Topical Symposium 3
It is with a mix of deep respect and fond remembrance that we invite you to participate in a special commemorative symposium celebrating the life, academic achievements, and enduring legacy of our dear colleague, mentor, and friend, Dr. Stephen Muhl. For over four decades, Steve was a pioneering force in materials science, particularly in the fields of thin films, magnetron sputtering, plasma studies, and tribology. From his innovative paradigm for the Hollow Cathode Effect to the development of highly original deposition systems, his technical ingenuity and rigorous experimental approach left a profound mark on our field. Furthermore, his tireless dedication to building scientific infrastructure and forming generations of researchers made him a foundational pillar of materials science at the UNAM and throughout Mexico. Beyond his remarkable intellect and his publications and patents, we remember Steve for his unparalleled generosity. He was a collaborative spirit who always had time to dissect a baffling experimental anomaly, a dedicated mentor to countless students, and a steadfast friend to so many of us in the ICMCTF community. We invite you to join us in honoring his memory at this year’s conference. We welcome scientific presentations that build upon his areas of research or stem from past collaborations, as well as personal anecdotes and reflections on the many ways he enriched our scientific community.
TS3. Invited Speakers:
- Diederik Depla, Ghent University, Belgium, “Statistical View on Hardness Measurements”
- Ali Erdemir, Texas A&M University, USA, “Innovative Surface Technologies for Extreme Tribological Applications”
- Martin Flores, University of Guadalajara, Mexico, “Corrosion and Tribocorrosion Behaviour of Amorphous/Crystalline Multilayers Deposited by GHIPIMS on Biomedical Alloy CoCrMo and Bearing Steels 52100 and 4317”
- Christopher Muratore, University of Dayton, USA, “Rethinking the Tools of Discovery: Advanced Thin Film Metrology from Obsolete Electronics”
- Phaedra Silva-Bermudez, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación, Mexico, “Magnetron-Sputtered Metal Oxide Thin Films as Functional Coatings for Tailoring Surface Properties and Modulating Biological Response”