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LINKING PEOPLE, JOINING NATIONS
University (UK) was one of the first learning institutes to offer opportunities to research
fellows of a no-fees approach for short-term studies in a number of research projects.
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Such
was the great success of the first ‘school for welding and correlated processes’, invitations
were received from several other countries to hold the next school in 2012.
Austria was the successful bidder and in true Austrian fashion the 2nd European-
South American school received the plaudits of everyone who attended. The concept,
conceived at the Istanbul meeting in 2010, would be the catalyst from this point on for
other events such as this. In recognition of the need for a more universal name to reflect the
expansion to regions beyond South America, it was decided to change the name to the
IIW
Research School of Welding and Correlated Processes
at the SG-RES meeting during the
Annual Assembly in Essen in September 2013, with Scotti presiding as the Chair of SG-
RES. The research school had become well-established as an annual event.
The next research school was scheduled to be hosted by the WTIA in November
2014 at the University of Wollongong, Australia. In the lead-up to the event, SG-RES
agreed to change the name of the school to greater reflect its role and worldwide appeal,
thus the 4th school was renamed the
IIWWelding Research and Collaboration Colloquium
.
This colloquium had the express intent of acting as a means by which participants could
exchange ideas and information and discuss emerging research projects, thus providing the
opportunity to generate a network with participating research institutions, resulting in long-
term research cooperation, and the building of national welding capability in their respective
countries. The 5th IIW Welding Research and Collaboration Colloquium continued the
success of these gatherings when it was held in Limburg, Germany, in November 2015.
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At a meeting of SG-RES in Denver, during the 2012Annual Assembly,
a presentation was made by Prof. Stephen Liu from the Colorado School
of Mines Center for Welding, Joining and Coatings Research on the global
economicdownturnandsubsequent recovery. In thispresentationLiuprovided
interesting statistics on the influence of welding and welding research that
assisted both developed and developing countries alike in recovering from
the GFC in 2008/9.
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Some of the areas that had received increased research
emphasis in the USA since the GFC were friction stir welding, resistance
spot welding, arc physics and residual stress management. The conclusion
drawn from the presentation was that welding and joining were the critical
technologies that had assisted in redevelopment and growth in countries in
the aftermath of the GFC.
Where to now? To improve is very much part of the human condition. Research and
experimentation will always be essential in driving mankind along the path of progress
that inevitably will take place over the coming years. Welding and joining technologies, as