Professor William McCarty - 8th April 2008

Prof. William Mc Carty, from from the Kazuo Inamori School of Engineering Alfred University, Alfred, New York, U.S.A.,  is focused on ceramic processing and microstructure evolution and the connection to material properties. He has extensive experience with both traditional and advanced ceramic materials, ranging from clay-based and oxide systems to carbides and nitrides. In recent years he had extended his research to address processing relationships with ceramic properties such as strength and creep. He has also applied the concepts learned in traditional ceramics to the processing of advanced ceramics and the development of porcelain enamel coatings for a broad range of other applications including glass. Prof. McCarty uses to collaborate with artists on their projects and summer schools.

Lecture Abstract

Title:  Marriage of Art and Science in Glass and Ceramics

A collaboration between a few ceramic art faculty and a ceramic engineer (the speaker) has been thriving at Alfred University over the past 14 years. The interaction started initially in a discussion with art students who were lamenting the late delivery of colored glass for glass blowing, with the question "why not make your own?" The interaction spread and progressed eventually finding a home with the ceramic art faculty. As an example of one formal aspect of the interaction, Science of Whitewares (a senior level engineering technical elective) has been taught in conjunction with Ceramic Science for the Artist. Art and Engineering students work on collaborative research projects typically of the artists' design. On occasion, papers have been presented at technical conferences, such a paper at the Clay Minerals Society addressing Terra Sigilata. Both sides have benefited, sometimes in unexpected ways. Talking with artists offer perspectives that are uncommon (at least to the engineer and scientist). The engineer often offers problem solving and analytical approaches that are insightful. One of the more controversial philosophical observations, that speaks more to how people think in general, is that artists tend to be goal oriented while engineering tend to be more process oriented (a statement that undoubtedly requires some explanation and justification).