Being members of the Materials Research Society enables us to connect, learn, innovate and inspire across disciplines and boundaries. MRS has a history of success in convening people and their ideas, sharing knowledge, and promoting interdisciplinary research.
However, we live in an ever more complex world where the pace of change will continue to increase. The central question is how do we address those challenges in a way that enables innovation to thrive? I believe we need a greater number and diversity of people working together across the materials ecosystem to deliver both innovations and commercial impact.
I envision the society’s growth occurring in three key areas. First, we need to increase our global membership where it matters most in the next generation of students and new professionals. Second, we need to address retention of members throughout the arc of their career. Finally, we must do a better job in engaging institutions across materials disciplines and applications.
MRS also serves as a valuable platform for sharing knowledge. We must continue to expand materials communications through virtual, print and in-person channels. We need to continue the society’s outreach to tell a compelling story to the stakeholders and consumers who all benefit from what we do.
I have been a material scientist for three decades and I am still excited about what we can develop. It is accepted that diversity is key to innovation and my experience outside the MRS is the value that I can bring to this position. With a passion for innovation and a deep understanding of the needs of businesses, I believe I have a lot to offer as a board member. In my industry role, I have overseen university collaborations with over 70 academic institutions across five continents to translate academic research into commercial impact. I have learned how to catalyze new ideas and nurture their development as part of the product and talent pipeline in a Fortune 500 company, and to build a community of innovation champions. As an industry advisor to university research consortia, I have worked with academic leadership to develop shared visions for long-term research directions and promote interdisciplinary and cross-institutional collaboration. I have led programs to connect students and faculty with industry researchers to advance the needs of all. On the UIDP Board of Directors, I provide governance, grow their mission, and serve on the membership committee. If elected, I would apply my skills to positioning MRS at the forefront of materials development through understanding member needs, building engagement, and guiding their strategic vision.
I believe that MRS is central to making materials science more relevant to everyone. By amplifying its reach and its members’ voices, MRS can deliver the greatest global impact on society and individuals.