On October 11, SOR and AIP hosted an industrial outreach panel session at the Society of Rheology (SOR) 87th Annual Meeting in Baltimore, MD. The session and reception that followed was cosponsored by AIP and Dow Chemical Company. The five-person panel discussion, themed “Careers in Rheology,” focused on the use of rheology in the commercial sector and consisted of research scientists and engineers at various stages of their careers. They shared experiences that illustrated how rheology effects their jobs and their company products and processes. Along with Dow, the panel included representatives from NIST, ExxonMobil, DuPont, and Sandia National Laboratories.
The Careers in Rheology panel attracted 63 attendees, with a nearly even male–female ratio. The overarching message was that rheology is very useful. For example, rheology ensures the success of key consumer experiences with products like shampoos, conditioners, soaps, and toothpastes. The look and feel of a product are highly important to consumers, and the use of rheology in preparing these products for market helps to achieve customer satisfaction.
Following the panelists’ introductions, a Q&A session yielded many engaging dialogs across the audience. One student asked about how she should direct her job search in terms of identifying different areas that pertain to rheology. Christine Roberts from Sandia Labs noted that just about all of the research presented at the SOR meeting could have applications in industry, and these areas should make themselves known within the first few minutes of each talk. There are numerous career options available.
This is the fifth such industrial outreach panel put on in partnership with SOR.
