MMI Hosts Materials Science Expert As Visiting Professor
MIDLAND -- The Michigan Molecular Institute's Turner Alfrey Visiting Professorship will set the stage for a week's worth of expert instruction in the field of materials science later this month.
MMI's TAVP series will welcome Professor Kenneth R. Shull to Midland. Shull is Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University. At MMI, he will give a course entitled Elasticity and Fracture of Soft Materials to local scientists and other interested parties. The course will take place June 17-21 from 3 to 6 p.m. at MMI's lecture hall.
Shull's arrival marks the 39th such visit by a distinguished polymer researcher in the visiting professor program, established in 1973 and renamed in 1981 as a living memorial to the late Turner Alfrey, Jr. Each year, a leading scientist is invited to teach a short course, visit sponsoring organizations and deliver additional research seminars.
"The Turner Alfrey Visiting Professorship benefits many people," said MMI Senior Research Scientist and Program Manager Steve Keinath. "It provides a point of connection between local scientists and engineers with the world leaders of the polymer science field, offering a chance for true face-to-face give-and-take with some of the brightest minds working today. The visiting professorship is a connection MMI is proud to make in Dr. Alfrey's name; he meant a great deal to polymer research and education, locally and nationally."
Shull will spend part of his time around mid-Michigan visiting some of the TAVP program's co-sponsors, which include Dow Chemical Co., Dow Corning Corp., Central Michigan University, Michigan State University, Saginaw Valley State University, the Mid-Michigan Section of the Society of Plastics Engineers (as well as members of the Detroit SPE) and the Midland Section of the American Chemical Society. Additionally, the local chapters of the ACS and the SPE, along with other local technical societies, will host a dinner meeting during Shull's visit.
Registration for the MMI course is required and due no later than June 10. Interested parties can register online at www.mmi.org or contact MMI at 989.832.5555, ext. 554 or registrar@mmi.org. There is no course fee for auditors of organizations co-sponsoring the TAVP program. The regular course fee is $400.
Michigan Molecular Institute, founded in 1971, is a non-profit organization dedicated to polymer research and education. In addition to its research activity, MMI has served as the incubator for several successful business divisions, including Dendritech, the world leader in commercial dendrimer production; Impact Analytical, a premier analytical testing lab; Oxazogen, a supplier of advanced specialty films, coating materials and polymers; and MITCON, which serves the information technology needs of more than 35 local non-profit organizations. For more information, visit www.mmi.org.
