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.

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!

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?

Antonis Vakis, Harman Khare discuss their experience at the 2011 IJTC

This week, we feature two interviews with Student Poster Competition winners from the 2011 International Joint Tribology Conference.

In this first interview, we talk to Antonis Vakis (at right), who was one of three students to place in the competition (alongside Harman Khare and Justin Ye). In the interview, Antonis talks about his experience, what it's like to present, and encourages all students to get involved in conferences and technical societies like STLE.

Be sure to check out the March issue of TLT, where Antonis' extended abstract was published. Harman's will be published in April and Justin's will be published later on in the summer.

In the second interview, we hear from Harman Khare (at right), who was also one of the winners from the Student Poster Competition. Harman discusses his experience from the conference and competition, the steps leading up to presenting, and the number one benefit he sees from participation: the opportunity to present in front of peers and get feedback on research. According to Harman, conferences like the IJTC are "idea factories" which assist you in your own research.

To get the full experience, you can watch both presentations:
Antonis Vakis: 3-DOF Model of Magnetic Storage Head Disk Interface for Use with Adhesive Contact Model with Friction
Harman Khare: Characterization of Nanoscale Surface Films in Solid Lubricants

The student poster competition is held each year at both STLE conferences - the IJTC and the STLE Annual Meeting. Click here to see photos from the IJTC - and feel free to keep submitting your own photos, and use this as a way to find photos of yourself and your colleagues. You can also see a full list of the Poster Competition participants and winners on the Award Winners page. For details on this year's Annual Meeting Student Poster Competition, visit the event page.

The 2011 International Joint Tribology Conference

Attending the IJTC? Not sure yet? Have no idea what the IJTC is? This interview will provide all the information you might need. Our interviewee, Q. Jane Wang, is a professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Northwestern University. She is currently serving as the Chair of the ASME/STLE Conference Planning Committee for the IJTC, making her well acquainted with the event both as part of the committee, but also a past attendee and presenter. She covers all the ins and outs of the conference including the different components - the keynote, symposia, technical tracks, presentations and exhibits.

Click on the slider bar above to play the episode in your screen, download the episode, or read and translate the transcript. You can read the article on the keynote speaker in the August issue of TLT. There are also other articles you can read on the IJTC to give you a sense of past events and highlights and developments from the last few years.

Visit our website for more news and information about the IJTC. New information is posted often, so be sure to bookmark the page to stay updated. On our website, you can register online, make hotel reservations, find information for authors and presenters, view photos from last year, and even get information on sponsorship if you're a company looking for some exposure at this truly unique meeting. Don't forget about Early Bird Registration, which can save you $100 on your meeting registration. It expires September 26.