Category Archives: Recent News & Updates

Du-Co Ceramics Company™ is a fully integrated company complete with a Ceramic Engineering Department, Tool and Die Facility, Development Labs, and Up-to-Date Quality Programs.

Victoria Blair Du-Co Ceramics Award Winner

Du-Co Ceramics Young Professional Award winner for 2021

Posted on

Dr. Victoria L. Blair is a Materials Engineer at DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory (ARL), at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. She received her BS in ceramic engineering and PhD in ceramics from Alfred University (New York State College of Ceramics) in 2008 and 2014, respectively. Dr. Blair joined ARL as a post-doctoral fellow in June 2014 and has conducted research on processing functional materials for solid-state batteries and laser gain media. Dr. Blair’s current research area is focused on transparent ceramics for Army applications, including ceramic windows and domes. Dr. Blair currently serves as an ARL technical lead for high temperature materials. In 2020, Dr. Blair earned the ARL Early Career Award, which is awarded to exceptional scientists at the onset of their career and includes financial support for a new research area.

Dr. Blair has been a member of ACerS since 2007, when she first joined Material Advantage as a student. In 2008, she supported the foundation of the President’s Council of Student Advisors and initiated many of the student programming that ceramics students now enjoy at ACerS meetings. Dr. Blair currently serves as the Mentor-at-Large for the PCSA to give back to the student organization and mentor the next generation of ACerS leaders. Dr. Blair has served on multiple committees within ACerS including; the Member Services committee, Strategic Planning and Emerging Opportunities (SPEO) committee, Educational and Professional Development Council (EPDC), and the Young Professional Network. She currently co-leads the ACerS DC/Baltimore/NoVA Section and is a member of the Basic Science and Engineering Ceramics Divisions. In 2021, Dr. Blair earned the Du-Co Ceramics Young Professional Award and the Robert L. Coble Award for Young Scholars.

Spring at Du-Co Ceramics

Spring Time!

Posted on

In celebration of Easter and the arrival of Spring, Du-Co Ceramics passed out tulips to employees in appreciation for their hard work and dedication. Goodbye 2020 and welcome spring 2021!

Du-Co Ceramics welcomes Renee Munshower as Shipping Supervisor

Posted on

A 1992 graduate of Highlands High School, Renee spent 22 years of active duty in the United States Air Force. (Thank you for your service!). During her time in the USAF she excelled in the Logistics of ground, rail, air and water transportation. Renee culminated her Air Force career as the Superintendent of Traffic Management with an Associate’s Degree in Transportation. Renee furthered her education obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree in Transportation with additional training in Lean Logistics and Root Cause Analysis.

Welcome to Du-Co Ceramics, Renee.

Du-Co Ceramics welcomes Larry Wagner as Automation Engineer – Electrical

Posted on

Larry is a graduate of St. Petersburg College in Tampa, Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering. Larry’s 22 year career in the electrical and automation field started in the Tampa Bay area utilizing robots, vision systems as well as pick and place operations. In addition, work experience in technical fields involving high purity water systems and desolation processes utilizing reverse osmosis, ultra violet flash and chemical injection. For the past 14 years he worked at FS-Elliott as a Controls Engineering developing and writing programs to automate the equipment necessary to support objectives. Welcome to Du-Co Ceramics, Larry!

2020 Du-Co Ceramics Young Professional Award Dr. Wiesner

2020 Du-Co Ceramics Young Professional Award

Posted on
Dr. Valerie Wiesner is a Research Materials Engineer in the Advanced Materials and Processing Branch at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

She graduated with a Ph.D. in materials engineering from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, in 2013 and B.A. in physics from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, in 2008. She began her career at NASA as a Research Materials Engineer in the Ceramic and Polymer Composites Branch at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2014 after completing a Pathways Internship as a Ph.D. student. Prior to graduate school, she was an assistant English language teacher and translator for the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education in Japan.

Valerie has co-authored 27 publications, including 17 peer-reviewed articles, and 60 technical conference and seminar presentations. She has received various awards, including the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate Associate Administrator High Potentials Award and Engineers’ Council Distinguished Future Technology Leader Award.

Within The American Ceramic Society (ACerS), she serves as Chair-Elect of the Engineering Ceramics Division and member of the Strategic Planning and Emerging Opportunities and Member Services Committees. Her past ACerS involvement includes serving as chair of and ACerS’ representative to the Materials Advantage Committee, member of the Education and Professional Development Council and Books Sub-Committee and mentor to the President’s Council of Student Advisers Recruitment Committee. She also served as Vice-Chair of the Northeast Ohio Section. In addition to chairing the 44th International Conference and Exposition on Advanced Ceramics and Composites in 2020, she has organized numerous technical symposia and workshops at international conferences.

Her current research efforts focus on developing ceramic materials for applications in extreme environments, ranging from hypersonic flight to lunar and planetary surface operations.

Awards

Du-Co Ceramics

Staying Safe

Posted on


In appreciation of our employee’s hard work, Du-Co Ceramic Company Managers recently served pizza to the employees of Du-Co Ceramics during lunch as they headed into the long Holiday Easter weekend. Du-Co continues to practice safe work environment etiquette such as practicing social distancing and enhanced cleaning techniques as we continue to operate, manufacturing critical and essential electronic components to OEM’s producing critical and essential products to our country during this COVID 19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Statement

Posted on

At this time Du-Co Ceramics is pleased to report the unfortunate situation regarding the COVID-19 will not cause delays with product supplied by Du-Co Ceramics.  Du-Co Ceramics does not have any raw materials sourced from locations that presently expect delays that will impact your deliveries.