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In this episode of the “Stories from the NNI” podcast, Michael Filler, Associate Professor and the Traylor Faculty Fellow in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Georgia Tech, describes how his team is growing nanowires to create functional devices for on-demand nanoelectronics. If you would like to learn more about nanotechnology, go to nano.gov or email us at info@nnco.nano.gov. Closed captioning is provided on our YouTube channel. For this episode, go to: https://youtu.be/z_pOTJ6xGhc CREDITS Special thanks to: Michael FillerGeorgia Tech Produced by:Andrew Pomeroy Music: Inspirational Outlook by Scott Holmes https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Sc...https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this podcast are those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office or United States Government. Additionally, mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by any of the aforementioned parties. Any mention of commercial products, processes, or services cannot be construed as an endorsement or recommendation.
Nanovation comes to an end. In a fitting farewell, Charlie Bennett returns to interview Mike. They talk about what Mike originally set out to do, what worked, what didn't work, what surprised him along the way, and what may be on the horizon. Thank you to the show’s listeners for their curiosity and kindness. Thank you to the show’s guests for their selflessness and passion for science and engineering. And a special thank you to the show’s editor, Andrew Cannon, without whom the podcast would not have been possible. Until next time …Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Charlie Bennett (@bennettradio) and Michael Filler• Recorded on October 26, 2020• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/60• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Michael Filler and Matthew Realff discuss Fundamental Manufacturing Process innovations. We explore what they are, dig into historical examples, and consider how we might enable more of them to happen. Michael and Matthew are both professors at Georgia Tech and Michael also hosts an excellent podcast about nanotechnology called Nanovation. Our conversation centers around their paper Fundamental Manufacturing Process Innovation Changes the World. If you’re in front of a screen while you’re listening to this, you might want to pull up the paper to look at the pictures. Key Takeaways Sometimes you need to go down to go back up The interplay between processes and paradigms is fascinating We need to spend more time hanging out in the valley of death Links Fundamental Manufacturing Process Innovation Changes the World(Medium)(SSRN) Michael on Twitter Matthew Realff's Website Michael Filler's Website Nanovation Podcast Topics - The need for the innovator to be near the process - Continuous to discrete shifts - Defining paradigms outlines what progress looks like - Easy to pay attention to artifacts, hard to pay attention - Hard to recreate processes - The 1000x rule of process innovations - Quality vs price improvements - Process innovation as a discipline - Need to take a performance hit to switch paradigms - How to enable more fundamental manufacturing process innovations Transcript [00:00:00] this conversation, I talked to Michael filler and Matthew Ralph about fundamental manufacturing process innovations. We explore what they are, dig into historical examples and consider how we might enable more of them to happen. Michael and Matthew are both professors at Georgia tech and Michael also hosts an excellent podcast about nanotechnology called innovation. Our conversation centered around their paper called fundamental [00:01:00] manufacturing process. Innovation changes the world, which I've looked to in the show notes and highly recommend the fact that they posted it on medium. In addition to more traditional methods, give you a hint that they think a bit outside the normal academic box. However, I actually recommend the PDF version on SSRN, which is not behind a paywall only because it has great pictures for each process that I found super helpful. If you're in front of a screen, while you're listening to this, I suspect that having them handy, it might enhance the conversation. And here we go. the, the place that I'd love to start is, to sort of give everybody a, get them used to both of your voices and sort of assign a personality, a personality to each of you. so if each of you would say a bit about yourselves, and the. The, the sort of key bit that I've loved you to say is to, to focus on something that you believe that many people in your discipline would sort [00:02:00] of cock an eyebrow at because clearly by publishing this piece on medi you sort of identify yourself as not run of the mill professors. Oh boy. Okay. So we're going to start juicy, real juicy. So I guess I'll go since I'm speaking, this is Mike filler speaking. Great to be here. so I've been a professor of chemical engineering at Georgia tech for a little over 10 years now. my research group works in nanoscale materials and device synthesis and scale up. So for say electronics applications, Yeah. I mean, this article, which we'll talk about emerged from, you know, can I say a frustration that I had around electronics really is where it started for me, at least, that. We have all this focus on new materials or new device physics or new circuit. And I know your listeners are probably thinking about morphic computing or quantum computing, and these are all very cool things, but it seemed to me [00:03:00] that we were entirely missing the process piece. The, how do we build computers? and, and, and circuitry. And, and so that's where this started for me was, starting to realize if we're not dealing with the process piece, that we're, we're missing a huge chunk of it. And I think one of the things is that people, people miss that where within working within the context of something developed 50 or 60 years ago, in many cases, and it's it's was really hidden to a lot of people. And so that, that was where I came at this. Great. All right. So, yeah, so I'm, also a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Georgia tech. my background is actually in process systems engineering. And, if you go back to the late 1960s, early 1970s, actually frankly, before I was a much more than in shorts, there was a, that was a real push towards. The role of process systems engineering in [00:04:00] chemical engineering in it really arose with the, with the advent of computing and the way that computing could be used to help in chemical engineering. And then slowly over time, the, the role of process systems engineering has become, I think, marginalized within the chemical engineering community, it's gone much over towards. What I call science and engineering science in a way from the process systems piece of it. And so, you know, as Mike would, would berate me with the, with his travails over, over what he was trying to do with nano integration and nanotechnology, I realized that what he was doing was describing a lot of the same frustrations I felt with the way that process systems engineering was being marginalized and pushed to the edges of chemical engineering with the. Focus more around fundamental discoveries rather than actually how we translate those fundamental discoveries, into, functioning, processes that then lead to outcomes that affect society. So for me, it, it, it [00:05:00] was a, it was a combination of, talking to Mike and then my own frustrations around how my own field was somewhat marginalized within the context of chemical engineering. Got it. And, sort of to, to anchor everybody and, and start us off. could you just explain what a fundamental manufacturing process innovation it's. So the way we think of fundamental process innovation or manufacturing process innovation is actually rethinking how the steps in a process are organized and connected together. And so that has become the paradigm which we have. we have set for fundamental manufacturing process innovation, and these innovations come in in different categories that enable us to put these processes together. And one of the examples of which for example, is. I'm factoring taking something that has been done together at one process step and separating it into two different steps that occur maybe at different [00:06:00] times or in different places. And by so doing, we actually enable us to make, a tremendous change in the way that that process operates. So it's really around. The strategy for organizing and executing the manufacturing steps and using a set of schema is to sort of understand how over history we have been able to do that. Do you want to add to that mic? Yeah. I want to take a step back outside of manufacturing. So one of the examples we give at the outset of the piece is not in manufacturing, but in shopping something that every single person listening to this can wrap their mind around, I think. and I still love the example cause it just kind of. I miss it every single day. and this is all pre COVID thinking of course, but the idea that say a hundred years ago, and a lot or Western societies, you would go to let's call it the general store. and you'd walk in, go up to the counter. And, if I have a list maybe, and you'd handle lists to the purveyor, and they would go [00:07:00] in the back rows of shelves and they'd pull off what was on your list and they'd bring it out to you, you pay for it and you go on your Merry way. And then, you know, several decades ago, this started to change, probably half century my ex ex ex. Exactly sure. The timing, but, to, to a model, where instead of a single shop keeper, having to interface with many individual, shoppers, it was now many shoppers who did the traversing of those aisles themselves, right? This is at least in Western society is what we are familiar with today as the grocery store or the target or the Walmart. And what you do is you. Trade one thing for another in doing that right. Instead of, the person, the, the purveyor, getting things for you, which from a customer's perspective is very nice. Right? you, you, you no longer have that, right. You're being told. Okay. He used to, yeah, he or she used to get it for you now. You're going to go and traverse the ALS yourself. But you do get something in return as the [00:08:00] shopper. And that is a lower costs because now one store at the same time can be, open to many, many people stopping shopping simultaneously. So, selection goes up, costs go down and there's a benefit for the customer, and the shopkeeper. So this is an example of a process innovation it's the it's still shopping, but it, it takes the old process paradigm and inserts a new one. Excellent. And so you, in your paper, you illustrate eight major historical, fundamental process innovations. And I would love to sort of frame the conversation by walking through them so that, a just because they're great history and B, so that everybody can sort of be anchored on the very concrete, examples while at the same time, I'll, I'll sort of poke at, The, the more sort of abstract questions and ideas around this. so the, the first, [00:09:00] the first one you talked about is the shift from the new Komen to the watt steam production process. So like, what was that? And, and why was that important? it was important because, what it did was it changed fundamentally how we could make power. So the newcomer engine had, the condensation of steam in the same vessel, as, as the, as what was being the vacuum was being pulled to enable the, Pulling of water up from the coal mines in Britain, turns out it's actually 10 mines rather than coal mines, where this was first developed. And what, what did was to factor that's one of a fundamental process schema factor, the two pieces so that the vacuum pulling and the condensation happened in different vessels. And as a result of that, he was able to increase the efficiency of the steam engine by, an order of magnitude. and, and through other innovations that then followed from that. The steam engine became [00:10:00] significantly more efficient. Now, what did that do? Well, the first thing it did was is it meant that you could pump water out of deeper mines, so you could actually now get coal out of deeper mines and so you can increase coal production significantly. The other thing it did, of course, it meant that for the same amount of power, the engine could actually get quite a bit smaller. In fact, it could get small enough that he could actually move itself on rails. And so what that also then enabled was. Stevenson and essentially the invention of railways without the steam engine. You wouldn't have railways with railways. Now, suddenly you can bring the coal, which you've now enabled yourself to dig out of Deepa mines. You can now bring that to manufacturing sentence. So there's a whole follow on set of innovations. And in fact, a complete reorganization it's called the industrial revolution. That is, that is based on these kinds of process innovations. And this was one of the most central ones, right? To that actual outcome was the idea of factoring these students. [00:11:00] Two steps leading to much greater efficiency in the way that a steam engine could be used. And, and that, there's actually two pieces that I think are fascinating about that. And one is, this phenomenon that you see over and over again, where what I would sort of call a continuous efficiency increases, right? Where it's. It was, it was like a fairly steady, increase of efficiency. But then, because as you point out, it eventually got efficient enough that it could power, a rail car that all of a sudden made this like discrete difference in what the process was actually capable. and I feel like you see this in school, many of the examples that you give, and I like, I just love that. And then the other piece. That I believe is the case. Is that, what was, what was, new Cummins apprentice, right? That I'm not sure about that actually. I mean, I think he was familiar with new [00:12:00] comes work. but I don't know if he was actually his apprentice or not in that particular context. W w and the reason that I ask is that, like, do you think that what would have been able to. Create this, this process innovation, if he hadn't been like, sort of actively working with the new Komen engine in the first place. No, I think the answer is, is that without that he, he, you know, you have that you had to have a starting point. And I think he understood, once, once he sold the starting point that, yeah, that was a, there was a way in which he could make this more efficient. the other thing about the, the, the efficiency and the scanning of efficiency is what we see in a lot of these fundamental process innovations is that there is a step change, but not only that, it shows how then off to that fundamental process innovation has happened. That, that can be this continuous increase, right? So there is, it unlocks an enormous potential to suddenly change the game in terms of the efficiency. So, [00:13:00] so the point being that say the original engine was maybe less than, than 3%. Maybe one, 2% efficient. And what, what did with the sort of next version was increased that by an order of magnitude, and then suddenly with that innovation now by better manufacturing, higher pressure vessels, et cetera, you could actually then go into an even higher level of, of efficiency. Not only that, but it drove the development of the sort of discipline of thermodynamics. Now you have to analyze the engines on their efficiencies and understand what could lead to greater efficiency in the future. And so, and you know, entirely scientific discipline was built on top of the, of innovations that were occurring in heat engines. Yeah. Well, I think there's an important point here in the efficiency discussion, right? And Matthew and I have chatted about this. A fair amount is that you kind of have the efficiency piece and as you're pointing out, Ben, it's really critical. Look it up for some threshold with a lot of these, but efficiency is kind of zero to a hundred, [00:14:00] right? And then you have the whole cost throughput piece. And as we show in the piece, you have many orders of magnitude possible gains on that side of the equation. and some of it goes hand in hand with efficiency, but I sometimes think that that is there's an overemphasis, often on efficiency. you gotta get through the threshold and then recognize that the driving down of costs or increasing of throughput can happen, you know, a million X, you know, as, as for example, the planar process of integrated circuit shows it's more than a million X decrease in cost over time. Yeah. And, and this, this idea is that, that you point out about almost sort of like the process innovation, defining a paradigm that then sort of sets the pack for things is, is a theme that we'll like, let's, let's almost like poke it that as we, as we go through through everything else. and, before we move on, I guess the last piece, [00:15:00] sort of going back to. like Watts familiarity with the process in the first place. And sort of tying it back to to today is, I guess what, what's your take on sort of like the, the, the familiarity that the people who are working on cross as possible process innovations have with the processes now, Let's see, I probably phrased that a little bit weird, but, I guess my concern is that there's, there's more of a separation between the people that we expect to do the innovating and the people who are working on the processes. So, so yeah, this is a really critical point. I mean, what we have done in the modern innovation enterprise right, is we've split, so-called fundamental research with applied research. and, these examples, many, the ones that we give are really squarely between the two and they need both [00:16:00] to function. And so this is, for this kind of innovation or real. I think a real issue with the current way, things are set up, because it requires some knowledge of the science that's kind of emerging. It requires some knowledge of some engineering, and it's a matter of integrating these things. And it's not, so much, I think what the prevailing view of the world is, which is fundamental innovation gets developed and leads to some specific technology. It happens between the two. and so that's, that is, that is, That is a theme I think, and these innovations and it's something that I think today is harder to do. we could talk for a long time about why it's harder to do, but it's harder to do today. Cool. Well, we'll, we'll we'll. Circle back on that, as, as we get sort of closer to the present. so can I say one more thing? This is such a good example, but everyone knows the, the watt engine and we are very careful to call it, the watt, what do we call it? We call it the [00:17:00] walk process, right? We call it the what process, what process for energy generation or something like that. But yeah, we focus on the process and I think this is one of the reasons why these kinds of manufacturing innovations are missed all the time is that you focus on the engine, the physical thing that carries out the process and you're missing that. Oh, actually, what, what did was he factored these two steps? It's still a machine like new Coleman's machine, but in the end, what made it so powerful was the underlying process that. It carried out. And I think that that is one of the reasons why these manufacturing innovations are missed in manufacturing versus in other areas where process is talked about much more frequently. So I wanted to make sure, well, actually, as long as we're on that topic, I want to, sort of the talk like the. call out the sort of obsession with novelty in academia, where like, [00:18:00] if like, it's, it's really important to call out the, the process innovation. Because if you look at it just as like steam power, then you could sit, like you could sit a lot, like what's novel, like near your dinner, your power from steam, new colon generated power from steam. and so, so we, like, we need to. Really sort of pay attention to what's going on on the inside and like how that really different, even though on the outside, it does not look that different. For sure. And, and I think the point that we arrived at there is, is, is when we went back into deep history and asked ourselves, well, what do we call the ages of the past? And we call them things like the INH. We don't call it the smelting age. Right. Right, right. We could, we could call it by the process, but we don't, we call it by the thing that was made. you know, we don't, we don't talk, we talk about Flint's and we talk about Flint arrows. We don't talk about the ways in [00:19:00] which those flints were shaped into arrowheads, the flaking and the, and the, and the. But essentially those kinds of processes, which we don't even know in many cases how to reproduce and they lose that knowledge for, for many, many years. In fact centuries, the one example we use in the paper is that a Roman concrete, you know, we were able to, to look at Roman buildings, but we were not able to reproduce them because we had lost the, the recipe. We lost the recipe for making, concrete, with the, with the sort of dissipation of the Roman empire. And so in fact, we couldn't reproduce these buildings, so we could look at them, but we couldn't reproduce them because we had lost the process. Well, I think that that's so key to point out because it's almost what, like similar to the, the streetlight effect where, it's, it's so much easier to look at and point out and talk about the, the artifact. but it's, it's, not as legible what work went into making and even, even now, like, even [00:20:00] now, when you like, literally when everybody's writing everything down, it's still, there are so many little things that go into these processes, that are sort of illegible. and I think that it's. Easy to forget about that and think like, Oh, well, you know, someone wrote it up. Therefore we know everything that can be known about it. Yeah. History is kind of similar, right? The history. Yeah. We, we, we look back on history and we don't see the generator of the history. Yeah. So it's, it's often very hard to get our true handle on what it was that led to certain phenomenon. We, we, we look back and we start to come up with theories. and I mean maybe sometimes they're right. Sometimes they're wrong. We don't have, we have some ways of knowing and other areas. We have no way of knowing because it's, what happened is lost to time. Yeah. Sorry. This is kind of very similar in terms of the fleeting nature of processes. Yeah. And, and, and the fact that it's not easy, I think it should be born out [00:21:00] by anybody who's ever tried to read the materials and methods, sections of academic papers, because you will discover that very rarely do the researchers actually document the materials and methods in sufficient detail to actually reproduce them. There's a, there's a, there's something that they do in the lab that they just forget to write down. That's actually absolutely critical to make the, the, the, the material process work. you'll just discover that they, Oh yeah, we soaked it in methanol for 60 minutes. Oh, I'm sorry. We left that out. you know, there's, there's there are, there are easy to leave out these steps that turn out to be crucial, but they're not the final artifact that's being exhibited in the paper. Yeah. Yeah, there's this, there's this, sorry, there's this, this kind of discussion in, today in science about irreproducibility and we have this reproduction crisis and okay. Maybe we can be doing a better job, but I think a lot of it it's just, as Matthew's describing it's stuff that is not obvious you, as the experimenter are doing the experiment. You, even, if you wrote [00:22:00] down absolutely everything you thought you did. There are things you didn't even realize you were doing that were central to the process and it gets lost. And that, that to me is likely the main source of a lot of these, these issues. Yeah. I wonder what would happen if we actually had a system where you just videoed, literally everything that someone did in a process and then, like captured every key stroke on their computer and it would be it. Yeah, but , I wonder, I wonder whether it would just be completely, unintelligible or whether there'd be something useful that came out of it. Just for the sake of time. I love, yeah, let's move on the second of eight. so, the, the, the second process you talk about is, the, the, the foreigner process for continuous papermaking, which I did not know anything about before I read this. so yeah, like what, what was that, why was it important? So, so here is it's a lot like, what, Gutenberg good with the press. but, [00:23:00] paper prior to this innovation was Preston single sheets and dried as single sheets. basically a fully integrated process on one sheet of paper. And, what, continuous papermaking did was it took each of those steps and separated them into individual components. So that's a factoring schema, as we describe in the paper, where you first throw down the slurry of pulp. Right. And then, there's a section where you let the water drain. you consolidate the Pope down into something that's like a sheet, and then you push that sheet through rollers. and then you dry it, but each of those steps are different, right? The pulp deposition, the rolling and the drying are separated in space and time now. Whereas before they were more or less in the same space. And so that, that factoring allows you to scale up by orders and orders of magnitude, that production rate of paper. And so we talk a lot about Gutenberg's press, being central to mass literacy and it clearly [00:24:00] was. But, and, and we're not the first people to point this out, Tim Harford, who I like a lot who writes for the financial times and his own books, has talked about this where, you need to have the continuous paper. Manufacturing piece so that you could get those books to so many more people. And it was really both of those together that, that led to that. The other point I was going to make about that is, is it also revealed that we, that we were going to that as soon as we were able to, you know, produce, paper at large rates, we needed some sort of raw material that could also be produced. At large rates. And so this idea that you are going to continue to use rags as the, as the input, suddenly became difficult. And so people had to scout around for other forms of fiber that you could use. And that's really what led to the whole, you know, creation of, of the pulping industry that, that takes what. Well on the face of it, a tree doesn't exactly. Look like paper, takes a tree and turns it into something that you can make a make paper out of. [00:25:00] So again, it's this upstream and downstream it's the, the downstream effect is, is. The societal mass literacy, the upstream effect is, is the, is the creation of a, of an entire industry around, you know, turning trees into, into pulp. and so some people might disagree with doing that, but, but the bottom line is, is that's what enabled, the, those two pieces to be driven was the creation of the, of the, of, of papermaking in the, in the middle of that. Yeah. And something that. So, did you have a sense of how people were thinking about papermaking? Oh, for, before for generic came up with process that is like, did, did they realize that it should be possible to make paper more efficiently? Or was it just like, just that's the way it wants? because I feel like so many of these process innovations. [00:26:00] There are people just sort of accept whatever level of whatever process we have. And we're like, Oh, like that's the way it is. Yeah. Maybe we can make it a little better until something new comes along. One of the things we were careful to do in the piece. And I'll be honest because we're not historians is to, to try to stay away a little bit from like the, the, the driving forces. Right. And kind of what people were thinking. I'm really focused on the mechanisms. And that's one of the things, you know, I've really enjoyed learning from people who are in the, the progress studies community, that emerging community. in general, I find that they really know a lot about history and that's great. and we really wanted to make sure we could pay attention to mechanism at the, at the actual innovation level. and so I guess I'm saying that as a long winded answer to say, I don't know how they thought about it. but, you know, but I think that there's kind of been a shift over time. you know, Matthew was sending me, show me something from scientific American recently. [00:27:00] They just, what was their anniversary? Matthew? A 175th. I can't remember what that is in Latin, but, but it's, it's a very long and complicated word. Yeah. But DECA. Yes, exactly. Quickie and no versary. Yes. It's something like that. I buy, if I pumped up, I could go get my issue and they have it in there, but, but it is, it's quite a complicated word. That's all I remember. And they have a article in there talking about the shift in how people speak, spoke about science and engineering. And, h hundred years ago, there was this kind of more engineering processing, which that was far more common. And then around at the time of world war two, it kind of shifted, be more about science and the emphasis on science. At least as far as that magazine goes, but I think the magazine is probably fairly representative of the endeavor as a whole. And so, yeah, that's, that's kind of fascinating. You're saying, did they appreciate, whether the process could be [00:28:00] better? And my gut feeling is they maybe in, in the 18 hundreds, they appreciated that it could be better, more. Did they have an appreciation for how much better that's that's probably dubious. Right? I think most of these, if you went back and asked the original innovator. Did you know, you were setting us on a pathway or a trajectory that led to, you know, the world, as we know it today, I think they'd probably be like, wow, no, I did not expect that. I just was trying to make an extra buck. Yeah. But I think it's like, it's actually almost like a powerful, admonition people to sort of like, keep in mind the different schemas that you lay out and just to like walk around the world. Saying like, Oh, like, could this, could this apply here? and it almost like gives you a bit of humility that it might be possible that like these could always happen. that's for us, that's kind of [00:29:00] emerging from doing this and we're, we're continuing to work on, on, on next pieces basically is a kind of a thousand X heuristic. Whereas you have a two D technology today and you ask yourself, can I do it a thousand X cheaper or a thousand X faster? with the way we do it today? if the answer is yes. Okay, great. And you're really competent that if the answer is no, it may be time for a process innovation. Maybe to us a thousand X is, is sufficiently beyond someone, you know, giving you the pop out answer. Of course, we've made progress in the last 10 years and I expect more progress. Well, that's kind of a cop out answer. A thousand X is quite a bit faster or quite a bit a higher throughput. So that's, I think that's a good metric for anyone working on any technology. and I think COVID COVID is a great example of what we've been experiencing in the last, however many months. It feels like two years, and you know, we needed rapid vaccine [00:30:00] manufacturing. We needed rapid testing, basically a thousand X faster. And we didn't really have that capability in hand and people have done tremendous work right in the, in the intervening months to try and get us a lot closer. I know Matthew has done some work on this. but when the whole thing started, we hadn't really thought about it so much yet. How could we speed up this a thousand X? And so for us, it's a pretty good heuristic is that, is I like that a lot. That is a very powerful heuristic. and it's also like it's, it's aggressively ambitious, which really, really does speak to me. cool. And so, let's, let's talk about the, the Bessemer process for steel manufacturing, which, His age is really cool. everybody listening, go check out the pictures. so, so what is that and why was it important? So again, I think it was important because what it led to obviously was a, was a, a better steel and, steel that you could make. Again, as Mike has pointed out, you could [00:31:00] make, the steel significantly faster than the existing processes. and what it came down to was was, was a recognition that actually to remove the impurities from the steel, you, you could blow air through the steel. That that would cause a reaction that would cause the steel to heat up. Whereas if you think about blowing edge generally, if you blow on things, it makes things colder. So this idea that you would blow air through something to make it hotter was was, was obviously a, you know, something you do in bellows and had been at. Had been thought about in terms of bellows, but actually literally blowing the air through the steel was, was not something that had been done and, and combined with that idea was also this idea that by removing all the impurities and making essentially something that was, that was pure. And then adding back dosing back impurities after you've purified. So that you had control over the composition instead of attempting to stop right at the moment when you had exactly the [00:32:00] right amount of carbon, for example, in the steel, that, that was then another powerful idea that came about. So, so the Bessemer process really. Had a profound impact, both in terms of, again, how much steel you could make in a given amount of time, because it increased the rate by this heating, and then also the control of quality by this site, this very counterintuitive idea of removing all the impurities and then adding something back in order to get to the, to the final product that you wanted. That led then to, to much stronger steels than had been capable of being produced previously and much higher quality control too. I mean, that was a key piece of that. And so actually on that point, you, you, you, you note that the, the best word process led to, three order magnitude, three orders of magnitude increase in, in steel production. And, I'm not, this is something that I, I always wonder about with the, these process innovations that both make it cheaper and [00:33:00] increase the quality, Do you have a sense of whether the order of magnitude increase was primarily due to sort of like moving down the supply demand curve, where there was just like people, you know, because the see was cheaper, they would consume more of it or was it primarily driven by, by new applications of the higher quality steel? obviously it was both, but it's interesting to think about like, which of those. Ends up being, I think the high quality in this case was a, was a very critical factor in the, in the, in the equation poly, because one of the things that opened up was is it opened up the idea of making steel rights, as opposed to what was made from iron rails and steel rails were able to bear a huge, a significant amount, more weight. And because of the fact that they could bear more weight. Now, suddenly again, you could increase the distances and volumes of which trade could happen. And so this, this was one of the reasons why, for example, you could spread [00:34:00] all the way across the United States because you could connect the resource rich West to the, population rich East. with, you know, now a much more powerful, communications network driven by, you know, the steel rails that you were able to produce. So I think that a lot of it was, was, was, you know, bound up with this idea that suddenly now this new application came, came about, that you could do much as the steam engine sort of. When you were able to move the steam engine with its fuel, you now actually could even start that whole process going. So, so again, it's this knock on effect, here, follow up on that and just make the connection for everyone that the efficiency threshold we talked about with watt is very similar to the strength threshold Matthew's talking about with steel. Right. And cross that threshold to a new material, a new strength threshold, but then it was really this driving up production, driving down costs by orders of magnitude. And yeah, we, we got better [00:35:00] higher stress, but you're not going to change the strength of something by a million times. Right. Right. So again, it's, it's kind of these two columns, the efficiency or performance column, and then the manufacturing scale column. Right. And, and going on to the next process in the, in that, in that, in our list, the calorie cracking process, again, you have that same, juxtaposition. You have the fact that by factoring the catalyst regeneration from the production of the fuel, you enabled yourself now to have a continuous process. which enabled you to increase the throughput in terms of the barrels of oil that you could, you could bring through this process, you enabled it to be increased significantly, but also this innovation was happening at a, at a time period where aviation in war was a significant factor and the quality of the fuel that you actually produced. Out of the, out of the catalytic cracking process was higher than the quality of fuel you [00:36:00] produced just by distilling off a certain fraction of the, of the crude oil. And so what you were able to do essentially was, was have a higher performance aircraft engine that was quite significant in terms of its power to, to wait. A ratio in terms of what it could deliver. And so that gave a, you know, allied aircraft, actually a significant boost in performance by having this fuel available to them. And again, provided a significant driving force to scale up the process, which again, went up by a factor of at least a thousand, over the course of, two or three years. Yeah. It's these numbers like whatever, would it be? Say these numbers it's still sort of crazy because it feels like. So many things, focus on like getting, you know, like 10% more efficiency. whereas like, like truly getting to a thousand thousand Xs is like mind boggling. So, I believe this was the case for catalog cracking, and I know that it's the case for many process innovations, [00:37:00] where, at first the, the innovation actually makes the process less efficient like wall while you sort of are figuring out how to get everything working. And then, once you do that, then it makes the whole thing skyrocket. and so I, I guess, The question is like, do you have a sense of how people sort of got past got out of these, like these local equilibria where, you know, if you went to someone you're like, Hey, I want to think less efficiently so that eventually it will become more efficient. so like how, how these, these things even got through. I'm not sure I have any great answers except perseverance. I mean, I think a lot of this stuff comes down to, to the inventor, really, you know, from their experience from their early work on, innovation recognizing in themselves and in their work, that there is the potential, even if right now it's not quite there. you know, [00:38:00] Bessemer was the same thing where, you know, you first, licensed the patent to people and they could reproduce what he did. So the separation of full separation of impurities came later, so that people could reproduce it. So that was a reproducibility problem in the beginning, not so much a strength problem. and, yeah, I don't know. I think a lot of this just comes down to the person, saying I see it just like any of today's, you know, visionaries we talk about in the innovation space and then just keep hammering on it. Yeah, right. I mean, there's counterfactuals, right? So sorry, Matthew. I mean, it was just, we can't, we don't know the ones where the person didn't hammer on it and it never came to fruition. So it's hard to know. Right. I'm going to string together, you know, a few thousand laptop batteries and stick them on the bottom of, of a, of a car. And that is going to create a company called Tesla. Right. so, so, so the answer is, is, is it's very hard to predict, obviously a and B the T's about a lot of it is about [00:39:00] perseverance and certainly Elon Musk will we'll talk at length about the fact that he, he. He's thinks his quality is perseverance. And that it's, that that's, that's very important in this context or I'm going to have a rocket that goes up into the air and then eventually pirouettes and lands on a, on a platform floating in the middle of the seat. so these, these are, these are, you know, innovations where, where certainly the, the individual involved has plays a pretty signature. If you can, too, to the perseverance necessary to get it to that stage. But, but it's also important to recognize, right. That it's not perseverance along the existing trajectory. Right. It's stepping aside trying to establish a brand new trajectory and pushing on that. And I think sometimes those, those two are missed a lot. When you use the word perseverance people, miss that. It's it's, it's also this stepping outside of the existing trajectory. Yeah. I I'm, I'm particularly interested in whether we can like. Create Mehta innovations in sort of [00:40:00] roadmapping out what that stepping aside looks like. So instead of just, I'm saying like, okay, we're gonna go this other way. Like really sort of saying, we'd go this other way. And like, this is what it will take to get this too. Do that, that thousand X to hopefully make it easier for, these individuals too. So just convince other people that they're not crazy, when, when they don't maybe have a couple of million dollars to go off and like blow up rockets on an Island. Yeah. It's I think it's, it's, it's hard to figure out. I mean, look at, look at the bottleneck that emerged that Matthew was talking about and continuous paper manufacturing. I, you know, I think I'm pretty sure when they started, developing that process, they didn't expect that to be the next roadblock. Right. but it was, and so, so again, this comes back to the perseverance thing. I think, I think you can try and outline it stuff, but there's going to be roadblocks. And you probably should. Right? Don't just, this is not just serendipitous. I think there's a certain kind of [00:41:00] force that comes with these things that people push on the innovations. but you know, recognizing that there's going to be one new bottlenecks that emerge, but not to let those discourage you and that, you know, this, they think of them as, you know, motivating new science and engineering and, and that's how I view a lot of this stuff. And, and yeah, that's what I would say, Matthew. Yeah. And, and actually on the note of sort of unexpected bottlenecks, I think that that's another key point is that, like so much science and engineering does come out of trying to implement things and then running into bottlenecks that you can't even expect. Right. Like, instead of trying to like, imagine everything through, cool. So just in it for the sake of time, let's talk about the, the planar process for integrated circuitry, which like arguably, has been the driving force of at least the second half of the 20th century. [00:42:00] Yeah, and I think it's often a missed, right. We talk about the integrated circuit and information technology, and miss the fact that there's this process underlying it, that has enabled us to interconnect. I mean, it's in certain settings, it's hundreds of billions of transistors now. Right. And so, in the early days, everything was discreet. just like everything else, everything was modular and discrete components. Yeah, transistors were all sold as single tracks. I would tell them that way. Yeah, exactly. No, no. Yeah. I'll, I'll take three. And, they, P people have the idea of interconnecting them. We, we were building computers. We recognized how hard it was to take these modular components with the technology of the time and integrate them. the other thing that was happening at the same time was some science. And actually, this is one of the cool things about the planar process was that there was science going on. Where there was a recognition that embedding these electronic devices all the way inside a single crystal, Silicon wafer gave you much better performance. [00:43:00] And so it was kind of the realization that you could jam these things inside the top surface of a wafer. There was also surface passivation, for those who are familiar with this process, that was key to making the devices good once they were embedded, but then once they were inside the wafer, the top surface remained flat. but they were embedded. Right. but the, the technology before that was what they used to call Mesa technology, where the transistors were kind of built on top, like mesas and Utah or Arizona, but putting them in, okay. The wafer left the top surface flat and much easier to interconnect using this development of photo lithography. And then it went from there. and, and so that, that was the key innovation, was this extreme parallelization basically. of embedding, not just a single transistor, but thousands and then millions and billions of transistors. And I want to also point out, you know, The, the, the trajectory that, that set us on as described by Moore's law, [00:44:00] this idea that we, decrease the size, increase the number at a, at a rate that's, gives us Moore's law and, and potentially that's slowing down. that's another one of the features of process innovations in many cases is that they, they eventually will run out of steam. and, I, I think we're starting to see this with the planar process, where it's had a tremendous runway. but we're getting to the point where the underlying assumptions of it may no longer not, they're not going to go away, but that we may benefit from an alternative way of building circuitry. Yeah. The, these processes they're, their effects tend to fall as you point out, tend to follow S-curves. Right. So that's, we're sort of, you see it when you start to like hit the top of that. S-curve that's when you need to think about like these fundamental process innovations. I think we've been at the top of the S curve for a long time, the processing, I mean the prediction of the [00:45:00] end of Moore's law. And I say that in quotes, it has been around for decades and, always been able to get around it. and that's impressive. It's a Testament to the scientists and engineers that work in the industry. But, you know, you can only get so small. yeah, that was an interesting thing here about biases also that, the planar process biased us towards miniaturization, right. biased us. But one of the central tenants of the planar process is perfection at every step. Once you put transistors in the solid wafer and you can't pull them out very easily, or really you can't, if they're defective, You're now in a world where every transistor up to these tens of billions, we're talking about better, be really close to. Perfect. And, so what that drives you towards it incentivizes you to, not change too much about the process and find a trajectory that allows you to still increase performance. And that trajectory was just shrinking thing. Don't change the materials too much. Don't change the [00:46:00] processes by a large amount to shrink stuff. And that was very synergistic, right? That's Moore's law and it's a tremendous success, but it did incentivize us down that pathway. And it's a bias that process innovation set up and that other innovations would set us up to go in a different direction. Yeah. Yeah. That's the, the counterfactuals are fascinating. And, and, and another thing that I think is really interesting about the, the planet process. and, and it happens in other places where, horny, who, who came up with it happened to have had experience with printing, if I remember correctly. And so you tend to see these, these situations where like someone who has experienced in like a completely different discipline. Just so happens to be interacting with the process and say like, Oh, Hey, perhaps this thing from this other discipline can be applied in this process. and I wonder if there are that, like, do you have an incentive, like sort of better ways to get that to [00:47:00] happen? well I do, which is to create a specific, discipline around, this. So, so I, you know, if I'm going to take a very strong position here, I would say we need, we need a discipline of process studies. where we do try to lead, you know, young minds because ours have too inflexible at this point, across these different kinds of examples and allow them to see the connections between the different processes in different technological domains. And that may be, although that's not a, not a, a pedagogical, certainly that will be this opportunity. They will then connect these ideas in some other manufacturing domain, or even across. for example, service domains, I do see that there is this general principle around process innovation, manufacturing, so potentially, possibly founded on the schema that we've, that we've outlined that could enable people to see these [00:48:00] connections and start to use ideas from one process discipline in another. And so factoring could be sunny appears as we've said, in, in services. And it could appear in other manufacturing domains as well. So, so I would advocate for a borough, sort of a discipline that's built around this, these ideas so that we could lead people to make this more efficient in terms of our discovery. Wait, Mike's refraining. No. I, I, I agree. I think probably the things we're talking about or the discipline Matthew's talking about, I would liken it a lot to the role mathematics plays, right? Mathematics is its own discipline. it's separate, but all of the engineering and sciences use it. and so this is kind of similar and we were very careful, to pick out to process innovations that span the gamut. We really, we think, I think it's hard to argue that any of the eight we picked, were not really impactful. but they, they really [00:49:00] span a whole variety of, of disciplines kind of showing that it really is everywhere, but we don't recognize it as, so as pervasive as something like mathematics. and, I, I don't want to be heard as saying, well, we're as important as mathematics. mathematics has been along around a long time, but it's something akin to that. Right? I think the one place that I think it's different and would need to be adjusted somehow is that there's there isn't a ton. I mean, there are some, but like there isn't a whole lot of feedback loops between. Matt and the, all the other disciplines that math, enables. so the, so like occasionally you'll see like a mathematical problem. That's been inspired by a, a sort of more applied problem. whereas I imagine in some kind of, process innovation discipline, you really do need to have these, like these feedback [00:50:00] loops. Between, the, the discipline and the, and the sort of like the effective disciplines and sort of like setting up those, those feedback loops seems, important and harder. Yeah. Discipline is hard. Yes, absolutely. And I think with mathematics, we may have been doing it for so long that we don't see it. Right. I think, I think, you know, if you think about astronomy, for example, astronomy uses uses mathematics falling objects, is one of the inspirations for a lot of, a lot of mathematics. And so sometimes I think we know that mathematics has become the problems in mathematics have become so embedded with each other in some sense that we don't see that we need to create that, that, that feedback loop. Right. whereas, you know, geometry, for example, is another one, where, whereas in, in process, I agree with you. It's still something that I think is despite us having, you know, used [00:51:00] processes since we were, you know, since we were time in Memorial, right. We haven't really set up that as a formal means of, of analyzing the way we, the way we do things, right? I mean, that's, that's, if you like, it's the science of the way we do things. and that's what we need to, we need to think about and actually put that out. I'm going to argue against myself and, and there's, there's tons of examples of math, being inspired by, by applications where like, look at information theory, right? Like the whole reason that. We have information theories because they wanted to see how much information they could cram in a single copper wire. So, so I will actually rescind that really. Yes, I think so. And I, and I think the other thing there is, is look how impactful, what is the impactful mathematics? It is actually, I mean, in some sense, almost by default, but it is the sorts of things where now, you know, where information theory was obstructed away from the app, from the original idea. And [00:52:00] now has come back to influence a whole range of. Of of applications beyond that. And that's, that's the, the value. And I think that's the same thing with process innovation, right? If we could abstract away find the, find the, the, the core of that as a discipline that could then come back and influence a whole range of, of the way that we do things. Yeah. And, and so, so I do want to be respectful of both of your times. so, what I will do is encourage people, listening to go look, read, like, read the paper, to discover, the, the last three, fundamental process innovations. And the way I'd love to close is, sort of beyond reading this paper, like, how do you think that we could. Get beyond, reading the paper and Vicky about a new discipline. Like what, what are ways to get more of more fundamental process innovations? Well, I think we, we, at least in some, [00:53:00] some amount of our innovation sequence, need to recognize that there are things that happen. Within the Valley of death. So, you know, we talk a lot about the Valley of death as something to cross. first of all, Valley death is very manmade because we've split fundamental science and applied science and processes. An example where the splits are really bad thing. And instead of crossing it, we should look at at it as we want to go into it and hang out in it. Yeah, right. I think this is one of the issues with it. This course is it's all about something bad versus no, it's actually where we need to be. for, for certain innovations. you know, I think you think about the Nobel prize from this last week for CRISPR like that, that is squarely in my mind, that is a discovery. It's a fundamental discovery and it'll be translated that that's kind of the conventional view of things, but there we are not doing ourselves any favors by. By having the scale too [00:54:00] much on the fundamental side and that we should at least rebalance a little bit and force ourselves down into that Valley. Just hang out. Yeah. Love it. Matthew, what do you think. Yes. I think the, the stepping away from some of the things that we take for granted, like electronics manufacturing, and, and considering Mike's question around what would make this a thousand X, better in some dimension. Is is, is really the way that we can, that we can make progress. And again, your point was very well taken, which is sometimes when we get better at something, we're going to get worse at something else. Right. And, and it could be that we're going to have to accept that we will not have circuitry that behaves as, as, as well, or as fast as it did previously. But now we may have gained in some other dimension. So again, it's about taking the blinkers off and not saying, okay, we have to have these particular metrics [00:55:00] always be improving, but think about how through processes. We may take some other metric and now make that significant it'd be better than it was previously. And then. Hang out and see what happens as Mike said, because by doing so, we may in fact then lead ourselves to improve other areas as well. And that, that could then lead to the kinds of scalings we saw with making steel, making paper or making energy. And so that's what we really need to think about. Here are my key takeaways. Sometimes you need to go down, go back up. The interplay between processes and paradigms is absolutely fascinating. And we don't talk about it enough. And finally, we need to spend more time hanging out in the Valley of death. [00:56:00]
The ability to coat large quantities of small particles — powders — via atomic layer deposition (ALD) has opened new vistas for battery materials, chemical catalysis, 3-D printing, and more. On this episode of the Nanovation podcast, Ruud van Ommen from TU Delft talks everything powder ALD. In this context, Ruud and Mike focus on the why and how of process scale-up. Listeners of the show won’t be surprised to learn that there’s much more to scale-up than increasing the size of the tank! Ruud also shares the motivation behind founding the company Delft IMP and how, in the early days, he was told that powder ALD was impossible.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on January 23, 2020• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/59• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
The ability to coat large quantities of small particles — powders — via atomic layer deposition (ALD) has opened new vistas for battery materials, chemical catalysis, 3-D printing, and more. On this episode of the Nanovation podcast, Ruud van Ommen from TU Delft talks everything powder ALD. In this context, Ruud and Mike focus on the why and how of process scale-up. Listeners of the show won’t be surprised to learn that there’s much more to scale-up than increasing the size of the tank! Ruud also shares the motivation behind founding the company Delft IMP and how, in the early days, he was told that powder ALD was impossible.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on January 23, 2020• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/59• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Malancha Gupta from the University of Southern California gives a primer on initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD). iCVD is a relatively new processing technique for the deposition of functional polymer thin films. Because polymer properties are readily tunable, iCVD can impart a nearly limitless number of surface functionalities. Perhaps most importantly, the mild nature of iCVD makes it compatible with delicate substrates such as paper, cells, and even liquids! In addition to talking shop, Malancha recounts her journey from curious undergrad to professor. She also shares several of the life hacks that helped her along the way. Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on January 16, 2020• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/58• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Malancha Gupta from the University of Southern California gives a primer on initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD). iCVD is a relatively new processing technique for the deposition of functional polymer thin films. Because polymer properties are readily tunable, iCVD can impart a nearly limitless number of surface functionalities. Perhaps most importantly, the mild nature of iCVD makes it compatible with delicate substrates such as paper, cells, and even liquids! In addition to talking shop, Malancha recounts her journey from curious undergrad to professor. She also shares several of the life hacks that helped her along the way. Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on January 16, 2020• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/58• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Sang Han from the University of New Mexico has spent his career developing advanced electronic and photonic materials. In this episode of the Nanovation podcast, Sang and Mike discuss radiative cooling technology, which promises to cool surfaces, such as the exteriors of homes and buildings, even in direct sunlight. They talk about the physics of radiative cooling, different methods for its implementation, and the challenge of developing a manufacturing process suitable for coating entire cities. A potpourri of related topics come up along the way, including the ups and downs of global technology competition, how to incentivize innovation in manufacturing, and the excitement and challenge of starting a company.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on December 19, 2019• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/57• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Sang Han from the University of New Mexico has spent his career developing advanced electronic and photonic materials. In this episode of the Nanovation podcast, Sang and Mike discuss radiative cooling technology, which promises to cool surfaces, such as the exteriors of homes and buildings, even in direct sunlight. They talk about the physics of radiative cooling, different methods for its implementation, and the challenge of developing a manufacturing process suitable for coating entire cities. A potpourri of related topics come up along the way, including the ups and downs of global technology competition, how to incentivize innovation in manufacturing, and the excitement and challenge of starting a company.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on December 19, 2019• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/57• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Nazanin Bassiri-Gharb, a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech, joins Mike to talk about complex oxides. Complex oxides are multi-component materials that yield a bevy of exotic properties. Much of the podcast centers on ferroelectricity, the ability of certain materials to exhibit an internal polarization that can be switched with an external electric field. Nazanin and Mike talk about the current use of ferroelectrics in technologies from ultrasound imaging to data storage, as well as their potential future use in brain-like or neuromorphic computers. Throughout the episode, Nazanin's love of and excitement for science and engineering shines through. Be careful, it's infectious!Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on November 14, 2019• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/56• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Nazanin Bassiri-Gharb, a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech, joins Mike to talk about complex oxides. Complex oxides are multi-component materials that yield a bevy of exotic properties. Much of the podcast centers on ferroelectricity, the ability of certain materials to exhibit an internal polarization that can be switched with an external electric field. Nazanin and Mike talk about the current use of ferroelectrics in technologies from ultrasound imaging to data storage, as well as their potential future use in brain-like or neuromorphic computers. Throughout the episode, Nazanin's love of and excitement for science and engineering shines through. Be careful, it's infectious!Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on November 14, 2019• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/56• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
What if every seed you planted could include a sensor to monitor moisture and nutrients? What if every tissue had nanoscale electronics to check for viruses when you blew your nose? In this bonus episode from the Sustainable Nano podcast (an outstanding production of the Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology at the University of Wisconsin - Madison), Mike talks with host Miriam Krause about his lab's push toward ‘hyper-scalable’ electronics and what technologies might be enabled by such a manufacturing capability.Show details: • Hosted/edited by Miriam Krause (@mirk47)• Sustainable Nano episode: https://sustainablenano.simplecast.com/episodes/mikefiller• Recorded on March 21, 2019• Edited for Nanovation by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Additional show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/55• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
What if every seed you planted could include a sensor to monitor moisture and nutrients? What if every tissue had nanoscale electronics to check for viruses when you blew your nose? In this bonus episode from the Sustainable Nano podcast (an outstanding production of the Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology at the University of Wisconsin - Madison), Mike talks with host Miriam Krause about his lab's push toward ‘hyper-scalable’ electronics and what technologies might be enabled by such a manufacturing capability.Show details: • Hosted/edited by Miriam Krause (@mirk47)• Sustainable Nano episode: https://sustainablenano.simplecast.com/episodes/mikefiller• Recorded on March 21, 2019• Edited for Nanovation by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Additional show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/55• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
If you’ve ever thought about starting a nanotech company, this is the episode for you! Andrew Hunt tells the story of Engi-Mat (formerly nGimat), the nanomaterials company he founded in 1993. Andrew and Mike discuss Engi-Mat’s core manufacturing technology, what motivated Andrew to start the company, the pros and cons of the U.S. patent system, and how the nanotechnology landscape has changed in the past two and half decades. Andrew has seen it all: from the early optimism to the stock market drops that sunk many of his rivals to the increasing prevalence of nanomaterials in everyday life. He has a lot of teach us.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on October 28, 2019• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/54• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
If you’ve ever thought about starting a nanotech company, this is the episode for you! Andrew Hunt tells the story of Engi-Mat (formerly nGimat), the nanomaterials company he founded in 1993. Andrew and Mike discuss Engi-Mat’s core manufacturing technology, what motivated Andrew to start the company, the pros and cons of the U.S. patent system, and how the nanotechnology landscape has changed in the past two and half decades. Andrew has seen it all: from the early optimism to the stock market drops that sunk many of his rivals to the increasing prevalence of nanomaterials in everyday life. He has a lot of teach us.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on October 28, 2019• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/54• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
What if every seed you planted could include a sensor to monitor moisture and nutrients? What if every tissue had nanoscale electronics to check for viruses when you blew your nose? Our fourth season launches with an interview about the future of nanotransistor technology with Professor Mike Filler from Georgia Tech. We also begin our new series of timely mini-interviews with a quick conversation about "necrochemistry" in honor of Halloween.Prof. Michael Filler (left, photo courtesy of Dr. Filler) and his Nanovation PodcastWant more podcast episodes? You can find them all on our podcast page, or you can subscribe through Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.#### **ABOUT THIS EPISODE**Related links:Prof. Mike Filler: website, TwitterNanovation PodcastMoore's LawMoore’s Law Is Dead. Now What? by Tim Simonite in MIT Technology Review, 2016.Prof. Kira BartonProf. Bob Hamers (Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology Director)Natalie Hudson-Smith: website, TwitterAsk A Mortician YouTube ChannelThe Order of the Good DeathThe Center for Sustainable NanotechnologyInterviewees: Mike Filler & Natalie Hudson-SmithProducer/Host: Miriam KrauseMusic: PC III and Dexter BritainThis material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under the Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology, grant number CHE-1503408. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed on this podcast are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or the participating institutions.
What do you get when you combine politics and nanotechnology? NanoBama, a carbon nanotube based picture of the 44th President of the United States. John Hart, the leader of the Mechanosynthesis Group at MIT, joins the podcast to talk about his love of nanomanufacturing and science communication. We talk about the challenge of developing “code” for nanomanufacturing processes and how nanomanufacturing is in a (sometimes frustrating) adolescent phase. John also shares his experience preparing for and presenting a TEDx talk.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on June 17, 2016• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/53• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
What do you get when you combine politics and nanotechnology? NanoBama, a carbon nanotube based picture of the 44th President of the United States. John Hart, the leader of the Mechanosynthesis Group at MIT, joins the podcast to talk about his love of nanomanufacturing and science communication. We talk about the challenge of developing “code” for nanomanufacturing processes and how nanomanufacturing is in a (sometimes frustrating) adolescent phase. John also shares his experience preparing for and presenting a TEDx talk.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on June 17, 2016• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/53• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Bob Sutor, the Vice President of IBM Q Strategy and Ecosystem, talks about IBM's unique approach to quantum computing. With the IBM Q Experience, they allow anyone on the Internet to access and program a quantum computer. Bob and Mike also discuss how to build a quantum computer, when quantum computers might be better than classical computers, where nanotechnology plays a role, and what we can expect further in the future. Bob is very clear about two things: quantum computers are coming and you should take one out for a spin.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on July 11, 2019• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/52• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Bob Sutor, the Vice President of IBM Q Strategy and Ecosystem, talks about IBM's unique approach to quantum computing. With the IBM Q Experience, they allow anyone on the Internet to access and program a quantum computer. Bob and Mike also discuss how to build a quantum computer, when quantum computers might be better than classical computers, where nanotechnology plays a role, and what we can expect further in the future. Bob is very clear about two things: quantum computers are coming and you should take one out for a spin.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on July 11, 2019• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/52• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
The modern story of technological innovation is usually told as a story of scientific discovery followed by translation and commercialization. What if there is a broad class of technological innovations that do not follow this narrative? What if, despite being frequently overlooked or misunderstood, these innovations have revolutionized society in domains as diverse as materials, energy, electronics, and healthcare? On this episode of the Nanovation podcast, Matthew Realff returns to the show to talk with Mike about ‘fundamental process innovations’ -- technological innovations that emerge from rethinking the strategy by which a series of manufacturing steps are organized and executed. They discuss why process innovation often goes unrecognized, present a framework to understand it, explain how new areas of science emerge from it, and offer suggestions for nurturing it in the future. (Recorded on June 13, 2019. Edited by Andrew Cannon)Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on June 13, 2019• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/51• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
The modern story of technological innovation is usually told as a story of scientific discovery followed by translation and commercialization. What if there is a broad class of technological innovations that do not follow this narrative? What if, despite being frequently overlooked or misunderstood, these innovations have revolutionized society in domains as diverse as materials, energy, electronics, and healthcare? On this episode of the Nanovation podcast, Matthew Realff returns to the show to talk with Mike about ‘fundamental process innovations’ -- technological innovations that emerge from rethinking the strategy by which a series of manufacturing steps are organized and executed. They discuss why process innovation often goes unrecognized, present a framework to understand it, explain how new areas of science emerge from it, and offer suggestions for nurturing it in the future. (Recorded on June 13, 2019. Edited by Andrew Cannon)Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on June 13, 2019• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/51• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Daniel Whiteson, a Professor of Physics and Astronomy at UC Irvine, is the guest on this fun, free-wheeling 50th episode of the Nanovation podcast. Daniel talks about the connection between Lego and particle physics, how a cell phone can detect high energy particles physicists don't think should exist, and the role of nanotechnology in the discovery of the Higgs Boson. Be sure not to miss Daniel’s outreach and communication efforts, especially those in collaboration with his friend and colleague, Jorge Cham. These include the podcast "Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe," the book "We Have No Idea: A Guide to the Known Universe," and a kids television show launching in 2020 on PBS called "Elinor Wonders Why."Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on June 6, 2019• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/50• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Daniel Whiteson, a Professor of Physics and Astronomy at UC Irvine, is the guest on this fun, free-wheeling 50th episode of the Nanovation podcast. Daniel talks about the connection between Lego and particle physics, how a cell phone can detect high energy particles physicists don't think should exist, and the role of nanotechnology in the discovery of the Higgs Boson. Be sure not to miss Daniel’s outreach and communication efforts, especially those in collaboration with his friend and colleague, Jorge Cham. These include the podcast "Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe," the book "We Have No Idea: A Guide to the Known Universe," and a kids television show launching in 2020 on PBS called "Elinor Wonders Why."Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on June 6, 2019• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/50• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Kate Plass is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Franklin and Marshall College where her lab specializes in the synthesis of nanoparticles, especially those with unique near-infrared optical properties. On this episode of Nanovation, Kate not only discusses her lab’s research but also talks about life at primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs) like Franklin and Marshall. She explains the basics of PUIs, how they view the world and their place in it, and what opportunities they offer students and faculty relative to more research intensive institutions. Kate and Mike also muse on the importance of stupidity in scientific research and Kate talks about her mentors, hobbies, and tattoos in the lightning round. Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on January 31, 2019• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/49• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Kate Plass is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Franklin and Marshall College where her lab specializes in the synthesis of nanoparticles, especially those with unique near-infrared optical properties. On this episode of Nanovation, Kate not only discusses her lab’s research but also talks about life at primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs) like Franklin and Marshall. She explains the basics of PUIs, how they view the world and their place in it, and what opportunities they offer students and faculty relative to more research intensive institutions. Kate and Mike also muse on the importance of stupidity in scientific research and Kate talks about her mentors, hobbies, and tattoos in the lightning round. Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on January 31, 2019• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/49• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Josh Caldwell from Vanderbilt University, and formerly the United States Naval Research Laboratory, talks about his pioneering work in infrared polaritonics. Polaritons are quasiparticles that couple photons to the motion of electrons or atoms in a material, and allow you to squeeze and manipulate light in nanoscale volumes. In the infrared, this capability may one day allow, for example, the roof of your home to cool even when in direct sunlight. Josh and Mike get a little 'in the weeds,' but that's what podcasts are for! Be sure not to miss the great career advice Josh sprinkles in along the way.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on January 24, 2019• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/48• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Josh Caldwell from Vanderbilt University, and formerly the United States Naval Research Laboratory, talks about his pioneering work in infrared polaritonics. Polaritons are quasiparticles that couple photons to the motion of electrons or atoms in a material, and allow you to squeeze and manipulate light in nanoscale volumes. In the infrared, this capability may one day allow, for example, the roof of your home to cool even when in direct sunlight. Josh and Mike get a little 'in the weeds,' but that's what podcasts are for! Be sure not to miss the great career advice Josh sprinkles in along the way.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on January 24, 2019• Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/48• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Greg Parsons from North Carolina State University is the guest on this episode of the Nanovation podcast. Greg is an expert on atomic layer deposition (ALD), the process by which thin films or coatings are deposited atomic layer by atomic layer. Or, as Greg explains, almost. We discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly of ALD. While Greg has explored the use of ALD in a variety of applications, his pioneering work in the area of textiles stands out. Greg's scientific talks are filled with great stories, and this discussion is no different. You’ll hear stories of scientific discovery and also gain insight into Greg’s philosophy for research and life. Be sure to listen to the end to hear Greg participate in the inaugural Nanovation "lightning round."Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on December 6, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/47• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Greg Parsons from North Carolina State University is the guest on this episode of the Nanovation podcast. Greg is an expert on atomic layer deposition (ALD), the process by which thin films or coatings are deposited atomic layer by atomic layer. Or, as Greg explains, almost. We discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly of ALD. While Greg has explored the use of ALD in a variety of applications, his pioneering work in the area of textiles stands out. Greg's scientific talks are filled with great stories, and this discussion is no different. You’ll hear stories of scientific discovery and also gain insight into Greg’s philosophy for research and life. Be sure to listen to the end to hear Greg participate in the inaugural Nanovation "lightning round."Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on December 6, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/47• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Patrik Dalqvist and Elin Langhammer are the CEO and Founder/Technical Director, respectively, of Insplorion AB, a Sweden-based company working to commercialize nanoplasmonic sensing for the environmental monitoring and automotive markets. They joined Mike to talk about the company's birth, the science behind their nanoplasmonic sensor technology, their early attempts to achieve product-market fit, and how their technology promises to dramatically improve the performance and lifetime of batteries in electric vehicles.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on November 21, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/46• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Patrik Dalqvist and Elin Langhammer are the CEO and Founder/Technical Director, respectively, of Insplorion AB, a Sweden-based company working to commercialize nanoplasmonic sensing for the environmental monitoring and automotive markets. They joined Mike to talk about the company's birth, the science behind their nanoplasmonic sensor technology, their early attempts to achieve product-market fit, and how their technology promises to dramatically improve the performance and lifetime of batteries in electric vehicles.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on November 21, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/46• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Fred Rascoe from the Georgia Tech Library returns to the show to talk about the changing roles of libraries and scholarly publishing in the 21st century. Fred and Mike discuss why scholarly publishing has been so resistant to, really insulated from, change in the Internet era. They bat around ideas for business models that do not involve universities, companies, or the public paying for expensive journal subscriptions. Mike also makes the argument that peer review is not all it’s cracked up to be and Fred puts him in the hot seat, asking about his own publishing practices.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on September 13, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/45• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Fred Rascoe from the Georgia Tech Library returns to the show to talk about the changing roles of libraries and scholarly publishing in the 21st century. Fred and Mike discuss why scholarly publishing has been so resistant to, really insulated from, change in the Internet era. They bat around ideas for business models that do not involve universities, companies, or the public paying for expensive journal subscriptions. Mike also makes the argument that peer review is not all it’s cracked up to be and Fred puts him in the hot seat, asking about his own publishing practices.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on September 13, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/45• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Bob Hamers is a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin—Madison and co-founder of Silatronix, a company that is commercializing a new electrolyte for Li ion batteries. On this episode of the Nanovation podcast, Bob shares the story of Silatronix's founding and the scientific twists and turns that lead them to their current electrolyte design. Bob also talks about the NSF-funded Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology (CSN), which is a multi-institutional partnership devoted to investigating the fundamental molecular mechanisms by which nanoparticles interact with biological systems. The show ends with a fascinating look at the esoteric field of solvated electrons and the potential of these tiny reactive species to perform chemistry in new ways.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on August 30, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/43• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Bob Hamers is a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin—Madison and co-founder of Silatronix, a company that is commercializing a new electrolyte for Li ion batteries. On this episode of the Nanovation podcast, Bob shares the story of Silatronix's founding and the scientific twists and turns that lead them to their current electrolyte design. Bob also talks about the NSF-funded Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology (CSN), which is a multi-institutional partnership devoted to investigating the fundamental molecular mechanisms by which nanoparticles interact with biological systems. The show ends with a fascinating look at the esoteric field of solvated electrons and the potential of these tiny reactive species to perform chemistry in new ways.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on August 30, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/43• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Sebastien Lounis is the co-founder of Cyclotron Road, a fellowship program that supports entrepreneurial scientists as they start down the road of translating a scientific discovery into a commercially viable technology. On this episode of the Nanovation podcast, Sebastien overviews Cyclotron Road, what drove him and his co-founder to start it, how it works, and how it fits into the broader tech-translation landscape. Critically, Cyclotron Road helps to fill the earliest innovation stage gap, sometimes called the “valley of death”, that often prevents exciting “hard tech” breakthroughs from leaving the lab. Sebastien also shares the story of one fellow’s journey to success and how you know when you’re ready to apply to the program.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on August 7, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/42• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Sebastien Lounis is the co-founder of Cyclotron Road, a fellowship program that supports entrepreneurial scientists as they start down the road of translating a scientific discovery into a commercially viable technology. On this episode of the Nanovation podcast, Sebastien overviews Cyclotron Road, what drove him and his co-founder to start it, how it works, and how it fits into the broader tech-translation landscape. Critically, Cyclotron Road helps to fill the earliest innovation stage gap, sometimes called the “valley of death”, that often prevents exciting “hard tech” breakthroughs from leaving the lab. Sebastien also shares the story of one fellow’s journey to success and how you know when you’re ready to apply to the program.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on August 7, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/42• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Kira Barton from the University of Michigan joins the podcast to share her experience being a professor. At a tier-one research institution like Michigan, the job of professor is so much more than teaching undergraduate students. However, the show starts with a discussion of additive manufacturing, how it's already changing the way we make stuff, and Kira’s lab's exciting research on a new technique called e-jet printing. Whether you're here to learn about the emerging world of additive manufacturing or what it takes to succeed as a professor at a top engineering school, rest assured you'll be learning from the best.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on May 24, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/41• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Kira Barton from the University of Michigan joins the podcast to share her experience being a professor. At a tier-one research institution like Michigan, the job of professor is so much more than teaching undergraduate students. However, the show starts with a discussion of additive manufacturing, how it's already changing the way we make stuff, and Kira’s lab's exciting research on a new technique called e-jet printing. Whether you're here to learn about the emerging world of additive manufacturing or what it takes to succeed as a professor at a top engineering school, rest assured you'll be learning from the best.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on May 24, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/41• Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Swami Rajaraman from the University of Central Florida joins the podcast to talk MEMS. MEMS, or microelectromechanical systems, combine miniaturized structures, sensors, actuators, and microelectronics into a single device. Swami’s laboratory develops new MEMS fabrication methods for the advancement of human health and personalized medicine. In this episode, Swami takes us on a journey from his days as a graduate student at Georgia Tech, to his time as an early employee of the start-up Axion Biosystems, and now as an assistant professor at UCF. Along the way, he provides great primers on the state-of-the-art in MEMS and 3-D printing technology. Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on May 17, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/40 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Swami Rajaraman from the University of Central Florida joins the podcast to talk MEMS. MEMS, or microelectromechanical systems, combine miniaturized structures, sensors, actuators, and microelectronics into a single device. Swami’s laboratory develops new MEMS fabrication methods for the advancement of human health and personalized medicine. In this episode, Swami takes us on a journey from his days as a graduate student at Georgia Tech, to his time as an early employee of the start-up Axion Biosystems, and now as an assistant professor at UCF. Along the way, he provides great primers on the state-of-the-art in MEMS and 3-D printing technology. Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on May 17, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/40 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Lars Pleth Nielsen is the director of the Tribology Centre at the Danish Technological Institute. His team works with customers to invent, advance, and industrially deploy coating technologies. Coatings are thin layers that cover most of the materials made today. They can offer protection from the environment, impart different surface properties, and more. On this episode of Nanovation, Lars recounts a variety of stories from his research career, ranging from his exploration of the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen as a child to the “super slip” coating he’s currently working to bring to market. We also discuss his outstanding two-volume book titled Advanced Surface Technology that he co-authored with his colleague and friend Per Møller, and which is considered by many to be the Bible of coating technology.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on May 3, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/39 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Lars Pleth Nielsen is the director of the Tribology Centre at the Danish Technological Institute. His team works with customers to invent, advance, and industrially deploy coating technologies. Coatings are thin layers that cover most of the materials made today. They can offer protection from the environment, impart different surface properties, and more. On this episode of Nanovation, Lars recounts a variety of stories from his research career, ranging from his exploration of the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen as a child to the “super slip” coating he’s currently working to bring to market. We also discuss his outstanding two-volume book titled Advanced Surface Technology that he co-authored with his colleague and friend Per Møller, and which is considered by many to be the Bible of coating technology.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on May 3, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/39 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Mark Naymik, Michael Filler
Emily Weiss from Northwestern University joins the podcast for a wide ranging discussion. We start by asking a deep question: "What is good science?" The answer takes us from the discovery of Neptune to the marriage of basic and applied science that made Bell Labs so great. We then discuss her lab's interest in the interactions between light and quantum dots, tiny crystalline particles with diameters less than about 5 nm. We also find time for Emily to share her vision of a future where biology can be investigated not only on extremely short length scales, but also on extremely short time scales. Stick around for a brief after show if you've ever wondered about making poached eggs. This episode has it all.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on April 25, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/38 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Emily Weiss from Northwestern University joins the podcast for a wide ranging discussion. We start by asking a deep question: "What is good science?" The answer takes us from the discovery of Neptune to the marriage of basic and applied science that made Bell Labs so great. We then discuss her lab's interest in the interactions between light and quantum dots, tiny crystalline particles with diameters less than about 5 nm. We also find time for Emily to share her vision of a future where biology can be investigated not only on extremely short length scales, but also on extremely short time scales. Stick around for a brief after show if you've ever wondered about making poached eggs. This episode has it all.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on April 25, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/38 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Victor Breedveld from Georgia Tech joins the podcast to discuss "Process Principles for Large-Scale Nanomanufacturing," a perspective piece that he and I co-authored with Sven Behrens and graduate student Maritza Mujica. We overview the state-of-the-art in terms of nanomanufacturing, the pros and cons of modular and integrated manufacturing paradigms, why we think the chemicals industry is a good model for a future nanomanufacturing industry, the physical phenomena that complicate the processing of "nanoparts," and what science and engineering will be required before the real potential of nanotechnology will be felt by the average person. Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on April 2, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/37 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Victor Breedveld from Georgia Tech joins the podcast to discuss "Process Principles for Large-Scale Nanomanufacturing," a perspective piece that he and I co-authored with Sven Behrens and graduate student Maritza Mujica. We overview the state-of-the-art in terms of nanomanufacturing, the pros and cons of modular and integrated manufacturing paradigms, why we think the chemicals industry is a good model for a future nanomanufacturing industry, the physical phenomena that complicate the processing of "nanoparts," and what science and engineering will be required before the real potential of nanotechnology will be felt by the average person. Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on April 2, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/37 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Anna Fontcuberta i Morral from École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland joins the podcast to talk about compound semiconductors and their nanostructures. These more exotic relatives of silicon excel in charge transport and light emission/absorption, which makes them useful in technologies ranging from wireless communications to solid-state lighting. We also talk about the differences between academic research in Europe and the United States. We discuss how laboratories are structured, where funding comes from, and how that can influence the resulting research.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on March 26, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/36 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Anna Fontcuberta i Morral from École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland joins the podcast to talk about compound semiconductors and their nanostructures. These more exotic relatives of silicon excel in charge transport and light emission/absorption, which makes them useful in technologies ranging from wireless communications to solid-state lighting. We also talk about the differences between academic research in Europe and the United States. We discuss how laboratories are structured, where funding comes from, and how that can influence the resulting research.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on March 26, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/36 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Elizabeth Nance from the University of Washington talks about the use of nanoparticles to treat neurological diseases. We discuss what makes nanoparticles such interesting vehicles for delivering drugs to the brain, how her lab interrogates this process, and why laboratory success so often fails to translate into people. Elizabeth also shares her perspective on how to train future scientists and engineers to operate in a complex, interdisciplinary world. When a conversation begins with a story of a stolen brain, you know it's going to be good! Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on February 5, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/35 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Elizabeth Nance from the University of Washington talks about the use of nanoparticles to treat neurological diseases. We discuss what makes nanoparticles such interesting vehicles for delivering drugs to the brain, how her lab interrogates this process, and why laboratory success so often fails to translate into people. Elizabeth also shares her perspective on how to train future scientists and engineers to operate in a complex, interdisciplinary world. When a conversation begins with a story of a stolen brain, you know it's going to be good! Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on February 5, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/35 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Matt McDowell is an expert in electrochemical materials and devices. On this episode, we talk about everything batteries — how they work, the state-of-the-art, what still needs to be improved, and what options are on the table for future technologies. We also discuss Matt and his students’ use of in situ experiments — those able to make measurements of a device while it is operating — and how they use this capability to understand the atomic scale details that govern battery performance and failure. We also ponder if batteries will ever be used as the main source of energy in airplanes and, if so, what it will take to get there.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on February 1, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/34 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Matt McDowell is an expert in electrochemical materials and devices. On this episode, we talk about everything batteries — how they work, the state-of-the-art, what still needs to be improved, and what options are on the table for future technologies. We also discuss Matt and his students’ use of in situ experiments — those able to make measurements of a device while it is operating — and how they use this capability to understand the atomic scale details that govern battery performance and failure. We also ponder if batteries will ever be used as the main source of energy in airplanes and, if so, what it will take to get there.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on February 1, 2018 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/34 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Andrew Cannon started 1900 Engineering to commercialize a microcontact printing-based technology to map strain in high performance materials. His technology helps engineers understand when and how parts fatigue, knowledge that is critically important for industries ranging from aerospace to automotive. We talk about how 1900 Engineering's technology works and how the stamps are fabricated, but also discuss a number of the long-standing challenges to precision patterning at the micrometer and nanometer length scale.This episode is dedicated to Lorrie Michele Parson.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on December 5, 2017 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/33 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Andrew Cannon started 1900 Engineering to commercialize a microcontact printing-based technology to map strain in high performance materials. His technology helps engineers understand when and how parts fatigue, knowledge that is critically important for industries ranging from aerospace to automotive. We talk about how 1900 Engineering's technology works and how the stamps are fabricated, but also discuss a number of the long-standing challenges to precision patterning at the micrometer and nanometer length scale.This episode is dedicated to Lorrie Michele Parson.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on December 5, 2017 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/33 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Stacey Bent from Stanford University joins the podcast to talk about Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), a technique used to modify the composition and properties of surfaces. Since a large fraction of the atoms in nanostructures exist on the surface, ALD has become a quintessential tool for nanotechnologists. In this micro-episode, Stacey explains how ALD got its start, how it works, how the semiconductor industry accelerated its development, and what opportunities lie ahead. Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on October 25, 2017 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/32 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Stacey Bent from Stanford University joins the podcast to talk about Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), a technique used to modify the composition and properties of surfaces. Since a large fraction of the atoms in nanostructures exist on the surface, ALD has become a quintessential tool for nanotechnologists. In this micro-episode, Stacey explains how ALD got its start, how it works, how the semiconductor industry accelerated its development, and what opportunities lie ahead. Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on October 25, 2017 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/32 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
John Randall, the President of Zyvex Labs, joins the podcast to discuss his far reaching vision for nanotechnology and nanomanufacturing. We discuss what he calls Digital Atomic Scale Fabrication, the future products it might enable, the critical need for error correction, and why today's semiconductor manufacturers are unlikely to lead the way. John also shares a number of captivating stories from his career. Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on September 14, 2017 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/31 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
John Randall, the President of Zyvex Labs, joins the podcast to discuss his far reaching vision for nanotechnology and nanomanufacturing. We discuss what he calls Digital Atomic Scale Fabrication, the future products it might enable, the critical need for error correction, and why today's semiconductor manufacturers are unlikely to lead the way. John also shares a number of captivating stories from his career. Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on September 14, 2017 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/31 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Eric Furst from the University of Delaware is an expert in self-assembly -- the Harry Potter-esque ability of materials to assemble themselves into well-defined structures. We talk about where we are, where we are going, and what makes controlling self-assembly so hard. A variety of topics make cameos, including M&Ms, NASA's Vomit Comet, flying solar cells, and more.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on April 19, 2017 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/30 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Eric Furst from the University of Delaware is an expert in self-assembly -- the Harry Potter-esque ability of materials to assemble themselves into well-defined structures. We talk about where we are, where we are going, and what makes controlling self-assembly so hard. A variety of topics make cameos, including M&Ms, NASA's Vomit Comet, flying solar cells, and more.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on April 19, 2017 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/30 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Lynn Loo from Princeton University joins the podcast to talk about organic semiconductors -- Si and GaAs's far more tunable and flexible siblings -- and the applications where they shine. We also touch on the value of industry/academic partnerships and the challenges faced by minorities in technical fields.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on February 16, 2017 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/29 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Lynn Loo from Princeton University joins the podcast to talk about organic semiconductors -- Si and GaAs's far more tunable and flexible siblings -- and the applications where they shine. We also touch on the value of industry/academic partnerships and the challenges faced by minorities in technical fields.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on February 16, 2017 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/29 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Dennis Hess from the School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at Georgia Tech joins the podcast to talk about the early days of the semiconductor industry. We discuss the birth of Fairchild Semiconductor, the so-called "traitorous eight," and their groundbreaking process innovations that still underlie integrated circuit manufacturing.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on January 31, 2017 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/28 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Dennis Hess from the School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at Georgia Tech joins the podcast to talk about the early days of the semiconductor industry. We discuss the birth of Fairchild Semiconductor, the so-called "traitorous eight," and their groundbreaking process innovations that still underlie integrated circuit manufacturing.Show details: • Hosted by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Edited by Andrew Cannon (@andrewhcannon) • Recorded on January 31, 2017 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/28 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Bara Cola makes an encore appearance on the podcast to chat about Carbice, a company he founded to commercialize next generation heat transfer materials for cooling electronic devices. We discuss the value and challenge of maintaining business relationships, how competition from abroad is changing the playing field for technology start-ups, and the excitement surrounding a number of carbon nanotube-based products now making their way to the market.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on January 26, 2017 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/27 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Jen Dionne from Stanford University is the first guest of 2017! We focus on optical metamaterials -- engineered materials whose nanoscale architecture enables exotic interactions with light. We explore technological possibilities ranging from improved drug manufacturing to computing with photons (instead of electrons). We also learn what motivates Jen, how she picks scientific problems, and whether or not she's a superhero.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on December 6, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/26 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
On this quadranscentennial episode of Nanovation, Vivian Ferry from the University of Minnesota joins the podcast to talk about nanophotonics -- the ability to squeeze light into and manipulate it with nanoscale objects. We talk about the use of nanophotonics in applications ranging from solar energy harvesting to catalysis and cover the litany of materials and manufacturing challenges.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on November 17, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/25 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Jim Pfaendtner is a chemical engineer at the University of Washington in Seattle. He joined the podcast to talk about data — the flood of it from modern experiments and simulations, the challenge of dealing with it, and its potential to transform the practice of science and engineering. Other critical topics include the Tacoma Aroma, Swiss army knives, the meaning of life, the dangers of Microsoft Excel, and SkyNet.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on November 15, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/24 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Eray Aydil from the University of Minnesota joins the podcast to discuss surfaces — the boundaries between two phases. We talk about what they are, how they're interrogated, and why they’re important. Along the way, we touch on the changing relationship between academia and industry, the importance of serendipity in scientific discovery, and how maintaining enthusiasm during early college courses is surprisingly indicative of future success in science and engineering. Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on November 10, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/23 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
John Reifenberg, Jeff Weisse, and Tapan Patel from the start-up company Alphabet Energy join the podcast to discuss something all around us: heat. Alphabet Energy is trying to harvest waste heat and, in doing so, increase the energy efficiency of cars, chemical plants, refrigerators, and much more. We focus on thermoelectrics — devices that convert heat into electrical energy. We discuss what’s needed for thermoelectrics to become mainstream products, what’s missed when peak materials performance is overemphasized, and the difficulty of translating laboratory-based fabrication techniques into large-scale manufacturing.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on October 18, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/22 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Chris Toumey is an anthropologist who specializes in the societal and cultural issues surrounding nanotechnology. We cover a lot of ground in our discussion, including the origins of nanotechnology, how its potential to fundamentally impact the human condition make it ripe for individual interpretation, how different religious groups view nanotechnology, and much more.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on September 27, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/21 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Mark Hersam is a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University and MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant winner. He's a pioneer in the area of nanomaterials separations, the processes by which nanomaterials are purified. We chat about the impact of his lab’s breakthrough demonstration of carbon nanotube purification, the perceived value of separations in general, the commercial status of the technology, and the road ahead.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on September 20, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/20 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Doug Natelson is a different kind of geek. He's an expert in the physics of nanoscale materials, but he’s also a world-class science communicator. Doug authors the blog Nanoscale Views, where he writes about a range of general interest and technical topics. We talk about his lab's studies of heating at the nanoscale, his love of blogging, and his recently published textbook on nanotechnology.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on September 1, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/19 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Ivan Oransky is the co-founder (with his colleague Adam Marcus) of Retraction Watch, a website that tracks retractions in the scientific literature. This episode was recorded during Ivan's visit to Georgia Tech to give the Phillips 66 / C.J. "Pete" Silas Program in Ethics and Leadership lecture. We discussed his motivations for starting Retraction Watch, the reasons for the rising number of retractions, and what drives (a very small number of) scientists to commit fraud.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on August 31, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/18 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Taylor Harvey is the co-founder of Lucelo Technologies, a company working on low cost solar cell manufacturing. We chat about what’s really needed in the solar market, the often frustrating challenge of raising capital, and how an initially niche product can eventually disrupt incumbent players. Somehow skiing, autocorrect, Chuck E. Cheese, and theatrical stage lighting make cameos along the way.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on August 9, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/17 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Mark Styczynski is a systems biologist and Associate Professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at Georgia Tech. He knows very little about nanotechnology, but that's the point. We discuss what biotechnologists and nanotechnologists don't understand about each other and how they might collaborate in the future.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on August 3, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/16 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Jordi Arbiol from the Catalan Institute for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in Barcelona, Spain joins the podcast to talk about electron microscopy and its remarkable ability to visualize nanomaterials in atomic-level detail.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on July 19, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/15 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Special guest Matthew Realff from the School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at Georgia Tech joins the show. We chat about wind energy, carpet recycling, coke bottles, sucking carbon dioxide out of the air, and the "chemical engineering-ification" of nanomaterials manufacturing.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on June 21, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/14 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
What do you get when you combine current events and nanotechnology? NanoBama, a carbon nanotube based picture of the 44th President of the United States. John Hart, the leader of the MechanoSynthesis group at MIT, joins the podcast to talk about his love of nanomanufacturing and science communication. We talk about the challenge of developing “code” for nanomanufacturing processes and how nanomanufacturing is in a (sometimes frustrating) adolescent phase. John also shares his experience preparing for and presenting a TEDx talk.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on June 17, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/13 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Charlie Bennett is back! We start by chatting about the joys and challenges of hosting Nanovation. Then, within the context of the movie Terminator Genisys, which is truly awful, we discuss self-replicating nanomachines. We overview their original articulation, the scientific arguments for and against their ultimate realization, and how, in the near-term, biology is far more likely to get us.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on June 7, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/12 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Brian Korgel from the University of Texas at Austin joins the podcast to reminisce about nano's past and ponder its future. We chat about his formative years as a graduate student, the giants whose shoulders he has stood upon, and a (long forgotten) time when it was necessary to convince your colleagues of the value of nanoscience. We also discuss a future where nanomaterials have found their place in solar energy technologies and one where we have far better control of the interface between materials and biology.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on May 12, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/11 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Nancy Healy is the director of education and outreach for the National Science Foundation funded National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI). A recovering micropaleontologist, she oversees activities at the 16 primary NNCI sites around the country. We talk about the educational mission of the NNCI, the public’s evolving perceptions of nanotechnology, and how you’re never too young to be inspired by it. We make sure to cover the usual nano topics, including magic sand, Wil Wheaton, khaki pants, superheros, meatballs, school buses, and ferrofluids.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on April 19, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/10 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Fred Rascoe from the Georgia Tech Library joins the podcast to talk about the changing world of academic publishing. We discuss the existing paradigm, why it is under attack, and what we can expect going forward. Along the way, we somehow touch on vinyl records, mustaches, Mexican food, and Barbra Streisand. We round out the show with a potentially blasphemous question: can peer review (at the point of initial publication) be eliminated altogether?Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on April 12, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/9 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Tobias Hanrath is an Associate Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Cornell University, and he's the first remote guest on the podcast. He successfully dodges technical difficulties to talk about nanoparticles, nanocrystals, quantum dots, or whatever you call them. We have a far ranging discussion, touching on everything from interconnecting nanoparticles to cooking doughnuts.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on April 4, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/8 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Today’s guest is Suresh Sharma, an entrepreneur-in-residence at Georgia Tech. After a successful business career, he now works alongside faculty to translate their scientific breakthroughs into commercial products. He joined the podcast to talk about the potential of the southeast United States as a hub for nanomanufacturing. As with any good podcast, the conversation leads to a discussion of the frequency with which airlines lose passengers' luggage.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on March 25, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/7 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Dr. Saujan Sivaram, a recent graduate of the Filler Lab, joins the podcast to talk about semiconductor nanowires. We chat about how these rod-like materials are made, the idea of “functional encoding,” and the challenges that lie ahead. We finish with a discussion of the companies trying (really really hard) to translate nanowires into commercial products. Come for the nano, stay to learn how to pronounce Saujan’s name.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on March 4, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/6 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Dr. Craig Green of InvisiCool and Carbice Nanotechnologies joins the podcast to talk low tech nanotech, nanotechnology safety, and the pesky problem of unforeseen consequences. Have you ever wondered what skin care and integrated circuits have in common? Now is your chance to find out.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on February 25, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/5 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
This week's guest is Eric Vogel, a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Georgia Tech and the Deputy Director of the Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology (IEN). We talk transistors — the original nanotechnology — and what these super tiny switches can teach us about future nanotechnologies. We discuss why we keep shrinking transistor size, the manufacturing challenges associated with this "scaling," and what looks like the end of the road for conventional integrated circuits. Don't miss the after-show where we ask: what if we move to a new integrated circuit architecture? The answer is a doozy.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on February 16, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/4 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
This episode's guest is Jonathan Goldman, an Atlanta-based technologist who wears many hats. He is currently an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) and a Principal at the Georgia Tech VentureLab. He joined me to discuss rising interest in perovskite materials for solar cells and the 800 lb gorilla still in the room (hint: it's silicon). We also touched on the challenge of translating scientific discovery into commercial products.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on February 8, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/3 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Today's guest is Bara Cola, an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech. Once a walk-on college football player, Bara currently runs the NEST lab and is a world expert on the use of carbon nanotubes (and related materials) in thermal technologies. He joined me to talk about the history of carbon nanotubes, their uses, and the special place they hold in our hearts.Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on January 15, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/2 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Today's guest is Charlie Bennett, an undergraduate programming and engagement librarian at Georgia Tech. He’s also a friend and podcasting guru. You can hear him on his podcasts Lost in the Stacks, Consilience with Pete and Charlie, and several more. He courageously joined me for the first episode of Nanovation to both keep me honest and ask "what in the world is this podcast about?"Show details: • Hosted and edited by Michael Filler (@michaelfiller) • Recorded on January 6, 2016 • Show notes are available at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/archive/1 • Submit feedback at http://www.fillerlab.com/nanovation/feedback
Overland Resource Group Profiles in Leadership, Collaboration and Employee Engagement
Michael Filler, Director of Public Service Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), educator, strategist, and change agent, served on President Obama’s National Council on Federal Labor-Management Relations. In this interview, he provides context for labor relations in federal sector, and unique influence changes in administrations make, and how change agents in labor and management create sustainable collaborative relationships, regardless of political changes. Michael Filler Podcast Transcript.
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