🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Aug5.163950.22547@serval.net.wsu.edu>, bill@wsuvm1.csc.wsu.edu (William E. Johns) writes:
>This term I am teaching a freshman level intro to materials.  The major      
>goal of this course is to introduce the topic to incoming engineering     
>students who only know words like Mechanical and Electrical, etc.           
>                                                                             
>Can any one recommend movies, demos or other teaching aids to help fire      
>a little enthusiasm in some newbies?  Is such info available in a FAQ?       
>                                                                             
>Ride Free,                                                                   
>                                                                             
>Bill                                                                         

howdy!

i am not sure if this is what you're after, but here are some suggestions.

Serious/Documentary
-------------------
* PBS has quite a few shows on materials in science research, including
  ones on high-temp superconductors, buckyballs, as well as sword-making
  from ancient to modern times.  the public library should be able to
  get hold a copy somehow.

* NASA has several videos showing materials research being done on the
  shuttle.

Popular/Fiction
---------------
* the movie _Terminator 2_ has some real neat special effects of the
  T2000 terminator.  it is made of a "special" alloy.

* _Star Trek IV_ has a reference to "transparent aluminum" made by scotty.

* the (now cancelled) t.v. show _MacGyver_ used to have a lot of different
  episodes where Mac used all sorts of things to make other things.

* on a more violent note, the movie _Lethal Weapon 3_ talks about "cop
  killers" (bullets that penetrate "bullet proof" jackets).

all of the above have a "materials" aspect in them if you look hard enough :)


when i took my first mat.sci. class, my prof just used normal, everyday
items to show how much impact materials have on our lives.  he told us
about the dangers of using some teething rings for children as they may
contain harmful (if taken in large enough quantities) agents.  he also
sugeested using frozen bagels as the BEST teething agent.  in addition,
during our 1st class, he brought a macintosh disk all taken apart to
show us 3 of the 4 major classifications in materials with it (metal
screws, plastic/polymer cover and "disk", and the whole thing is a
composite). i think that impacted my decision to pursue materials science 
more than anything.

just more ramblings of a grad student......

peace,
-purna