National Academies Press: OpenBook
« Previous: Overview
Suggested Citation:"1 Introduction." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Materials Science and Engineering in a Post-Pandemic World: A DoD Perspective: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26226.
×

1

Introduction

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine hosted the Workshop on Materials Science and Engineering in a Post-Pandemic World as part of a workshop series on Defense Materials, Manufacturing, and Infrastructure (DMMI). The DMMI Standing Committee organizes events exploring issues regarding materials, manufacturing, and infrastructural activities relevant to military personnel, platforms, and facilities, as well as the manufacturing and industrial base for both the military and commercial sector (see Appendix A). Addressing these issues is important to maintaining U.S. technological superiority; creating energy-efficient, high-performance and sustainable platforms; assuring a safe, healthy, and energy-efficient infrastructure; securing the safety of facilities and ports; and supporting the processes that provide U.S. defense materials, parts, and products. Although DMMI’s workshops assess these issues from a defense lens, informed approaches in these areas will also support the nation’s broader goals related to technological leadership, safety, infrastructure, and a robust manufacturing sector.

The workshop was held online December 7-9, 2020 (see Appendix B). The event brought together approximately 30 speakers and attendees representing physics, materials science, engineering, and manufacturing from industry, academia, and government agencies (see Appendix D).

In welcoming remarks, DMMI Standing Committee Chair Haydn Wadley, University of Virginia, highlighted two major questions surrounding materials science and engineering in a post-pandemic world. First, what are the best strategies to nurture current students and future talent when COVID-19 has disrupted the education of students at every age and level? Second, what new approaches will

Suggested Citation:"1 Introduction." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Materials Science and Engineering in a Post-Pandemic World: A DoD Perspective: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26226.
×

be needed to reestablish the global supply chain that underlies materials, manufacturing, research, and engineering in the wake of pandemic-related disruptions? While the specific needs of the defense community are a priority, Wadley noted that many of the workshop’s themes are relevant to all aspects of materials science and engineering. It is critical for the entire sector to understand and address the changes COVID-19 has wrought in order to restore a disrupted materials and manufacturing workforce and the nation’s materials supply chains.

Workshop Chair Katherine Faber, Simon Ramo Professor of Materials Science at the California Institute of Technology, described the workshop’s major areas of focus: the impacts of COVID-19 on the student pipeline; university–government research1 and development partnerships; the impact of the pandemic in the international context; the post-pandemic workforce needs of the Department of Defense; and potential solutions to recruit and train a new, diverse generation of materials scientists and engineers.

The workshop was unclassified and open to the public. This proceedings offers a condensed summary of the proceedings based on recordings, slides, and transcripts from the workshop.

___________________

1 See K.R. Lutchen, 2018, “Why Companies and Universities Should Forge Long-Term Collaborations,” Harvard Business Review, https://hbr.org/2018/01/why-companies-and-universities-shouldforge-long-term-collaborations.

Suggested Citation:"1 Introduction." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Materials Science and Engineering in a Post-Pandemic World: A DoD Perspective: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26226.
×
Page 3
Suggested Citation:"1 Introduction." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Materials Science and Engineering in a Post-Pandemic World: A DoD Perspective: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26226.
×
Page 4
Next: 2 The Talent Pipeline: Workforce Data and Trends »
Materials Science and Engineering in a Post-Pandemic World: A DoD Perspective: Proceedings of a Workshop Get This Book
×
Buy Paperback | $40.00 Buy Ebook | $32.99
MyNAP members save 10% online.
Login or Register to save!
Download Free PDF

Advances in materials science and engineering play a crucial role in supporting the U.S. economy and national security. To maintain its leading edge in the field, the United States relies on a rich and diverse innovation ecosystem encompassing industry, academic institutions, and government laboratories. While this ecosystem has generated numerous gains for defense agencies, the technology sector, consumers, and the country as a whole over many decades, recent years have brought new challenges and a shifting global dynamic in the field. The United States, long a global magnet for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and expertise, has seen its competitive edge slip as other countries in Europe and Asia have increased their investments in cultivating science and engineering talent and innovation. In 2020, the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic caused far-reaching disruptions for both education and supply chains across the world, compounding many of the dynamics that were already affecting materials science and engineering in the United States.

To explore these issues, the Workshop on Materials Science and Engineering in a Post-Pandemic World was organized as part of a workshop series on Defense Materials Manufacturing and Its Infrastructure. Hosted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the virtual event brought together approximately 30 speakers and attendees representing materials science, engineering, and manufacturing experts from industry, academia, and government agencies. The 3-day workshop explored education and workforce trends across the nation and the globe, with particular focus on the U.S. Department of Defense and university-government collaborations. Participants discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected science and engineering education, opportunities to reimagine traditional education for the field, and the imperative to develop a more diverse workforce. Several speakers presented their views on what the post-pandemic future may hold, and many offered perspectives on key concerns and priorities for the field moving forward. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussion of the workshop.

  1. ×

    Welcome to OpenBook!

    You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

    Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

    No Thanks Take a Tour »
  2. ×

    Show this book's table of contents, where you can jump to any chapter by name.

    « Back Next »
  3. ×

    ...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

    « Back Next »
  4. ×

    Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

    « Back Next »
  5. ×

    Switch between the Original Pages, where you can read the report as it appeared in print, and Text Pages for the web version, where you can highlight and search the text.

    « Back Next »
  6. ×

    To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter.

    « Back Next »
  7. ×

    Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

    « Back Next »
  8. ×

    View our suggested citation for this chapter.

    « Back Next »
  9. ×

    Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

    « Back Next »
Stay Connected!