MRS NEWS

MRS BULLETIN • VOLUME 34 • APRIL 2009 • www.mrs.org/bulletin 285

Gary L. Messing Named Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Materials Research

Gary L. Messing of The Pennsylvania

State University (Penn State) has been

named editor-in-chief of the Journal of

Materials Research (JMR), an archival

monthly publication of the Materials

Research Society. Over the past 23 years,

JMR has published articles, rapid commu-

nications, and reviews addressing more

than 150 different topics on materials syn-

thesis and processing, microstructure, and

properties. Messing succeeds Gordon E.

Pike, Sandia National Labora tories, who is

retiring after eight years of distinguished

service as JMR editor-in-chief.

The 2009 MRS President, Shefford P.

Baker, speaking on behalf of the Search

Committee and Board of Directors, said,

“In Gary Messing we have found the ideal

editor-in-chief to take JMR to new levels of

excellence and build upon the foundation

built by Gordon Pike, who in the past

eight years has made monumental

advances in improving the quality and

technical scope of JMR. Dr. Messing brings

with him years of experience editing

respected journals, and we look forward

to watching JMR continue to grow and

develop under his leadership.”

Messing brings a strong record of edi-

torial accomplishment and leadership

experience to his new role at MRS. He

was co-editor of the Journal of the

American Ceramic Society (1993–1998) and

editor-in-chief of Ceramics Inter national

and principal editor of Materials Letters

(2003–2009). He has co-organized the

International Ceramic Processing Science

Conference with Professor Shin-ichi

Hirano of Nagoya University since 1986,

and he has published over 250 papers

and co-edited 13 books on various

aspects of ceramic processing.

Messing is Distinguished Professor of

Ceramic Science and Engineering and head

of the Department of Materials Science and

Engineering at The Pennsyl vania State

University. He served as director of the

Materials Research Laboratory at Penn

State, and was founding director of the NSF

Industry/Univer sity Cooperative Research

Center on Particulate Materials at Penn

State. Messing received his BS degree (1973)

in ceramic engineering at the New York

State College of Ceramics at Alfred

University and his PhD degree (1977) in

materials science and engineering at the

University of Florida.

Messing has received numerous awards

for his research and leadership in the field

of ceramics including the Richard M.

Fulrath Pacific Award and he gave the

Robert M. Sosman Memorial Lecture of the

American Ceramic Society (ACerS). He

was elected Fellow of the American

Ceramic Society in 1990, served on its

Board of Directors for many years and was

later elected president. In 1999 he was elect-

ed to the World Academy of Ceramics. In

2003 he was recognized as one of the most

“Highly Cited Researchers” in materials

and was honored with the International

Award of the European Ceramic Society for

his international collaborations.

In 2005 he received the Outstanding

Educator Award of the Ceramic Education

Council of ACerS. He served as chair of the

University Materials Council (2005–2006)

and was elected president-elect of the

International Ceramics Federation (2008).

Scientific Societies Meet at MRS Headquarters to Explore a Cooperative

Influence on Washington D.C. Policymakers

An Advocacy Summit of scientific soci-

eties, representing almost one-half million

voices from across the United States, con-

vened at the Materials Research Society

headquarters on January 16, 2009. The goal

of the Summit was to begin finding new,

innovative approaches and a common

voice to convince the U.S. Congress and

the new administration that investments

made in support of science and technology

will lead to economic growth, national

security, and improved quality of life.

The last two years have demonstrated

that the physical sciences are in a serious

fight for federal funding, and the current

economic crisis makes the situation more

difficult and challenging. But this econom-

ic and legislative climate also provides new

opportunities for scientific societies to

engage in the process of providing un -

biased information to assist members of

Congress and the new administration in

making wise investments for the future of

the United States and for the global society.

Joining with MRS in this Summit were

the American Chemical Society (ACS);

American Physical Society (APS); ASM

International; Association for Iron & Steel

Technology (AIST); the Alliance for

Science & Technology Research in

America (ASTRA); The Electrochemical

Society (ECS); Federation of Materials

Societies (FMS); The Minerals, Metals,

and Materials Society (TMS); National

Association of Corrosion Engineers

(NACE); SAE International; and the

University Materials Council (UMC).

While much of this first meeting was

used to “brainstorm” on collaboration

options and ways to leverage the collective

member base around a common message,

it was universally agreed that the number

one issue is to educate Congress on the

need for a long-term, sustainable funding

effort for the physical sciences. This is

essential in order to ensure that U.S. stu-

dents, teachers, businesses, and workers

are prepared to create world-class progress

in innovation, research, and technology.

As a first-step toward this effort, it was

decided that a large-scale letter writing

campaign in support of the Congres -

sional leadership’s funding provisions for

research and development in the Ameri -

can Economy Recovery & Rein vest ment

Act of 2009 was of high priority and

mutual interest for the participating

organ izations. MRS posted its advocacy

letter on the MRS Materials Voice Web

site (www.mrs.org/materialsvoice) and

sent a call-to-action to its members.

A second phase of this effort will focus

on materials, with a goal of educating and

engaging legislators on the role materials

can, and will, play in solving many public-

policy issues. Materials will be the enabling

technology, contributing in great part to

improving energy efficiency and indepen-

dence, bolstering national security, manag-

ing global climate changes, guaranteeing

clean drinking water, and developing

health care and diagnostic initiatives—all

leading to job creation.

Gary L. Messing