Archaeological Materials: The State of the Art in 200 B.C.
Professor Heather Lechtman
Thu Jan 7, 02-03:00pm, 16-602
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Prereq: none
The Moche people in Peru could plate gold onto copper without a battery! Tiwanaku builders near Lake Titicaca in Bolivia designed bronze architectural cramps strong enough to hang a modern Toyota! The Romans constructed the largest dome in the world from non-reinforced concrete; only MIT's Kresge is bigger! Why were these the cutting edge materials technologies of their time, and how do we investigate them today as archaeologists and as materials engineers?
Contact: Professor Heather Lechtman, 8-437, x3-2172, lechtman@mit.edu
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Building Crystal and Molecular Models with Cerius**2
Samuel M. Allen
Wed Jan 20, Thu Jan 21, Fri Jan 22, 02-04:00pm, 4-035
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Prereq: 3.13 or knowledge of Internat'l Tables of Crystallography
Cerius**2 is a powerful software package from Molecular Simulations, Inc., that is available on Athena. This class will provide instruction on use of its "Crystal Builder" module for building crystal and molecular models.
Contact: Samuel M. Allen, 13-5018, x3-6939, smallen@mit.edu
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Exploring the Symmetry of Crystal Shapes on the Computer
Prof. W. Craig Carter
Thu Jan 7, 01-02:00pm, 13-5051
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Prereq: Freshmen especially should give it a try!
Crystal shapes are obvious and beautiful examples of the underlying atomic structure of materials. We will calculate, display and construct some interesting crystal shapes.
Contact: Prof. W. Craig Carter, 13-5034, x3-6048, ccarter@mit.edu
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Glass Blowing
Michael J. Cima
Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Jan 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 28, 10am-09:00pm, 4-003, 1/4, 10am, 4-003 Required.
Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Limited to 20 students.
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)
Prereq: Freshmen favored!
This studio will familiarize students with hot glass working techniques to make hand-blown vessels, providing a unique interactive experience with glass and refractory materials. Learn how skill changes the properties of materials. Students will obtain actual "hands-on" experience with glass and glass working equipment including melting furnace, reheating furnace, and glass working tools. The studio is open 4 days a week. Individuals sign up for two hour instruction and practice sessions. Sign up early with Prof. Cima at mjcima@mit.edu to schedule your time! Experience the interface between materials science, technology, design, and art.
Contact: Michael J. Cima, 12-011, x3-6877, mjcima@mit.edu
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In Vino Veritas
Linn W. Hobbs
Wed, Fri, Mon, Jan 13, 15, 18, 20, 22, 08-11:00pm, 8-314
Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Limited to 64 students.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: Must be 21 years or older.
Fee: 115.00 for Purchase of wines and supplies.
Harvard cannot lay claim to all verities! This introductory class in wine appreciation, long an IAP classic, is now in its 18th year, with over 1200 enthusiastic alumni/ae. The course will acquaint participants with the truth about wines from around the world through comparative tastings of over 50 fine wines. This class is full but we are accepting sign up for the Reserve List in the event of any cancellations.
Contact: Phyllis King, 13-4062, x3-6907, psking@mit.edu
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Introduction to Lost Wax Casting
Toby R. Bashaw
Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Jan 4, 5, 6, 7, 22, 29, 03-05:00pm, 4-003
Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Limited to 8 students.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Signup by: 18-DEC-98
Prereq: Freshmen favored!
Experience the foundry! Make a wax model of a small item you would like to cast. We will build a ceramic shell around the wax model, and the wax will be burned out. During a field trip to Hitchner, NH (TBA) a metal will be poured into the ceramic shell and the sculpture is formed! (Gourmet lunch in Hitchner, too!) SIGN UP BY EMAIL ONLY.
Contact: Toby R. Bashaw, 8-004, x3-5946, trbashaw@mit.edu
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Introductory Blacksmithing
Toby R. Bashaw
Mon Jan 4, 07-09:00pm, 4-003, 1-4 meeting MANDATORY
Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Limited to 24 students.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Signup by: 18-DEC-98
Prereq: none
Using forges, hammers, and anvils, you'll have a hands-on opportunity to safely shape red-hot steel into useful, beautiful items. FIRST MEETING IS MANDATORY for all participants. There will be two 3-hour sessions (7-10pm); signup for these sessions will take place at the first meeting. SIGN UP BY EMAIL ONLY.
Contact: Toby R. Bashaw, 8-004, x3-5946, trbashaw@mit.edu
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Magnetic Materials for Data Storage
Prof. Caroline A. Ross
Thu Jan 28, 02-03:00pm, 16-602
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Prereq: Freshmen especially invited!
Information in hard disks, tapes and magneto-optical disks is stored as magnetization patterns in a thin magnetic layer. We will discuss how information is written and read back from these storage devices, and what magnetic properties are needed to give the optimum performance. We will also compare magnetic storage with other formats such as CD-ROMs and DVDs.
Contact: Prof. Caroline A. Ross, 13-4005, x8-0223, caross@mit.edu
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Materials and Engineering Disasters
David K. Roylance
Thu Jan 28, 01-02:00pm, 16-602
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Prereq: Freshmen especially welcome.
Improper use or understanding of materials has been a root cause of many phenomenal disasters throughout history, to include collapse of ancient pyramids, explosive aircraft depressurization, and even the sinking of the Titanic. Several of these horrifying yet fascinating catastrophes will be outlined, and the role of materials science and engineering in understanding them, and preventing similar tragedies in the future, will be described.
Contact: David K. Roylance, 8-309, x3-3309, roylance@mit.edu
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Photonic and Electronic Materials Research Aboard the Space Station
August F. Witt
Thu Jan 7, 03-04:00pm, 16-602
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Prereq: Freshmen particularly welcome.
Discussion of issues related to advanced materials research projects currently being designed for implementation aboard the Space Station. Attendees are expected to advance original ideas for innovative research projects which require experimentation in reduced gravity environment. Exploratory experiments to be conducted in parabolic KC-135 flights can be proposed as UROP projects to be submitted to NASA.
Contact: August F. Witt, 13-4138, x3-5303, afwitt@mit.edu
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Polymer Processing
Prof. Chris Scott
Thu Jan 28, 03-04:00pm, 16-602
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Prereq: Freshmen particularly welcome!
Effective processing of polymeric materials is critical for achieving superior performance in many parts such as automotive side panels, wings of stealth aircraft, and juice bottles. The unusual rheological behavior of polymers enables many of these processes as well as providing challenges in understanding them. Operations like mixing and compounding often establish the desired morphological structure needed for optimum performance.
Contact: Prof. Chris Scott, 13-5013, x8-6113, cscott@mit.edu
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