WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA CHAPTER 

The Chapter was formed in 1988. Until then, Western Pennsylvania was part of the area covered by the Delaware Valley Chapter. 

The Chapter chairs were:

History of the Western Pennsylvania Chapter

Jack Singleton

The initial impetus for the formation of the Chapter came from Irwin Richman of Advent Associates, Ltd. in the spring of 1987.  A questionnaire, sent to the approximately 125 AVS members living in the Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia area, elicited  a typical 20% response, all in favor of the concept.  The petition for the formation of the chapter  was accepted by the AVS Board of Directors in the fall of 1987.  The provisional leadership, pending a chapter election,  was Richman, chair, Chris Bowman of Carnegie-Mellon University, vice-chair , and Carl Friedhoff of Westinghouse, secretary/treasurer.  An inaugural dinner meeting, with Joseph Greene as the speaker, was held on March 1998, with 39 people in attendance at the dinner.  In the remainder of the first year the Chapter hosted two further dinner meetings, and a program  of three short courses.  In addition a one day symposium on “Deposition of Diamond and Diamond-Like Carbon” was organized at Pennsylvania State University by Russell Messier and S. V. Chrishnaswamey and attracted around 100 attendees.  The chapter was off to a great start.  In each of the following years, through 1997, the Chapter successfully hosted one or more dinner meetings, and an annual short course offering, plus a number of one-day symposia and some plant visits. 

Early support for the Chapter was widespread, including representation from Penn State University, from vendors/manufacturers, including Lesker, Leybold, Meyers, and MKS, but with a disproportionate representation from Westinghouse and its alumni.  The dissolution of Westinghouse removed a great deal of support, and the fact that the Chapter continued reasonably effective until 1998 was largely due to Chris Bowman and Rob Harris, at Carnegie-Mellon, and the facilities they could access at their institution.  Since 1998 several attempts to reinvigorate the Chapter have been unsuccessful. 

Past Events

1988

3 dinner mtgs in March; Dinner Meeting:  Speaker- Joe Greene

June: Dinner Meeting:  Speaker-John Yates

September: Symposium  “Depostion of Diamond and DLC “ had 41 attendees: and three courses were given.

December: Dinner Meeting:  Speaker-Jack Singleton.,

1989

March 7: Dinner Meeting: Speaker- Dave Hoffman

June 28-89: Symposium  on “Nanolevel Spectroscopies for Materials Characterization”, Holiday Inn, Pittsburgh. There was a $100 award for the best student paper. There was a vendor exhibit.

November 9-10: Course program in Pittsburgh; 5 courses. 

1990

March 20-22:  course program at Holiday Inn, University Center, Pittsburgh

June 27, 2^nd annual  symposium, Holiday Inn, University Center, Pittsburgh

December 4: Dinner Meeting at Carnegie-Mellon Univ 

1991

June 3-5: 3^rd annual  symposium at Sheraton Station Square; there were 3 awards for the best student posters

An area teacher was sponsored to attend the Science Educators’ Workshop in Seattle and a new program was started to have teachers and students visit various labs. 

1992

March 10: Dinner Meeting at Carnegie-Mellon Univ ; Fred Dylla  gave a talk on “Glow discharge; from Franklin to Fusion”

June 9: 4th annual  symposium at Oakland Holiday Inn, Pittsburgh; 4 courses were given. 

1993

March 17: Dinner Meeting at Penn State  Univ on “The new era of US R&D” by Rustum Roy; the fee was  $15 and $5 for students

May 4: 5th annual  symposium at Carnegie-Mellon Univ 

1996

March 19-21: Dinner Meeting at Harley Hotel Pittsburgh;  Gary McGuire gave a talk on “High Brightness Field emission devices for display and microwave tube applications”. Jack Singleton taught a “Vacuum technology” course and Gary McGuire taught a “Surface preparation” course; the fees were $720,and $475 respectively. 

1999

November 10: Dinner Meeting. T. Michalske gave the first lecture at an chapter meeting in the new Distinguished Lecturer series.

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