STLE concludes most successful meeting ever

The Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE) concluded its most successful annual meeting ever in its 71-year history with a record-breaking 1,600 plus people attending the five-day event from May 15-19, 2016 at Las Vegas, Nev., U.S.A. The exhibition also broke records with a total of 125 exhibitors.

On May 17 during the annual luncheon, the STLE presidency was passed by Martin Wesbter, senior research associate at ExxonMobil Research and Engineering based in Annandale, N.J., U.S.A., to  Ali Erdemir, Argonne Distinguished Fellow – Energy Systems, at Argonne National Laboratory, in Argonne, Ill., U.S.A.

Erdemir is a senior scientist with international recognition and significant accomplishments in the fields of materials science, surface engineering and tribology. His discoveries of nearly frictionless carbon and superhard nanocomposite coatings, as well as a range of novel nanolubricants and lubrication additives, have been hailed as major breakthroughs in the field.

Erdemir’s research is directed toward nanoscale design and large-scale manufacturing of new materials, coatings and green lubricants for a broad range of applications in manufacturing, transportation and other energy conversion and utilization systems where further increases in efficiency, reliability and environmental compatibility are the primary objectives.

Erdemir has received numerous awards, including six R&D 100 Awards; he holds 15 U.S. patents; and has published more than 300 papers, 18 invited book and handbook chapters and three edited books.