Materials.Business Newsletter ⚙️ January 25th, 2024
Podcast Guest: Florent Bocher
Summary of the discussion
The podcast, hosted by Monica, features Florent as the guest. The primary focus is on the connection between modeling environments on Saturn's moon Enceladus and tools used for modeling corrosive environments on Earth. The conversation delves into challenges, collaborative opportunities, and ethical considerations in the field of corrosion, particularly in the pursuit of sustainability.
Main Topics Covered:
Modeling Environments on Enceladus: Monica and Florent discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by Enceladus, Saturn's moon. Florent describes the overlaps in elements and chemicals between Enceladus and Earth, highlighting its slightly cooler environment and the presence of liquid or solid water pressure. Collaboration with a space scientist colleague at SwRI allowed Florent to identify more overlap than initially anticipated. The challenge lies in addressing the presence of organics, opening up new avenues for research in corrosion.
Sustainability in Corrosion: Reflecting on a project with colleague Erica Macha at SwRI seven years ago, Florent explores the term "sustainability" in the corrosion context. He emphasizes that while corrosion engineering may not be the primary requirement for developing sustainable technologies, addressing corrosion issues is crucial for the successful deployment of these technologies. Good corrosion management plays a pivotal role in achieving sustainability goals. "Lets not get hang-out on the term, and start working on it", he sais....
Challenges in Diverse Sectors: Florent elaborates on his involvement in corrosion projects across various sectors, including biofuels, electric vehicles, and new energy. He discusses how challenges in biofuel production mimic those in traditional fuels, emphasizing the need to qualify materials for new fuels. In the realm of new energy, he highlights the shortage of data and testing capabilities for emerging technologies like molten salt energy storage, presenting unique corrosion challenges.
Advancements in Corrosion Research: Florent introduces the significance of analyzing large data sets in corrosion research. He emphasizes the shift toward higher-throughput techniques for more informed decision-making. However, he distinguishes this from the buzzwords of Big Data, Neural Networks, or Artificial Intelligence, underscoring the importance of larger but not excessively massive data sets.
Ethical and Practical Considerations: In the absence of a specific case study due to the nature of R&D work, Florent discusses lessons learned, including the acceleration of technology transfer through collaboration and the necessity of effective communication. He emphasizes the role of corrosion specialists in preventing delays in deploying high-potential sustainable technologies.
Florent addresses the ethical considerations in the materials and corrosion profession, emphasizing the importance of remaining humble. He points out that while materials engineering is foundational to many technological efforts, its success may often go unnoticed. "You have to make pace with the fact that you are not the most important person in the room", said Florent. Effective communication and collaboration are ethical imperatives, ensuring that corrosion challenges are recognized and addressed in sustainable projects.
The podcast concludes with reflections on collaborative efforts, communication strategies, and ethical considerations, stressing the crucial role of corrosion expertise in technological advancements. Florent's insights underscore the significance of humility, effective communication, and collaboration in addressing corrosion challenges for a sustainable future.
Florent Bocher graduated with a master in materials engineering from ESSTIN (now Polytech Nancy) in France and a PhD in Materials Science from Imperial College London, UK, in 2005. He worked as a postdoctoral assistant and then a research scientist for 4 years at the Center for Electrochemical Science and Engineering at the University of Virginia. He has been at Southwest Research Institute, in San Antonio, Texas, since 2009.
He has been involved in different aspects of corrosion R&D during his career. From studying the corrosion properties of novel aluminum for wing skin to evaluating materials for high temperature and pressure turbine applications. His original focus was on hands-on experimental work, but he has expanded his interest to using environmental modeling tools, development of high pressure high temperature test facilities, and improvement of large corrosion data collection and storage. For over five years, the focus of his work has shifted to supporting the corrosion needs in transitioning towards more sustainable technologies.
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Attention WOMEN in Corrosion!
This year the young EFC - European Federation of Corrosion joined efforts with EFC EDI task force, M.S.C.A. Steminist, Coatings - Open Access Journal and Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to organize the Women in Science Week 2024!
We invite you all to join us from 5-9th February 2024 to participate in FREE webinars with renowned scientists and a scavenger hunt, where you can win a prize
Keynote speakers and topics:
Monday, 5 Feb - 11:00 CET: Prof. Véronique Vitry: It's never too early to start being a Woman in Science
Tuesday, 6 Feb - 11:00 CET: Cécile Deprez: Addressing microaggressions in the workplace
17:00 CET: Monica Hernandez: Breaking Barriers and Creating Solutions in Corrosion Science
Wednesday, 7 Feb - 11:00 CET: Prof. Anna Sandak: Curiosity and Humility – Key Elements for Scientific Breakthrough
Thursday, 8 Feb - 11:00 CET: Stephanie Siewert: Women in Science Communication
17:00 CET: Ulrike Boehm: Gender equality, so what? Why it matters, and what we can do
Friday, 9 Feb - 11:00 CET: Tamara Tuvic: Women in Science: Publishing and Meet an Editor Q&A
Key dates:
February 2nd 2024: registration deadline
February 5-9th 2024: Women in Science Week
👉 Register at: https://lnkd.in/dGcRGBeT
Next Podcast Episode !!!
Industry events on the lookout !!!
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Did you know we are the KNOWLEDGE PARTNER for MECOC 2024?
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We will be chairing the session: Materials and Corrosion Management for a Sustainable Future - consider submitting an abstract before Feb.09.2024.
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