By Sammy Miles, Managing Editor-in-Chief of CORROSION journal
The Exhibit Hall at the 2026 AMPP Annual Conference + Expo is now open! The ceremonial ribbon cutting by Alan Thomas, CEO of the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP), took place on Monday, March 16 inside Houston’s expansive George R. Brown Convention Center.
The ribbon cutting followed a series of opening remarks from the current Chair of the AMPP Board of Directors, Kimberly-Joy Harris, and Kristin Leonard, a past Chair of the AMPP Global Center (2023-2024).
Attendees explored booths throughout the packed hall. From putt-putt golf in Dairyland’s booth to student posters, there were plenty of things to do and see.
TalentForce, AMPP’s new workforce development company, made its debut on Monday with a presence inside AMPP’s main booth. Also found in the AMPP booth is a new media studio, where attendees can watch interviews and discussions taking place throughout the week.
Make sure to take a few minutes to check out this year’s Exhibit Hall! Standard daily hours will continue until 5:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday.
TalentForce Hosts Inaugural Workforce Development Panel at AMPP 2026TalentForce, AMPP’s new company, held its inaugural workforce development panel on Tuesday afternoon. The discussion highlighted the need to design and update models and for programs to be more modern.
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Dr. Nick Birbilis Delivers AMPP’s 2026 Whitney Award LectureIn a presentation titled “Toward Sustainable Corrosion Resistant Alloys,” Dr. Nick Birbilis delivered his 2026 Whitney Award lecture regarding the role of grain size, grain orientation, and crystallinity on the corrosion resistance of alloys
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CoatingsPro Magazine, Master Painters Institute to Present 2026 Awards Join the celebrations as CoatingsPro Magazine and the Master Painters Institute (MPI) present the 2026 winners of their respective awards programs! The announcements will be made on Tuesday, March 17, inside the Exhibit Hall at the Student Poster Session stage.
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