Dr. Aubrey Fry, Research Materials Engineer at Army Research Laboratory (ARL) will give a seminar titled "Glass and Ceramic Materials Research from Division III to the Army" to the interested faculty and students at Discovery Park.

Abstract

In this seminar, I will cover a range of topics on glass and ceramics and conclude with a summary of research capabilities and opportunities at DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory. The technical topics will range from synthesis, sintering theory, and mechanical properties of silicate glasses to flash sintering of carbides and optical thin films. I will introduce myself and the various materials and properties I’ve studied since my debut in Materials Science to now, sharing my journey in glass and ceramic research from Division III to the Army.

Bio

Dr. Aubrey Fry is a DA Civilian scientist at the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory (ARL). She works in the Ceramics and Transparent Materials Branch. Her current research centers on inorganic thin films and bulk sulfide ceramics for optical applications. Dr. Fry earned her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the Penn State University, a master’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering and a bachelor's degree in Astrophysics from Alfred University. She was awarded the Journeyman Fellowship by Oakridge Associated Universities and worked for ARL at Aberdeen Proving Ground from 2017-2019. During this time, Dr. Fry contributed to several research programs for the Weapons and Materials Research Directorate, including field-assisted and pressure-assisted processing of carbide composites, synthesis of transition metal-doped alumina nanopowders, and processing and characterization of ceramics for laser gain media, among others. In 2019, she was awarded the Department of Defense SMART Scholarship. During her time at Alfred University, Dr. Fry was inducted into the National Leadership Honor Society (ΟΔΚ) and the International Foreign Language Honor Society (ΦΣӀ). Dr. Fry served as research staff at the New York State College of Ceramics, where she conducted goniometric studies, ceramic slip casting, and a range of powder property characterization techniques. Dr. Fry has been an active member of the American Ceramic Society (ACerS) since 2016 and served as a delegate for the ACerS President’s Council of Student Advisors (PCSA) from 2020 to 2023. In this role, she also served on the Year of Glass advising board of US, and on the Glass and Optical Materials Division executive committee as PCSA student liaison. In 2023, Dr. Fry was honored with both the Outstanding Safety Award and the Robert E. Newnham Award for Research Excellence from the Penn State Department of Materials Science and Engineering. She has authored or co-authored technical publications covering research topics such as glass fracture, glass-ceramics, functional ceramics, and optical thin films. Dr. Fry’s work has been presented at more than 10 professional and technical conferences, hosted in various U.S. states as well as Brazil and Germany.