Steve and Tim talk about how to use stories of successful sustainability projects in the curriculum of second to fourth year engineering courses. They explain how they will use several of the future podcasts to collect these stories. They also talk about how these stories may end up framing an open source "textbook" for introductory materials science and engineering and complement higher level classes up to the graduate level.

Joel McDonald sent us some background links that explain more about how Dow Chemical Co developed the methods to recycle polyurethanes. These could be used in a polymers course, a chemical engineering course, or a sustainability course. Joel also suggested having students learn about the patent process by having them look up the related patents and talk about how this will protect Dow's IP. This is an often under valued part of the sustainability process.

Links:
https://corporate.dow.com/en-us/news/press-releases/dow-jlr-and-adient-develop-industry-first-breakthrough-circularity-automotive-seating.html

https://www.dow.com/en-us/product-technology/pt-polyurethanes/sustainability/polyurethanes/depolymerization.html

https://corporate.dow.com/en-us/news/press-releases/dow-and-gruppo-fiori-develop-breakthrough-recycling-process.html

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dow-polyurethanes_dow-x-gruppo-fiori-video-1-activity-7373731403550863360-u-Ob

The YouTube video can be found here:
https://youtu.be/hFbXyDyGzag

Our YouTube channel can be found here:
http://www.youtube.com/@Undercooled.Materials

This episode is sponsored by the TMS Foundation and the University of Michigan Materials Science and Engineering department (https://mse.engin.umich.edu).

Steve and Tim talk with Dr. Joel McDonald, the Technical Director for Mobility products at Dow Chemical company. Joel was Steve's PhD student and an Applied Physics graduate at U. Michigan. He talks about how he first worked at Sandia National Labs before transitioning to Dow Corning, and later Dow. He explains how he was able to perform well in a chemical company even though his background was in optics. He has leveraged his Applied Physics and Materials skills learned in grad school to rise to a very high level at Dow and bring the right products to customers and help Dow make money. He talks at length about some of the very successful recycling efforts at Dow, specifically about how Dow has found a way to recover critical chemical components from polyurethane products in automobiles. Using their separation and chemical techniques they are able to create products from recycled vehicles that make mattresses or even seats for brand new luxury cars.

The YouTube video can be found here:
https://youtu.be/sHoE_wJ54-k

Our YouTube channel can be found here:
http://www.youtube.com/@Undercooled.Materials

This episode is sponsored by the TMS Foundation and the University of Michigan Materials Science and Engineering department (https://mse.engin.umich.edu).

Steve and Tim talk to Prof. Patrick Shamberger from the MS&E department at Texas A&M. He tells us the story of how he helped build a new materials department and create a new curriculum for their students. He also talks about his research in phase change materials and how they may be one of the keys to a sustainable energy future.

You can learn more about Patrick here:

https://engineering.tamu.edu/materials/profiles/pshamberger.html

You can learn more about Patrick’s research here:

https://phate.tamu.edu/

You can learn more about the Texas A&M Materials Science and Engineering department here:

https://engineering.tamu.edu/materials/index.html

Patrick also runs an REU program that is still recruiting!
https://engineering.tamu.edu/materials/undergraduate-research/index.html

Bio: Dr. Patrick Shamberger has a background in functional inorganic materials, including interests in phase transformations, crystal structure/property relationships, and thermodynamics. These have been applied to a range of problems on both natural (geological) and engineered systems. Currently, he is an associate professor with the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Texas A&M University, College Station. Prior to this, he served as a materials research engineer for the Air Force Research Lab in the Nanoelectronic Materials Branch (AFRL/RXAN) and Thermal Sciences and Materials Branch (AFRL/RXBT). His areas of focus at AFRL were in the areas of plasma-assisted deposition processes for high-mobility nanocrystalline oxide films, and in reducing the variability of oxide-based resistance switches. Previous efforts have included development of rapid, low-temperature thermal storage based on phase change, physisorption, and chemical dissociation processes. Patrick Shamberger received his Ph.D. in Materials Science & Engineering from the University of Washington in 2010, an M.S. in Geology & Geophysics from the University of Hawaii in 2004, and a B.S.E. in Civil & Environmental Engineering from Princeton University.

The YouTube video can be found here:
https://youtu.be/wcNyzSuRbiY

Our YouTube channel can be found here:
http://www.youtube.com/@Undercooled.Materials

This episode is sponsored by the TMS Foundation and the University of Michigan Materials Science and Engineering department (https://mse.engin.umich.edu).