AMPP Interview Series

Training and Utilizing Multi-Certified Inspectors: Best Practices, Lessons Learned

Andy Shingledecker, area manager for Campos EPC and chair of the CEPC Exhibits and Sponsorship Task Force, shares insight on the importance of utilizing inspectors with multiple certifications. Known as multi-certified inspectors, they can be successfully utilized on many inspection processes within the corrosion control and protective coatings industry.

Topics on AMPP’s latest podcast include common challenges or obstacles faced by individuals who are not multi-certified inspectors; strategies to maximize the project contributions of multi-certified inspectors; case studies and lessons learned from utilizing multi-certified inspectors to yield significant benefits; and advice to those in the industry who are currently pursuing or considering the pursuit of multiple certifications.

Cathodic Protection Trends and Challenges in 2023

This sponsored episode featuring Ian Kinnear, product manager at GPT Industries, addresses various challenges facing corrosion professionals in 2023 and beyond. In particular, the podcast explores cathodic protection (CP) trends and challenges for the oil and gas, water, and emerging energy industries.

GPT is a manufacturer of isolation kits, gaskets, and isolation joints to mitigate corrosion and enhance CP methods. The company's products serve two major functions: to seal and to stop electrical current. 

Celebrating International Women in Engineering Day

Drs. Jen Locke, with The Ohio State University, and Erin Karasz, with Sandia National Laboratories, join the CORROSION journal podcast to discuss their careers in materials science and engineering. They discuss the people that influenced their careers, the benefits of diversity and inclusion to the field, and challenges they have experienced, as well as provide advice to those newer to the field.

For more information, contact Jen Locke at locke.121@osu.edu, or Erin Karasz via LinkedIn.

Contractor Profile: Ryan Amato of Amato Painting

Ryan Amato, owner of Amato Painting and Lehigh Valley Epoxy Floors in Easton, Pa., spoke with CoatingsPro Magazine after his company’s third-place win in the 2023 CoatingsPro Contractor Awards. Those awards were formally presented at the 2023 AMPP Annual Conference + Expo in Denver, Colorado.

Discussion topics on this episode include lessons learned from that job and keys to success, along with insight on industry trends, feedback from the field, and workforce development strategies. Amato also shares his company’s innovative approach to marketing and social media, which dovetails with their emphasis on diligent and detailed communication with clients, vendors, and beyond.

How Advanced Microbial Monitoring Can Quantify Corrosion Risks

As a winner in the 2023 MP Corrosion Innovation of the Year Awards, the GeneCount Voyager is a deployable, 16-well qPCR thermal cycler instrument that LuminUltra has paired with a portfolio of GeneCount qkits for sample preservation, DNA purification, and and qPCR assaying of microbial targets associated with microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). Quantifying MIC-associated microorganisms in a sample can give insight into a system’s corrosion risk and the efficacy of its management programs.

In this interview, Dr. Jordan Schmidt — senior director of technology and innovation at LuminUltra — explains the evolution of their winning innovation and where it stands today. Other topics include his perspective on market trends and demands; feedback by end users and clients; and an outlook for the future.

Meet New MP Editor Kerry Cole

With decades of writing and editing experience, Kerry Cole was recently hired as Editor of Materials Performance (MP) Magazine. In this interview, Cole chats with Ben DuBose, AMPP’s News Editor, about his new role. Topics include Cole’s career background in journalism and the transition to covering corrosion and coatings; how his previous experience with associations may help; first impressions on the job; hobbies and personal interests; and much more.

Alan Thomas Takes Reins as AMPP’s New CEO

As of April 2023, Alan Thomas is now CEO of the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP), replacing Bob Chalker.

In this chat with Ben DuBose, AMPP’s News Editor, Thomas discusses his past career experience and the process leading to his appointment, along with insight on his initial priorities as CEO; key takeaways from the recent AMPP Annual Conference + Expo; background on his leadership style and personality; and much more.

Member Profile: GPI’s Charles Brown

Charles (Charlie) Brown, deputy director of coatings at Greenman-Pedersen, Inc., joins CoatingsPro Magazine’s “member profile” series with reflections on nearly 40 years in the industry. Topics include the evolution of coatings and market trends over that time; Brown’s advice for the next generation; and how associations such as AMPP, NACE International, and SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings have bolstered his career.

Editor Roundtable Part 2: Future of Corrosion Research

Drs. Arjan Mol (co-Editor in Chief of Corrosion Science), Sanna Virtanen (Technical Editor of the corrosion section of the Journal of the Electrochemical Society), Nick Birbilis (co-Editor in Chief of npj Materials Degradation), and John Scully (Technical Editor in Chief of CORROSION journal) join our podcast to discuss the future of corrosion research.

In Part 2 of this Editor Roundtable series (listen to Part 1 here), discussion topics include areas of future research and challenges that the field will need to overcome. The conversation encompasses subjects such as sustainability and the use of artificial intelligence in research and publishing. 

Editor Roundtable Part 1: State of Corrosion Research

Drs. Arjan Mol, Sanna Virtanen, Nick Birbilis, and John Scully, Editors in Chief and Technical Editors of four corrosion-related journals, join the CORROSION journal podcast to discuss trends in corrosion research and how that compares to the past. In part one of this roundtable series, the panelists explore changes they have seen over the past decade, along with a brief look at where the research is heading.