REVEALED!Lynne Robinson

It was potentially the toughest crowd that Suveen Mathaudhu had ever faced.

Approximately two dozen high school students from Hilltop High School, Chula Vista, California, clustered around him in the San Diego Convention Center in February. They were a polite group, all enrolled in a program devoted to grooming talented young people for careers in engineering and science. But they were also teenagers with their smart phones at the ready at the first sign of boredom.

A laugh rippled through the group and the eyes focused more intently. “It’s no different in real life than in Captain America,” he said. “Scientists and engineers are constantly pushing material properties to make technology perform beyond what we have now.”

Mathaudhu walked the group through the rest of the Comic-taniumTM exhibit, weaving his expertise as a scientist and engineer with his love of the comic realm. A stop at the Iron Man display prompted a discussion on how Mathaudhu’s work as a program manager at the U.S. Army Research Office “protects soldiers not much older than you.” Spider-man’s genius at engineering the properties of his webbing material illustrated how “scientists are looking to nature for design principles to create bio-inspired materials.” Pausing in front of the Batman armor on display, Mathaudhu noted, “This doesn’t exist in real life, but it’s still cool to look at.”

“Will it ever be real?” asked a student.It was the question Mathaudhu had been hoping for.

“Comic books are great because they allow you to to disconnect logic and reason and open you creatively to scientific possibilities that may not exist right now,” he said. “In older comics, you would see technology like night vision goggles or tablet computers, even though these were unheard of at the time. What may not be real now in the comics may be very possible when you start working in the field.”

The Super Materials of the Superheroes

™

Impress us, their eyes quietly challenged Mathaudhu.“How many have heard of materials science and

engineering?” he asked.Silence.“A lot of people don’t realize that nearly every other

field of engineering relies on the materials that make up all technology,” he continued and then launched into the back story of Captain America’s shield. He pointed past snarling Wolverine and glowering Magneto to the gleaming shield perched on a display stand. The heads turned and the eyes followed. The shield, he explained, was created by accident when the fictional element vibranium was inadvertently alloyed with steel. The result was the only indestructible material in the comic or any universe, except, he quipped, maybe Hulk’s purple pants.

“Your ancestors called it magic but you call it

science. I come from a land where they are one and

the same.” -Thor, a prince of the alien world, Asgard, who

is banished to Earth (Thor 2011)

Hilltop High School students learn about real, imagined, and possible materials while touring Comic-tanium.

Comic-tanium introduced a decidedly different “element” to the TMS Exhibition.

Franken-Castle #19, Page 39. © Marvel Comics

The fun began with Comic-tanium when Mathaudhu happened to wander into the Toonseum when Materials Science and Technology 2012 (MS&T’12) was taking place in Pittsburgh. A

unique museum devoted to supporting the cartoon arts, the Toonseum was running

an exhibit on the movie, The Dark Knight Rises, that had recently been shot in the city. Impressed with the Toonseum’s depth of resources on comic lore, Mathaudhu struck up a conversation on comic book science with Joe Wos, Toonseum Executive Director, and the idea for Comic-tanium was born.

A common touchstone in the discussion was the popular January 2012 JOM article “The Super Materials of the Superheroes”—Mathaudhu had contributed expertise and images to it, with Wos providing sources and information as well. A prevailing theme presented in the article is that comic mythology is an effective vehicle for explaining science in an accessible way to spark interest and excitement, as well as inspire ideas for what might be technologically possible. Picking up where that article left off, the Toonseum approached the TMS Foundation to support development of an educational exhibit that explores the world of minerals, metals, and materials through the adventures of popular comic characters with a strong materials connection. Each section of the exhibit also highlights the real-life exploits of TMS members, complete with their own “super powers” and heroic accomplishments.

“To be honest, I had no idea what to expect from Comic-tanium when the Foundation Board first approved it,” said Elizabeth Holm, 2013 TMS President and member of the TMS Foundation Board of Trustees at the time. “I

OriginsAnd, how many of those Hilltop High School students

would consider becoming minerals, metals, and materials professionals?

Based on a survey taken after their tour of Comic-tanium, quite a few, with about 60% of those who responded indicating they saw it as a career path. Probably more significant was the measurement of how their perception of the field had changed—Most of them had also responded that they had very little interest or understanding of materials science and engineering prior to viewing the exhibit.

The Hilltop High School visit to Comic-tanium during its “soft opening” at the TMS 2014 Annual Meeting & Exhibition (TMS2014) was the first in what is hoped to be a long series of opportunities to excite the next generation of “materials superheroes” to the possibilities of science and engineering careers. Developed by TMS, the TMS Foundation, and the Toonseum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Comic-tanium uses the mythologies of well-known comic characters to tell the story of how minerals, metals, and materials professionals change—and save—the real world every day. Micrographs of advanced materials and schematics of lightweight cars are juxtaposed with comic panels focused on the “materials power ups” of an array of comic heroes and villains. Replicas of Batman’s armor, Thor’s hammer, Captain America’s shield, and other artifacts make the comic pages on display come to life.

The Super Materials of the Superheroes

™

“As a professional society, much of TMS’s focus is on addressing the needs of practicing scientists and engineers as well as students in university programs. Thanks to our members, we do those things very well. Our K-12 outreach, however, has been much more limited. So, the opportunity to produce Comic-tanium proved an irresistible proposition to address a gap in our portfolio,” said James J. Robinson, TMS Executive Director. “It allows us to take the minerals, metals, and materials community to a younger and broader audience in an engaging manner with a relatable message. Not only is Comic-tanium impactful, it is just plain fun.”

All-New Iron Man Manual, July 2008, Carlos Pasulayan

Comic-tanium’s Mission Control Center for TMS2014 (left to right): Lynne Robinson, JOM Contributing Editor and Comic-tanium Editor and Co-Curator; Joe Wos, Executive Director, Toonseum; Suveen Mathaudhu, Comic-tanium Curator; Patrice Turchi (Representing the TMS Board of Directors), TMS Vice President; Rob Wagoner, Chair, TMS Foundation Board of Trustees; David Rasel, TMS Media Manager and Comic-tanium Design and Project Director.

A replica of Thor’s hammer, signed by actor Chris Hemsworth who portrays the character (left), and a bust of Iron Man’s armor are among the comic props featured in Comic-tanium.

And the Mission Continues. . .

While the ad hoc committee develops recommendations for Comic-tanium’s future, the exhibit has racked up the miles in its quest to make the world more aware of all things material. After packing up from TMS2014, Comic-tanium next traveled to Washington,

D.C. where it touched nearly a quarter million K-12 students at the 3rd USA Science & Engineering Festival (STEM Festival) from April 24–27. The focus now is preparing it for its public debut at the Toonseum this fall—just in time for MS&T14 in Pittsburgh from October 12–16.

Holm, for one, is eagerly staying tuned to Comic-tanium’s ongoing adventures. “Comic-tanium not only introduces visitors to our profession in a painless and friendly way, but it also portrays scientists and engineers as superheroes. In order to grow the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) workforce, we have to get past the characterization of scientists and engineers as ‘nerds’. In reality, STEM professionals are the superheroes whose inventions save our economy, our standard of living, and even our lives.”

Learn more about Comic-tanium by visiting the website at www.tms.org/comictanium. To bring Comic-tanium to your community, event, or organization, contact Mike Bazzy, TMS Senior Manager at mbazzy@tms.org.

just knew that I have a daughter who is crazy about the superhero world of comics, and that this approach could introduce kids like her to our profession in a unique way. The actual exhibit has turned out to be far more widely engaging than I could ever have imagined!”

With Mathaudhu as the volunteer exhibit curator, the Comic-tanium project called on the expertise of nearly 30 TMS members, as well as the talents of comic artists, experts, and TMS staff. After more than a year of development, it debuted as part of the TMS2014 Exhibition.

Comic-tanium caused more than a few double takes as TMS2014 attendees worked their way through the more traditional industry booths. Soon, however, people were taking selfies in front of Iron Man or proving their worthiness by picking up Thor’s hammer. In impressive numbers, they came, they saw, they had fun . . . and many asked how Comic-tanium could come to their own communities.

“The response to Comic-tanium has been so enthusiastic—both within and outside of TMS—that it has become very obvious that it needs to continue,” Holm said. As a result, Holm proposed that an Ad Hoc Comic-tanium Committee be formed by the TMS Board of Directors. “We need to determine how best to move forward, both in terms of where to send Comic-tanium next and how to grow it even more,” she said.

Chairing the ad hoc committee is Ben Poquette, Architect Advanced Manufacturing Engineer, GE Healthcare. “I think the superhero metaphor really resonates with both youth and adults alike,” he said. “This really makes Comic-tanium a strong candidate for exhibition in learning institutions as well as youth events.”

“Comic-tanium is the right mixture of learning and fun,” Poquette continued. “Exposing young people to minerals, metals, and materials science and engineering is the future of our profession. And exposing them to TMS is the future of TMS.”

Comic-tanium’s message that materials professionals are superheroes too was a hit with many TMS2014 attendees and their children.

Thousands of students, parents, and teachers mobbed Comic-tanium at the USA STEM Festival in April.

Captain America #1 (1996), Rob Liefeld. © Marvel Comics

The Super Materials of the Superheroes

™

Concept Art for the Video game "Batman: Arkham City" by Chuck Dee

What We Need When We Need It

Integrated computational materials engineering and additive manufacturing, and how materials manufacturing has evolved into a cleaner, technologically advanced enterprise

Comic Connection: Tony Stark’s ability to manufacture his Iron Man suits on demand in his laboratory

Real-Life Materials Superhero: Luana Iorio, Operations Leader, GE Aviation

Iorio’s Superpowers: Through additive manufacturing techniques, Iorio has the ability to better tailor the design of a part to its application in ways that were previously impossible to accomplish.

What Lies Beneath the

Surface

Advanced tools for research and discovery

Comic Connection: Batman’s secret laboratory, the “Batcave”

Real-Life Materials Superhero: Tresa Pollock, Alcoa Professor of Materials and Chair, Materials Department, University of California at Santa Barbara

Pollock’s Superpowers: Pollock’s base of operations is one of the largest and most sophisticated materials research laboratories of its kind. Using lasers, x-rays, ion and electron beams, Pollock and her team reveal the secrets of materials at the level of atoms.

The Strongest Materials in the

Universe

The search and need for stronger, tougher materials

Comic Connection: Captain America’s indestructible shield

Real-Life Materials Superhero: Suveen Mathaudhu, Program Manager, Synthesis and Processing, U.S. Army Research Office

Mathaudhu’s Superpowers: Mathaudhu has the ability to modify the microstructure of metals by using advanced scientific tools and techniques.

They can see through metals, predict the future, and manipulate atoms, all for the betterment of society. And, they don’t need mutant powers to do it.

TMS members are featured prominently throughout Comic-tanium to demonstrate how saving the world is really done. Comic-tanium is divided into a series of display modules, each focused on a particular aspect of minerals, metals, and materials science and engineering. Six modules examine technical themes as they relate to particular comic characters and the work of the following TMS members:

The Real Heroes OF COMIC-tanium™ UNMASKED!

In real life, Suveen Mathaudhu, Comic-tanium curator, is on a mission to generate excitement about materials science and engineering through his love of comics.

The Super Materials of the Superheroes

™

The Stuff We Are Made Of

Learning from Nature

The impact of microstructure and processing on materials properties

Comic Connection: Emma Frost and her ability to transform into a diamond form

Real-Life Materials Superhero: Jonathan Madison, Senior Member, Technical Staff, Sandia National

LaboratoriesMadison’s Super Powers: Madison uses a form of

x-ray vision to see inside a material and decide how it should be altered to improve its performance.

BiomaterialsComic Connection: Spider-man’s

synthetic spider webbingReal-Life Materials Superhero: Roger

Narayan, Professor, Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of North Carolina and North Carolina

State UniversityNarayan’s Super Powers: Narayan looks to nature

for clues in developing biomaterials that will make medical devices as compatible as possible with the human body.

A Force to be Reckoned With

Magnetism and the importance of magnetic materials

Comic Connection: Magneto’s power to control and manipulate electromagnetic fields

Real-Life Materials Superhero: Robert Shull, Fellow, National Institute of

Standards and Technology (NIST)Shull’s Super Powers: Shull uses the technology

and resources at NIST to actually observe the magnetization process that occurs within a material while it is happening.

Comic Art Credits: Marvel Adventures Super Heroes (2008) #8, Craig Rousseau; Batman (2011) #707, Ian Hannin; Iron Man (2012) #1, Greg Land; The Uncanny X-Men (2009) #515, Greg Land; The Superior Spider-Man (2013) #1, Ryan Stegman; Avengers vs. X-Men, Olivier Coipel. Original illustrations by Marcel Walker. All characters and names referred to, and all images reproduced in the Comic-tanium exhibit and supporting information are the copyright and trademark of their respective owners and are reproduced for nonprofit educational purposes only.

Jonathan Madison checks out his “origin story” featured in Comic-tanium.

The real Robert Shull with his comic rendition at Comic-tanium.

JO

JO

the magazine

the journal

9

11

13

10

12

the magazine

the journal

JO

JO

JO

JO

themagazine

thejournal

JO

JO

the

the

Magazine

Journal

JO

JO

the journal

the journal

JO

JO

the

the

Journal

Magazine

The League of Minerals, Metals, and

Materials Superheroes

Viola L. Acoff, Professor and Head, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, The University of Alabama

Christina Meskers, Manager, Business Development and Marketing, Umicore Precious Metals Refining

Ellen Cerreta, Deputy Group Leader, Materials Science in Radiation and Dynamics Extremes, Los Alamos National Laboratory

Paul R. Ohodnicki, Jr., Materials Scientist, National Energy Technology Laboratory

Amy Clarke, Scientist, Los Alamos National Laboratory

Ben Poquette, Architect Advanced Manufacturing Engineer, GE Healthcare, Wisconsin

Eliana Fu, Research and Development Services Engineer, TIMET (Titanium Metals)

Jim Yurko, Director, Technology, Materion Brush Beryllium and Composites

Markus J. Buehler, Professor and Head, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Dele Ogunseitan, Professor of Public Health and Chair, Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention, University of California, Irvine

Srinivas Chada, Component Packaging Engineer, Schlumberger HFE

Nayomi Plaza, Research Assistant, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Joy Hines Forsmark, Technical Expert, Research and Innovation Center, Ford Motor Company,

Akane Suzuki, Metallurgist, GE Global Research

Elizabeth A. Holm, Professor, Materials Science and Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University

Ricardo J. Zednik, Engineering Consultant, Exponent Failure Analysis Associates

Alexis C. Lewis, Materials Research Engineer, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

Discover the materials secrets of TMS’s “superheroes,” their bases of operation, and special powers by visiting the Comic-tanium website at www.tms.org/comictanium.

Michele V. Manuel, Assistant Professor, University of Florida

The final module in the Comic-tanium exhibit celebrates the growing diversity of professionals in minerals, metals, and materials science and engineering by sharing the “origin stories” of these TMS members:

Fantastic Four #53, Mike Wieringo. © Marvel Comics

The Super Materials of the Superheroes

™