| 2005
MRS Plenary Session Speaker |
Alan
I. Taub
Executive
Director
GM Research & Development
General Motors Corporation
(view bio) |
Talk Presentation:
Monday, November 28
6:00 p.m.
Grand Ballroom, Sheraton Hotel
Talk Presentation:
Materials Challenges for the Automotive Industry
in the
21st Century
(view abstract)
|
Talk
Presentation Abstract
Fuel economy requirements, emissions regulations,
and the push for energy independence are key factors driving
the auto industry to increase vehicle efficiency. The main avenues
to efficiency improvement are powertrain enhancements and mass
reduction. This talk will detail how General Motors Corporation
is using lightweight materials such as aluminum and magnesium
alloys, high-strength steels, and composites to reduce vehicle
weight. It will also highlight how GM is employing novel materials
in the development of advanced vehicle and powertrain systems
to achieve additional efficiencies. One example is the application
of smart materials, which today are approaching automotive cost
at volume. Smart materials enable new features and functions
via mechamatronic solutions (the integration of smart materials
with mechanical systems and electronics). Key technical hurdles
that must be overcome to increase the use of these materials
by the industry will be discussed.
Alan I. Taub Biography
Alan Taub received his BS in materials
engineering in 1976 from Brown University, and his Master’s
and PhD degrees in applied physics from Harvard University
in 1977 and 1979, respectively.
During
nearly 15 years in research and development with General
Electric, Taub earned 26 patents and authored more than 60
papers. For nine years, he conducted research on the mechanical
and electrical properties of materials, later leading a superconducting
materials team that pioneered technology breakthroughs for
commercial adoption by GE’s
medical group. He ultimately managed the GE materials properties
and processes laboratory.
In 1993,
Taub joined Ford Motor Company, managing the Materials Science
Department where he was responsible for advanced automotive
body, chassis, and powertrain materials. Later, he was manager
of North American vehicle crash safety. Prior to leaving Ford,
he was in product development as manager of vehicle engineering
for the Lincoln brand. Taub
joined General Motors Corporation in 2001 as executive director
of the science laboratories for GM Research and Development.
He was named executive director of General Motors R&D
in 2004. Taub is responsible for GM’s seven science
laboratories in Michigan and India. These labs focus on a
wide range of technology, including advanced powertrain systems,
computer-based design and analysis systems for vehicle engineering,
electronics and information-based vehicle systems, new materials
and fabrication
processes, more environmentally friendly fuels and lubricants,
and more efficient emission control systems.
Responsible
for GM’s advanced technical work activity,
Taub manages a portfolio of major innovation programs of strategic
importance to the company. He oversees global technology collaboration,
which is managed through technology offices around the world
that coordinate government and industry partner projects and
collaborative research at leading international universities.
Taub also serves as the interface between R&D and the rest
of GM on advanced technology development and implementation.
Taub
was a member of the USCAR Automotive Composites Consortium
from 1993 to 1997 and served with the PNGV Materials Tech Team
from 1995 to 1997. He has been an active member of the Materials
Research Society and serves on advisory boards of several institutions,
including Harvard University, Brown University, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, and the National
Science Foundation.
He is
married with three children and resides in West Bloomfield,
Michigan.
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