NACE International Podcasts

Drs. Doug Hansen (University of Dayton) and Raghu Srinivasan (University of Alaska) join our CORROSION journal podcast series to celebrate International Open Access Week 2023. The episode includes a roundtable discussion about why research and sharing findings is important within the industry, as well as some information about AMPP’s research program.

In a panel discussion, AMPP members Cal Chapman (Chapman Engineering) and Sandy Williamson (Williamson Integrity Services) join Materials Performance (MP) Editor Kerry Cole to explain what sustainability means to them and why it is critically important to our industry. Topics include how sustainability is already being practiced and its impact on business; trends and new technologies to watch for; and expectations for the future. The conversation also explores initiatives and opportunities to get involved at an association level, such as AMPP’s Sustainability Task Force; a technical community of interest (TCI) on materials sustainability; and a Sustainability Symposium and Expert Panel session at the AMPP 2024 Annual Conference + Expo next March.

In celebration of Peer Review Week 2023, Drs. Oumaïma Gharbi, with Sorbonne Universite, and Dave Kolman, with Los Alamos National Laboratories, join the CORROSION journal podcast series to discuss the importance of peer review. The episode includes a discussion of what makes for a good review; advice for reviewers; and an outlook on the future of peer review.

Based near St. Louis, Missouri, Eric Nenninger is a founding partner of 62Archer Inspection and Consulting and a member of CoatingsPro Magazine’s 2023 Editorial Advisory Group. In all, Nenninger has served the industrial coatings field for close to 20 years. Having worked for application companies, paint manufacturers, and inspection firms, Nenninger has a broad knowledge of the industry. He is a NACE Level 3 coating inspector and an AMPP member, and he was chairman of his local NACE International chapter for many years. As part of this “member profile,” Nenninger shares lessons learned after nearly two decades in the industry. Discussion topics include market trends; ways in which Nenninger’s many certifications have boosted his transition into inspections; advice for the next generation of coatings professionals; and how associations such as AMPP, NACE, and SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings have helped his career.

Drs. Henry Holroyd, a consultant, and Tim Burnett, with the University of Manchester, join our CORROSION journal podcast series to discuss environment-induced crack initiation and early stages of crack growth in aluminum alloys. They explain crack initiation, discuss some of the challenges encountered, and identify areas that need further exploration.

Organized by the AMPP Malaysia Chapter, the inaugural Malaysia Painters Competition 2023 was held in Teluk Kalung, Terengganu, Malaysia, on Saturday, August 19.  With free registration, the event featured networking; opportunities to learn painting skills from peers; and sourcing for products, services, and the latest in cutting-edge technologies.  The event’s primary objective was to showcase the skills of Malaysian surface preparation and industrial painting craftworkers, and it ultimately brought out a crowd of nearly 100 people to witness some of Malaysia's finest industrial painters. The competition took place with support from official Paint Sponsor, Hempel, as well as esteemed partners including PETRONAS; the Malaysian Oil, Gas and Energy Services Council (MOGSC), The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM); and the AMPP Malaysia Chapter (AMC). Aaron Williams, Managing Director of Blast Abrasives Supply as well as an AMPP Certified Coatings Inspector and a member of the AMPP Global Center Board of Dir

DeFelsko Corp., a leading U.S. manufacturer of coating thickness gauges and inspection instruments, is a multi-generational, family-owned company that has supplied simple, durable, and accurate instruments to the global coatings industry since 1965. Since 2019, Michael Beamish has served as vice president and general manager of the equipment provider. He has degrees in mechanical engineering and law with experience in the design, production, and marketing of these instruments in a variety of international industries, including industrial painting, quality inspection, and manufacturing. In July 2023, Beamish began serving on the Board of Directors for the AMPP Global Center. He is also a member of the Editorial Advisory Group (EAG) at CoatingsPro Magazine, a member magazine of the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). As part of this “member profile” interview with CoatingsPro, Beamish shares some important lessons learned after spending nearly a decade in leadership positions within the

Jason Becker, a highly experienced welder/fabricator with 25 years of hands-on experience in the welding industry, joins our podcast to discuss why welding quality matters to AMPP members. Under the American Welding Society (AWS), Becker is a Certified Welding Inspector, Certified Welding Educator, and Certified Welder Performance Qualifier. He currently works as a full-time welding consultant and is dedicated to educating the next generation of welders through his own podcast, called Arc Junkies. Discussion topics include tips to understand weld quality; common welding processes, materials, and inspection techniques; important codes and standards; how to prevent common welding defects; and why workforce development in skilled trades is critical to the industry's future.

Michael Van Spankeren, digital solutions manager for SLB’s production chemistry business, joins our podcast to discuss his company’s award-winning innovation, “Production Chemicals Optimization on DELFI.” The system was recently honored as a winner of MP’s 2023 Corrosion Innovation of the Year Awards. Topics include the origins and future of the innovation; feedback from users and clients on its performance to date in field situations; future demands and market trends in corrosion control software; and more.

In 2023, PHMSA’s Mega Rule is at the forefront of the list when it comes to topical compliance issues for pipeline operators. In this sponsored episode of the Materials Performance (MP) Interview Series, Polly Stewart of Abriox—which specializes in remote monitoring and control for pipelines—shares useful background information on what the Mega Rule entails; potential consequences for companies and individuals; and how industry companies can future-proof their compliance as part of a corrosion management plan.

Andy Shingledecker, area manager for Campos EPC and chair of the CEPC Exhibits and Sponsorship Task Force, shares insight on the importance of utilizing inspectors with multiple certifications. Known as multi-certified inspectors, they can be successfully utilized on many inspection processes within the corrosion control and protective coatings industry. Topics on AMPP’s latest podcast include common challenges or obstacles faced by individuals who are not multi-certified inspectors; strategies to maximize the project contributions of multi-certified inspectors; case studies and lessons learned from utilizing multi-certified inspectors to yield significant benefits; and advice to those in the industry who are currently pursuing or considering the pursuit of multiple certifications.

This sponsored episode featuring Ian Kinnear, product manager at GPT Industries, addresses various challenges facing corrosion professionals in 2023 and beyond. In particular, the podcast explores cathodic protection (CP) trends and challenges for the oil and gas, water, and emerging energy industries. GPT is a manufacturer of isolation kits, gaskets, and isolation joints to mitigate corrosion and enhance CP methods. The company's products serve two major functions: to seal and to stop electrical current. 

Drs. Jen Locke, with The Ohio State University, and Erin Karasz, with Sandia National Laboratories, join the CORROSION journal podcast to discuss their careers in materials science and engineering. They discuss the people that influenced their careers, the benefits of diversity and inclusion to the field, and challenges they have experienced, as well as provide advice to those newer to the field. For more information, contact Jen Locke at locke.121@osu.edu, or Erin Karasz via LinkedIn.

Ryan Amato, owner of Amato Painting and Lehigh Valley Epoxy Floors in Easton, Pa., spoke with CoatingsPro Magazine after his company’s third-place win in the 2023 CoatingsPro Contractor Awards. Those awards were formally presented at the 2023 AMPP Annual Conference + Expo in Denver, Colorado. Discussion topics on this episode include lessons learned from that job and keys to success, along with insight on industry trends, feedback from the field, and workforce development strategies. Amato also shares his company’s innovative approach to marketing and social media, which dovetails with their emphasis on diligent and detailed communication with clients, vendors, and beyond.

As a winner in the 2023 MP Corrosion Innovation of the Year Awards, the GeneCount Voyager is a deployable, 16-well qPCR thermal cycler instrument that LuminUltra has paired with a portfolio of GeneCount qkits for sample preservation, DNA purification, and and qPCR assaying of microbial targets associated with microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). Quantifying MIC-associated microorganisms in a sample can give insight into a system’s corrosion risk and the efficacy of its management programs. In this interview, Dr. Jordan Schmidt — senior director of technology and innovation at LuminUltra — explains the evolution of their winning innovation and where it stands today. Other topics include his perspective on market trends and demands; feedback by end users and clients; and an outlook for the future.

With decades of writing and editing experience, Kerry Cole was recently hired as Editor of Materials Performance (MP) Magazine. In this interview, Cole chats with Ben DuBose, AMPP’s News Editor, about his new role. Topics include Cole’s career background in journalism and the transition to covering corrosion and coatings; how his previous experience with associations may help; first impressions on the job; hobbies and personal interests; and much more.

As of April 2023, Alan Thomas is now CEO of the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP), replacing Bob Chalker. In this chat with Ben DuBose, AMPP’s News Editor, Thomas discusses his past career experience and the process leading to his appointment, along with insight on his initial priorities as CEO; key takeaways from the recent AMPP Annual Conference + Expo; background on his leadership style and personality; and much more.

Charles (Charlie) Brown, deputy director of coatings at Greenman-Pedersen, Inc., joins CoatingsPro Magazine’s “member profile” series with reflections on nearly 40 years in the industry. Topics include the evolution of coatings and market trends over that time; Brown’s advice for the next generation; and how associations such as AMPP, NACE International, and SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings have bolstered his career.

Drs. Arjan Mol (co-Editor in Chief of Corrosion Science), Sanna Virtanen (Technical Editor of the corrosion section of the Journal of the Electrochemical Society), Nick Birbilis (co-Editor in Chief of npj Materials Degradation), and John Scully (Technical Editor in Chief of CORROSION journal) join our podcast to discuss the future of corrosion research. In Part 2 of this Editor Roundtable series (listen to Part 1 here), discussion topics include areas of future research and challenges that the field will need to overcome. The conversation encompasses subjects such as sustainability and the use of artificial intelligence in research and publishing. 

Drs. Arjan Mol, Sanna Virtanen, Nick Birbilis, and John Scully, Editors in Chief and Technical Editors of four corrosion-related journals, join the CORROSION journal podcast to discuss trends in corrosion research and how that compares to the past. In part one of this roundtable series, the panelists explore changes they have seen over the past decade, along with a brief look at where the research is heading.