Professor Robert A. Heard Associate Teaching Professor of Materials Science and Engineering Ph.D., University of Toronto Department of Materials Science and Engineering Carnegie Mellon University 5000 Forbes Avenue Wean Hall 3301 Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890 Email: Phone: (412) 268-2705 Fax: (412) 268-7596

Biography

Robert is an Associate teaching faculty member in the Materials Science and Engineering Department. Past work includes activities as an industrial consultant, entrepreneur/president of two companies, and vice president positions in several engineering companies. His experience lies largely in the development and application of specialized new technologies and business opportunities, having international business and project experience in; China, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, India, and Europe. He has served on the Board of Directors of the AIST, worked on several committees in professional societies, and is a member of AIST, ASM, TMS, Sigma Xi and ASEE. He has authored 28 technical papers on a wide range of activities in materials science, including education, innovation management, environmental issues, nano-materials, steelmaking, casting, plasma and alternate iron technologies and authored a book on the Horizontal Continuous Casting of Steel.

Research Interests

Robert’s current interests are focused on the educational aspects of Materials Science and Engineering, involving aspects of many other disciplines such as psychology, public policy, environmental engineering, business, ethics, and others. He teaches Professional Development, Selection and Performance of Materials, and co-teaches the laboratory portion of the freshman course, Materials for the 21st Century, and the Materials Characterization Lab course. In addition he coordinates the educational laboratories for undergraduate curriculum and the Industrial Internship program for the department. Outside of the department curriculum, Robert offers a university course on Materials, Energy, and the Environment.

Recent Publications

D. Matthews, R. Heard, The Use of A Multidisciplinary Project to Expand the Materials Science Curriculum, Symposium W, MRS Boston, 2007

D. Matthews, R. Heard, “Greening of Education: Engineering Courses to Non-Technical Audiences” Paper presented at ASEE, June 2006, Chicago

R.A. Heard, “Engineering for the Future – The Need for Innovation”, Iron and Steelmaker, ISS-AIME, March 2003, pp. 37-42.

R.A. Heard T. Hansmann, J.L. Roth, D. Bolten , "Recycling of Zinc Bearing Residues with the PRIMUS Process", 60th Electric Furnace Conf. Proc., ISS-AIME, Nov. 2002, San Antonio.

R.A. Heard, N. Kaell, "Technological Developments for High Speed Casting of Sensitive Steel Grades", Can. Met. Quarterly, vol 38, No. 5, pp. 331-335.