This symposium highlights the flow behavior occurring in crystalline solids over a wide range of temperatures and grain sizes. Professor Nix made major contributions in these areas of research during his academic career ranging from his early work on creep mechanisms and dislocation activity through to his later investigations of the nano-indentation technique. Recent developments in these areas, combined with new experimental procedures for the processing of advanced structural materials, will be presented and evaluated.
This award symposium was established to honor Professor William D. Nix and the tremendous legacy that he has developed and shared with the minerals, metals, and materials community and to highlight and promote continued progress and innovation relevant to research into the underlying mechanisms and mechanical behavior of macro-, micro-, and nanoscale materials. The symposium specifically recognizes Professor Nix’s influential roles in examining the flow mechanisms occurring in crystalline solids with an emphasis on high temperature mechanical behavior under creep conditions and research on the interpretation of nano-indentation techniques.
Professor Nix’s research and seminal contributions to structural materials, thin films, and nanoscale plasticity have had significant impact on critical U.S. industries, spawned new fields of study, and motivated generations of researchers working in fields that span from aerospace to microelectronics. Breakthroughs in technologies for these critical industries depend heavily on the availability of advanced materials that can be engineered and optimized at the nanoscale. Professor Nix’s groundbreaking contributions have allowed us to characterize, understand, and predict the mechanical behavior and reliability of such materials and have been critical enablers of these key technologies.