2009 Materials Research Society Spring Meeting Embraces Topics from Electronics to Energy
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2009 Materials Research Society Spring Meeting Embraces Topics from Electronics to Energy See Expanded Meeting Coverage: www.mrs.org/S09MeetingReport The 2009 Materials Research Society Spring Meeting, chaired by Paul R. Besser (CMOS Industry), Peter Fratzl (MaxPlanck-Institute of Colloids and Interfaces), Nicola Spaldin (University of California, Santa Barbara), and Terry M. Tritt (Clemson University), was held on April 13–17, 2009, in San Francisco, Calif. Through 41 symposia, symposium organizers from around the world expanded the standard Spring meeting focus on electronic materials and devices to also include coverage of developments in the areas of bio- and nanomaterials and materialsrelated energy issues. The Meeting included oral and poster presentations, award talks, an international equipment and resource exhibit, and special outreach and educational opportunities, including tutorials, professional development for women in materials science and engineering, and information on government funding and policymaking, including a tutorial on how to write grant proposals. This year, the Meeting Chairs also directed a spotlight on materials solutions to challenges in the developing world (see sidebar). To carry through with the Society’s imperative to use materials research to improve the quality of life, the meeting offered a cluster of symposia on energy and the environment. Symposium R on renewable energy opened with a session on the global energy landscape, building on the recent MRS Bulletin issue, “Harnessing Materials for Energy” (April 2008). D. Steingart (City College of New York) started the session with a look at wireless sensor networks for energy and process monitoring. By measuring pressure, temperature, current, potential, humidity, and other parameters, sensors integrated into energy-intensive processes can help manage and save energy, he said. Additionally, energy from vibrations, waste heat, or sunlight can be harvested locally to power these devices, which operate well under 1 mW. While harvesting energy is the long-term solution, Steingart said there is nothing wrong with using batteries or other power sources until the art of harvesting local energy is optimized. He gave an example of aluminum smelting plants, where monitoring heat and other param-
Nobel laureate Walter Kohn of the University of California, Santa Barbara gave the plenary address on the topic of materials challenges in solar energy.
eters can be used to adjust processes and increase plant efficiency beyond the typical 45–50% generally achieved today. Determining a trajectory for energy technologies for the future requires an understanding of available resources from traditional and new sources. R. Sassoon from the Global Climate & Energy Project at Stanford University presented the concept of “exergy,” or the useful portion of energy that is available to do work, looking at all sources including the sun, wind, tides, fossil fuels, biofuels, nuclear materials, and geothermal resources. He explained that exergy is calculated f
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