One of the leading researchers of ceramic materials will deliver the Institute of Materials Science (IMS) Distinguished Lecture on April 10.

Arthur Heuer, the Kyocera Professor of Ceramics in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Case Western Reserve University, will speak at 4 p.m. in Room 20 of the materials science wing of the E.V. Gant Complex.

"Arthur has been one of the leaders in using advanced research tools in materials science to further the understanding of and to improve how ceramic materials behave," said Harris Marcus, a professor of engineering and IMS director. "He wants to understand why natural hard tissues such as shells, teeth and bone are not easily fractured."

If Heuer is able to do this, "It will lead the way in building a foundation for creating structures that are difficult to damage," said Nitin Padture, an assistant professor of ceramics at IMS.

Heuer, at Case Western since 1967, has published more than 300 articles and served as editor of the Journal of the American Ceramic Society.

"We bring in truly distinguished people to give our faculty an opportunity to interact with people who are the leading researchers in materials and sciences," Marcus said. "Not only can we learn from them, but those individuals will get an opportunity to be exposed to some of our own research in their area of expertise."

Heuer will be the 22nd person, including six Nobel laureates, to deliver the lecture.

LM