. These same teachers were passionate about what it was that they taught and practiced. I remember being enthralled by the knowledge and experience that they had and how exciting it was to learn new things from them. The sharing of knowledge is at the core of human existence and I can’t think of any other profession that I would rather be a part of. Seeing my students eyes light up when there is a moment of discovery and getting to pursue the things that I am passionate about makes my job the best in the world.

What is a typical work day like for you and what do you enjoy most? I teach three studio courses in Art & Design (Jewelry and Metalsmithing specifically) per semester so every other day is a complete day of teaching from 8:00 am to 6:30 pm. Our studio courses are two and half hours long and usually involve several demonstrations on metal working techniques and hands on lab based work. The days that I am not teaching are usually filled with meetings with graduate students/faculty meetings/ and time developing UWM’s new Digital Craft Research Lab. I usually reserve part of Friday and Saturday for time in my personal studio to develop my own work and research.


The thing I enjoy most about my job is the fact that it centers around the act of learning.  I feel that it is important to cultivate the idea of becoming a lifelong learner. I really enjoy the interactions with my students. Being able to work in a collaborative environment with students who are actively engaged in solving design or technical problems makes me look forward to my daily routine. It is such a privilege for me to be able to learn from these interactions as well. I also enjoy my personal time in my studio as this is time for me to experiment and test different ideas with a hands on approach to design, material, and technique.

Why do you study metallurgy and tribology? What’s the link for you between these fields and art? My interest in machines started at an early age. I was always interested in how things worked and when I was introduced to the field of metalsmithing I was hooked. The techniques of metalworking always relied on a basic scientific knowledge of what was happening when you “worked” the metal. The challenge of knowing what is happening to a material as you work with it is still something that intrigues me and that I utilize in the creation of my ideas, work, and research. The link between metallurgy and tribology with the field of art is understanding material, design, and function



Pizza cutter made for
Bravo's Top Chef, Mike Isabella



Where do your project ideas come from? What’s your inspiration? My project ideas usually come from some kind of technical exploration or a need to express an idea about a certain topic. The investigation of learning about how machines “work” and the ideas of function have always been topics of interest. I am inspired by the objects that we surround ourselves with in our daily lives, and the routines, rituals, and leisure that we engage in with these objects. These objects and their function shape our world and define us and that is such an interesting source of inspiration to me.

What kinds of materials do you use? Why these materials? I primarily utilize metal (specifically 6061/6062 aluminum) for most of my creations, but also utilize plastics and composites in the creation of my work. Aluminum has always been a metal of choice for me due to it low weight, ability to be colored via anodizing, workability, etc. It is easy to machine and this allows for a wide range of surfaces to be developed into a object. Aluminum has also always been a metal used primarily in industry and so many of my pieces are responses to the mass produced objects of industry.
What comes first: the project design or the material? Does the choice of material influence your design? The project design and function always dictates material choice. That said, the materials that I utilize always have meaning and therefore cannot be divorced from the thought behind a piece.

Flood in his studio, next to his pizza cutter designs

How do you determine when a project is finished?   A project is finished when it has been completed to a level that I am content with in terms of final finish (aka. craftsmanship), function, design, and design intent. If any one of these are not up to my personal standard then the piece is not considered complete.

How do you encourage innovative thinking among your students or colleagues? I try to encourage innovative thinking in my classroom by asking my students to design without limitations and to ask themselves “what if...?”. If we only use the techniques, materials, and procedures we already know then we are limited and not exploring “what could be”. I ask my students to dream big and then together, as a group, we will solve the issues or barriers that keep us from doing what we set out to do. There is no barrier too large that can’t be solved and often the limitations that you are faced with will force you to solve the problem in creative and innovative ways. I also stress the importance of “making” or prototyping. Working with a material and seeing how things react informs the design and problem solving process as well as future knowledge. There is no substitute for the hands on approach to learning.

What should other researchers take away from your approach/methods? Generating ideas is at the center of solving problems and creating innovative solutions, but the creative process also involves testing, making, responding, and remaking. I hope to encourage researchers to embrace making, current technology and do it yourself ingenuity. Increasing the ability of our students to problem solve through their knowledge of material, design, and function will have a large impact on the ideas and objects that are developed in the future and will lead to new jobs and fields of study.
You'll have a chance to meet Frankie at the 2012 IJTC, which will be held October 8-10, 2012 in Denver, Colorado. Click here for more information or to register for the conference. If you have any questions for him, feel free to pose them in the comments below.

#IJTC2012: Student & Young Professional Networking Event to be held at the Wynkoop Brewing Company

This year, we'll be hosting the first Student & Young Professional Networking Event at the IJTC and we invite you to join us! This event is designed for those who are just starting out in the field (less than 5 years in industry) or for those who are finishing up work on their degree. This event is designed with you in mind - giving you an opportunity to meet and mingle with your peers before the conference starts and allow you to meet some key STLE members. Plus, you get to have a little fun along the way!

The event will take place at a local" brew pub" (brewing company and pub), which is a short 10 minute walk from the Westin. We wanted to give you a true taste of Denver, and since there are more than 100 breweries and brewpubs in Colorado, we figured this would be the right place.

Date/Time: Sunday, October 7, 7-10 p.m.
Location: Wynkoop Brewing Company (follow @Wynkoop, or Like them on FB) - we'll meet in the hotel lobby and walk over together (or you can get there on your own and meet us at 1634 18th Street).
Includes: appetizers, dessert and a drink (more details TBA)
Cost: FREE!  (must RSVP)

Watch the video below to get a preview of the location and the tour we'll get with one of their Brewmasters! In addition to the brewery tour, we'll have trivia and pool tables you can use at your leisure.



Trivia question: Based on the number of breweries per capita in the U.S., where does Colorado rank? (Answer: 2nd). If you're not a Colorado/Denver buff, no worries. We'll have a mix of questions - tribology-related, pop culture, location-based and more...you'll just have to attend to see what we come up with!

We hope to see you there!

If you are interested in joining us for this event, you must RSVP by September 14 to Kara Sniegowski. If you have any questions, you can email or give us a call. Note: you can follow event details via the hashtag #IJTC2012, or by following STLE.

#IJTC2012: 1 month until the Early Bird Deadline

Are you joining us in Denver, Colorado (USA) for the 2012 International Joint Tribology Conference (October 8-10)?

You should!

And if you are, we'll have some handy posts as we get closer to the conference including event notices and deadlines, more information about the Student and Young Professionals Networking Event (to be held Sunday, October 7), our Survival Guide to Industrial Conferences, and posts that include resources to plan your trip, including places to see, places to eat and places to visit.

You can follow any and all event news and information on Twitter via the hashtag #IJTC2012. You can also start planning out your conference plan-of-attack via the technical program that is now posted on ASME's website. Be sure to register AND book your hotel. You probably want both.

Are you signed up already? Leave a comment on what you are looking forward to the most - whether it's networking, a specific technical track, or something else, let us know!

Planning Your Trip to Denver for #IJTC2012

A conference typically involves a lot of planning, both on the part of the organizers and the attendees. Below are some tips you can use to start getting ready for #IJTC2012.

Preparing

• What to pack in your suitcase: try this list to make sure you remember everything!
• Scoping out the weather: typically, in October, the average high is in the mid-60s, and the average low is in the mid-30s, so it will be a little chilly. Bear in mind that the first snowfall happens sometime in October. Plus, you have to remember you're in a hotel - you should always have a sweater/cardigan on hand, or dress in layers.
• Traveling: This travel guide via WikiTravel lists a great number of options, and this post via Visit Denver are a great help for getting around once you've arrived. If you're flying, you'll be flying into DEN (Denver, Colorado). This airport has lots of options on flight times and destinations. If you're driving, be sure to map out your trip with directions right to the Westin Downtown (1672 Lawrence St., Denver, CO 80202). You can also look up driving directions from Visit Denver.
• What to wear: generally, we want you to feel comfortable while attending. You may feel more comfortable wearing business casual or business professional attire when you are presenting or for meetings with other attendees, but the typical dress code is casual or business casual.
• Creating your conference plan-of-attack: check out the Preliminary Program Guide and find sessions of interest. Then, create a spreadsheet or itinerary that maps out where you'll be each day and when (include the room numbers, floor and all other details you may need). It helps you get a handle on all the events that happen at the conference.
• Connecting with other attendees: check the attendee list once it's posted, and reach out to all those you think might be interested in similar topics. Also, consider becoming a featured member, and take a look at those already posted and compare to the attendee list, so you can get to know them before you meet.
• What to pack in your bag for sessions (i.e. your conference kit): business cards; your phone (on silent, of course), gum, granola bars, water bottle, laptop/iPad and charger, writing pad/folio and pen/pencil.
• Updates: be sure to follow the conference hashtag on Twitter #IJTC2012 for any news, room changes, meeting notices, and more. It's a great way to get accurate, updated information quickly! Plus, you can use it as a way of taking notes while you're on site and share great sessions with others, so they can pop in to the presentation or discuss after it's concluded.
• First time attending a conference? Check out our list of tips.   

What are your tips for getting ready for a conference? What are you looking forward to at this year's IJTC?