Materials Education Symposia - Home

About the Symposia

The 10th International Materials Education Symposium (IMES 2018)

What are the Materials Education Symposia?

These unique 2-day Symposia are now firmly established in the calendar as a leading venue for the University-level Materials Education community to come together to discuss ideas, tools, and best practice relating to the teaching of materials in across engineering, design, and science. These events are coordinated by: Ansys; the Symposia Academic Advisory Committee; and educators at: University of Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, Berkeley, National University of Singapore, SUTD, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The organisers are grateful for support from ASM International and MRS Singapore, and additional help from FEMS, IFEES, the Materials Division of ASEE, SEFI and TMS.

Advisory Committee »

PDF fliers (for posting, e.g., on department noticeboards): A4 format, US Letter format

What's included?

  • A packed speaker program from a panel selected by the Symposium Advisory Committee. Talks cover a wide range of topics related to the teaching of materials in: materials science, manufacturing and processes, mechanical engineering, industrial design, aerospace and nuclear engineering, bio engineering, plastics, and sustainable engineering
  • Interactive discussion sessions
  • Socializing and networking over lunches and the Symposium dinner
  • Two days of poster sessions, with 'Poster Teasers' sessions allowing presenters to briefly introduce their work in the main lecture theater
  • Other activities including a Presenters' dinner and Ansys Granta EduPack short courses and development meetings

Materials as a hub topicThe Symposia philosophy

Materials have played an enormous part in the technology advances of the 20th century. Emerging structural, functional, and bio-materials are poised to play an even larger part in the technology of the 21st century. Almost all the "Grand Challenges" identified as the essential technological and social advances for the next three decades have a material dimension. The part materials play in global and national economics and security is, today, so important that governments list the materials they perceive as "critical" and seek to assure access and to identify substitutes or alternatives should their supply chain be disrupted. For these (and many other) reasons, the education of materials-literate engineers and of informed and innovative materials scientists is essential for economic development and growth. The Materials Education Symposia have three overall aims:

  • To share ideas, innovations, experiences, successes and failures;
  • To provoke productive discussion around these issues; and
  • To expand the links that form such a key feature of the Materials Community.

On this website you can find out about previous symposia, which delegates praised for providing extended opportunities for discussion and encouraging the exchange of ideas and experiences related to materials teaching. The Symposia foster an atmosphere of community amongst educators involved in teaching undergraduate materials science across disciplines including engineering, design, and science.