Matt Kelly, ESM doctoral student, will present an invited paper titled "Quantitative Microstructural Analysis of Thermal Barrier Coatings Produced by Electron Beam Physical Vapor Deposition", at the 31st International Cocoa Beach Conference & Exposition on Advanced Ceramics and Composites to be held in Daytona Beach, FL, January 21-26, 2007. Mr. Kelly's doctoral research is being conducted in collaboration with Drs. Judith A. Todd and Jogender Singh.

Mr. Eric So (ESM doctoral student) will attend the NIH-UMN (University of Minnesota) Embryonic Stem Cell Training Program in Minneapolis, MN, January 8 - 12, 2007. The 3-day training course provides hands-on training in the culture of human embryonic stem cells (hESC). Participants will be offered written training materials, laboratory instruction and practice, as well as lectures from experts in the field on stem cell research and clinical applications.

Mr. So is conducting graduate student research under the direction of Dr. Melik Demirel.

Carolyn Denomme (Engineering Science senior) will be attending the Women and Science/Technology Policy Seminar to be held January 8-12, 2007, in Washington, DC. The seminar is designed for women students majoring in science and technology and provides an opportunity for the participants to interact with women policymakers in science and technology. Student participants will meet women leaders in the Congress, government offices and agencies; discuss public policy issues, and learn about the connections between science/technology and public policy by visiting the National Institutes of Health, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Congressional offices and the National Science Foundation.

Ms. Denomme's participation in this event is sponsored by the Engineering Science and Mechanics Department, Women in Engineering and Shreyer Honors College.