Dr. Pober is Emeritus Research Associate Professor of Restorative Sciences and Biomaterials at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine. He has more than 35 years of experience, including more than 15 years in industry and 20 years at MIT. From 1975 to 1993, Dr. Pober supervised the operation of the Ceramics Processing Research Laboratory at MIT, Materials Processing Center. As Laboratory Manager, he directed research and supervised day-to-day operation of the laboratory, which included ceramic materials preparation, fabrication, and characterization. He has devised novel processing techniques, and designed new systems to implement these ideas, such as the semicontinuous classification of submicron powders, and the continuous chemical synthesis of monosized ceramic powders. His experience also includes four years of supervising electrode module testing at the MHD Small-Scale Simulation Facility, and materials preparation and electrode fabrication. He was also responsible for operation of the Ceramics Manufacturing and Process Integration Laboratory and for supervision of the Ceramics Processing Research Consortium, a partnership of industrial and independent research organizations devoted to developing science-based ceramics processing technologies.
Dr. Pober was granted a two year leave of absence from September 1984 through August 1986, during which time he served as the startup Vice President of engineering, and cofounder of Ceramics Process Systems, a company established to demonstrate the viability of a science-based approach to ceramics processing. During this time, he set up and managed an R&D facility and a manufacturing plant, and prepared patents to protect proprietary technology. These patents assisted in the development of licensing agreements for some of the company’s technologies.
His previous industrial experience includes the fabrication of high temperature ceramic materials, and the design and construction of apparatus for the measurement of thermophysical properties at high temperature. His work has resulted in the patented development of a non-sparking tool bit material for coal mining and its fabrication process; development of a processing technology for a graded structure, ceramic armor; investigation of the resistance to oxidation of high temperature materials; measurement of hardness and strength at elevated temperatures; design of equipment for testing mechanical and thermophysical properties of materials at elevated temperatures, and supervision of its construction; and design of equipment for materials processing. He also has experience with arc plasma spraying, and the design and development of composite and other materials expressly for fabrication by the plasma spray process. This work has also included the direct, one step fabrication of monolithic components.
Recently, Dr. Pober’s research has focused on ceramic dental materials and biomaterials. The primary objectives have been to improve materials properties and performance, and component reliability and reproducibility via modification and control of the manufacturing process system. He has also been investigating CAD/CAM fabrication for flexible manufacturing, and for direct net shape production of precision components.
Dr. Pober has been awarded six patents and an IR 100 award. He has authored and co-authored many technical and review papers, and has presented invited lectures and seminars at various government and society sponsored meetings, and industrial sites. He has also served on numerous review panels for NIH and NSF.