Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Andrew D. Iams (Fed)
Materials Research Engineer
Andrew D. Iams is a materials research engineer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) within the Material Science and Engineering Division. Andrew uses a range of both experimental and computational techniques to investigate the thermodynamics and kinetics of phase transformations within materials. He possesses expertise in electron microscopy techniques, which he utilizes to investigate the microstructural characteristics of a range of materials (metals, ceramics, glasses, polymers) from the meso- to the atomic-scales. Prior to NIST, Andrew was a senior engineer at the Westinghouse Electric Company – Material Center of Excellence, where he led various materials and manufacturing projects for the commercial nuclear industry.
Google Scholar:
Current Projects:
Circular Steel Pathways: This work aims to support a more resilient and circular steel industry through fundamental materials research and development.
- Advancing Direct Reduction Technologies: This work supports the scientific foundation for direct reduction iron-making as an alternative to traditional blast furnace methods. By combining computational and experimental approaches, the phase transformations involved in converting iron ores to iron are investigated.
- Scrap Contamination: Recognizing the growing demand for scrap metal and the decline in its quality, this work focuses on understanding how impurities within scrap metal affect alloy performance, while seeking solutions to minimize deleterious impacts.
- NIST Workshop: Focused on addressing key challenges and identifying opportunities in strengthening the resilience and efficiency of the metal processing industry. Discussions centered on advancing technologies, optimizing resource use, and fostering a circular economy to secure a reliable and robust supply chain. The workshop report can be found at the following link:
Critical Materials Recovery from Microelectronic Waste: This work develops the measurement science and fundamental thermodynamic data needed to recover critical materials from complex microelectronic waste streams. By evaluating pyrometallurgical approaches, the project aims to strengthen domestic supply chains and advance a more circular microelectronics industry.
Other research interests include:
- Metals Additive Manufacturing
- Welding and Joining
- In-Space Manufacturing: This work advances manufacturing in space for both terrestrial and space-based applications. Research includes evaluations of advanced materials synthesized in microgravity as well as investigations of extractive metallurgy processes for converting extraterrestrial resources into manufacturing feedstocks. By combining experimental and theoretical approaches, the work aims to enable high-value materials production in microgravity, reduce reliance on Earth-supplied resources, and support a resilient and circular space economy. More information on the circular space economy can be found at the links below:
