(See Projects story on the Composite Truck Box.)

Where are you from originally?
I'm from Caracas, Venezuela, the country's capital.

How did you get interested in your field of study?
When I went to the university in Venezuela, I wanted to study biology. But after the first year, students had to go through an orientation class to help them decide on a major. The class involved going to talks, watching videos, and speaking with counselors.

I was sure I would study biology … until I went to a presentation on metallurgy. They showed a video for a steel-making plant, where they were pouring metals from furnaces to ladders to molds. It was so amazing! Right then and there, I decided that's what I wanted to do.

What did you do after you graduated from college?
When I finished at the university, I went to work in a research center. I was also studying for a master's from the same university where I earned my undergraduate degree. When I finished my master's, I went back to the university to teach as an assistant professor.

But at the university, you needed a Ph.D. to move up to a better teaching position. So they offered those of us with master's degrees the opportunity to study in the United States. I received a fellowship and went to Carnegie Mellon to earn a master's and Ph.D. there.

Shouldn't you be teaching in Venezuela now?
Yes, but I didn't want to go back. In Venezuela, the economic situation is such that there is little money to do research. As a professor I would only be teaching, not doing research. I wasn't happy about that, so I decided I would try to stay.

The experience was quite taxing, because the government of Venezuela wanted me back. But the National Science Foundation decided that my research here was of national interest. They asked for permanent residence status for me. After all the legal wrangling, I was allowed to stay - but I had to pay back all the money that the Venezuelan government had invested in my education here over 3½ years. In comparison to that, earning my Ph.D. was easy.

How did you end up at GM?
The terms of my visa said I had to work at an educational institution, so I stayed at Carnegie Mellon as a post-doc for three years. A few months after I earned my residence status, GM sent an e-mail saying that they had positions open in metallurgy. I sent my resume, they called, and here I am.

How long have you worked at R&D?
For 4 ½ years.

Did you start working on the Composite Truck Box project?
No. Actually, that group focuses on polymers and the group with which I work is 180 degrees in the opposite direction. I'm involved in superplastic forming of metals.

How did you end up working on the composite truck box then?
I heard they needed help with a part of the molding process and, at the same time, someone suggested to the group that I might be able to help. They called and I said I'd be happy to see what I could do. But I worked on that project on the side - it was simply an interest of mine. My own research was quite demanding, so I couldn't devote too much time to the Truck Box project.

What was your contribution to the Composite Truck Box project?
Structural Reaction Injection Molding (SRIM) uses a preform. First the technicians mix the fibers and glue, then they apply them to the preform. The preform is placed in an oven and consolidated at 300 to 400 degrees. Then they move the preform to a die and use pressure to form it. That's how they obtain the preform's final properties.

But they have to separate the preform from the tool in which it's made - and with the glue and high temperature, that's very difficult. So they needed a release agent. I recommended several possibilities and, in the end, we came up with a coating on the preform that allows for extraction without breaking it or losing too much of the form. We've filed a patent on the coating and are waiting to see if it's approved.

What does your usual research encompass?
My area of research is related to the SAM process - Simplified Automotive Manufacturing. Automakers have normally reduced the weight of vehicles by making the body or even the whole car out of aluminum. However, our idea was to make the parts using a process called superplastic or quick plastic forming. That process has been used before only for aviation parts and never for high-volume automotive production.

My work involves researching and developing the core process that will eventually be transferred to the Manufacturing group for production. Our group is large, with many people working on the project. My own focus is on surface modifications to allow parts to be extracted easily from the form tool. In addition, the surface treatments we apply have to extend the tool surface life by protecting it from wear effects and oxidation.

So I see why you were able to help out Tom's group ...
I mostly used my experience and applied it to the situation they had.

What excites you about your research?
Everything!

You sound very enthusiastic ...
For me, one of the great things about being in the United States is getting to do the kind of work I want. I wouldn't be happy if I couldn't do research. The process of research itself is really exciting - figuring out the problems, working through them, finding the solutions. The whole process requires a great deal of creativity. And with GM, I can see the results of my work on the street - in fact, in some cases, that happens really fast.

What are you most proud of?
The composite truck box, because no one had done anything like it before. We hit a good one with that. I get a lot of satisfaction out of my work in metallurgy as well.

What's a typical day like?
I try to be here before 7:30 am - sometimes I make it, sometimes I don't. I work in my office for a while, then go over to the pilot plant to run experiments or observe. Usually I come back at the end of the day and leave around 5 pm.

What do you enjoy when you're not working?
I do yoga a few times a week. And I also play golf - on July 26th, I got a hole in one!

Are you a good golfer?
No, I've just been playing two years. I play in a league with the people in the pilot plant once a week. It's been really fun.

You also do woodworking?
That's right. I've built bookshelves, a bed, tables, and closet shelves. I also refinished all my kitchen cabinets. I like anything to do with home improvement projects, like painting, changing out the water heater, putting in a hardwood floor. But I'm still recovering from that last job.