Executive Summary
Although we are unable to gather in person this year, STLE is virtually celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Annual Meeting. TLT readers agree that the STLE Annual Meeting is successful due to the high-quality technical information and networking. Many also agree that the exhibition is very useful at the conference. The 2021 STLE Virtual Annual Meeting, May 17-20, will provide attendees with a full conference experience, including daily keynote talks, live Q&A opportunities with academic and industry leaders, nearly 300 technical presentations, posters, virtual exhibits and networking time with colleagues. When asked the reason for the meeting’s longevity, one reader said, “The value that the organization brings to industry. It is a very specialized discipline but extremely important to the world.”
Q.1 The STLE Annual Meeting is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. What do you believe is the reason for the meeting’s longevity?
Interest from many different industries.
Attractive content and prestigious names.
It includes a good mix of industry and academic research and has the best exhibition in the tribology field.
Technical information available.
High quality technical work. Global audience. Reasonable conference locations.
The value that the organization brings to industry. It is a very specialized discipline but extremely important to the world.
It is in a class of its own for a North American-based technical conference in the broad field of lubrication, not just tribological friction and wear topics.
High quality presentations and great exhibition/networking.
Continued support to share knowledge to drive market technology.
Combining the interests of component suppliers, formulators, marketers and end-users. The STLE Annual Meeting is an excellent opportunity to learn, share, buy and sell.
It has become the primary path of the dissemination of technical information for our industry.
The STLE Annual Meeting offers significant value by keeping attendees up to date technically and also by offering numerous networking opportunities.
Having great material to share with the industry and the ability to meet with colleagues.
The fabulous staff! They really have a great group of people there. I can’t imagine any other dozen or so folks who could pull this off. And the content is pretty good, too.
This area is important to many industries—hence, the importance of practitioners coming together.
The only opportunity to meet people in the same profession and to make new contacts. A forum to learn what is happening in the world of tribology.
The ability to connect to others in the industry, colleagues, competitors and suppliers in one venue. In addition, the opportunity to learn by attending the presentations.
The importance of tribology and lubrication for the world around us—the field continues to evolve as new devices, applications and phenomena are understood.
The importance of tribology to all sectors.
The meeting is important for lubricant additive suppliers so they can interact with their customers directly. They also can learn about new technical developments.
Able to physically commune with those you may have only communicated with through email or other non-face-to-face ways.
Connecting to others in the industry.
The STLE Annual Meeting is a means for industry professionals to come together to receive information about industry trends, new technology/product offerings as well as networking with their peers.
I believe that this is the main reason for the meeting’s longevity.
It represents a rapidly evolving field; you need to attend to keep up with the new developments.
Great networking and education opportunities.
How long have you been an STLE member?
Less than a year
18%
1-3 years
16%
4-6 years
12%
7-10 years
9%
More than 10 years
19%
More than 20 years
14%
More than 30 years
12%
Based on responses sent to 15,000 TLT readers.
Networking forums. Exciting technical topics. Activities to promote and motivate students—awards, poster presentations, networking.
The ability to meet many companies all with the same goals in one location and learning all the latest technologies and processes together.
STLE has existed for more than 75 years because it is an excellent platform for the sharing of information between all of the varied interests in the lubricants industry. It allows suppliers to share information about their latest products, manufacturers to present information about their projects and innovations and universities to share information on their latest research. It also allows professionals in the lubrication field to network with their peers, attend continuing education courses and see exhibits of the latest products and technologies being offered by a wide variety of suppliers.
Great material and speakers keeping everything current.
Very welcoming meeting with a good balance between technical and commercial presentations, networking and exhibits.
The meeting offers value to attendees both in technical content and networking
opportunities.
The quality of the technical presentations and the Commercial Marketing Forum and the chance to visit customers in a neutral location for networking.
Evolution.
Great technical content and networking opportunities. No other meeting in North America like it.
Relevant topics. Credible presentations.
I think the key to its success is it gives all a chance to renew acquaintances and find out what is new in the industry.
Outstanding technical content, education and networking opportunities.
The event continues to add professional value and updates attendees with new developments and trends in tribology, especially in areas that complement your area of specialization.
Sharing of great information. Ability to network with peers.
Providing useful cross-disciplinary information on tribology.
People continue to recognize the educational and professional value associated with attending the STLE Annual Meeting. As long as this value is maintained, the meeting will be a popular destination for industry professionals.
To network, to exchange, to learn.
Open exchange of technical information, opportunity to meet and greet and education forums.
Opportunities to meet and network with other tribologists, combined with a good exhibition.
STLE is a vital asset within the lubrication industry.
Lubrication is an important field, and I believe that STLE dives deeper into the fundamental understanding.
A need for professionals in this space to share, collaborate and network for the growth and improvement of our field.
The subject is an important one, and there are a lot of learnings in this field.
Great technical and business networking.
All of the STLE Annual Meetings I have been able to attend were filled with useful information from the opening to closing sessions. There also was enough time to connect with old friends and meet other folks that love the lubrication industry as I do.
The advanced research development.
The high technical level of presentations.
(1.) STLE has been a well-recognized technical organization by the lubricant and tribology industry and universities and research institutes globally. (2.) STLE has been providing insightful and valuable information to the industry. (3.) Lubrication and tribology are crucial to automotive and many industries equipped with moving equipment.
This is a very important recurring event. News and views, and unparalleled networking. Great commercial expo with base oils, additives and analytical and tribotesting equipment.
The meeting is the central clearinghouse for lubrication-related talks, posters and product information. It is fundamentally community-focused and a benefit to the field.
Always presenting the state-of-art in tribology and science.
It is the premier gathering of all the interests in tribology and lubrication—research and education, design and manufacturing and marketing and supply.
An ongoing interest in tribology by lubrication personnel and manufacturing
advancements.
Relevant to industry.
It is a source for useful technical information and spotting trends in the industry.
STLE always succeeds in organizing an interesting conference with very good lectures.
Q.2 What part of the STLE Annual Meeting do you find most useful?
Networking and technical papers.
The research presentations, the networking and the exhibition.
Probably developing contacts. I deal primarily in field applications, and having knowledgeable information sources is a great help.
Networking.
Technical presentations.
Exhibition/networking opportunities.
Collaborating with peers.
Commercial Marketing Forum and the exhibition.
Networking with colleagues and learning about new products and findings.
Technical content.
Networking and technical sessions.
The discussion around trends and technical needs for such.
Meeting customers/suppliers, networking.
Having everyone in the same place, ease of flow of ideas.
The social hour and opportunity to share knowledge.
Networking and learning about new materials and techniques from attending the presentations.
The interactions with colleagues from other institutions.
The sessions and the networking.
Discussions in the exhibition are very useful. The exhibitors usually delegate their highly skilled representatives, and it is possible to meet them for detailed discussions on specific issues.
Networking, face-to-face meetings with old friends and interesting presentations.
The networking.
I find the technical papers are the most useful for myself to learn the latest information/testing, etc., from industry professionals.
Technical talks.
Technical presentations and the exhibition.
The ability to network between papers and at receptions.
Technical papers.
In-person meetings and technical sessions.
The exhibits and networking events.
Technical sessions, Commercial Marketing Forum, opportunities to entertain customers, especially when in Las Vegas.
A variety of topics.
Networking. Seeing what is new in the lubricants market.
Technical sessions.
Learning about what is new through the papers and exhibition.
Presentations.
Technical sessions.
Conversations in the hallways and at the commercial exhibition between sessions.
The training and the presentations in areas of my interest.
Technical inputs from industry experts on market trends, market needs, etc.
Exchange of ideas, especially on topics around the periphery of my primary interest.
Networking, Commercial Marketing Forum and technical presentations.
Technical sessions.
Networking.
The technical presentations and keynote speakers are very useful.
Although I am more business/marketing focused, I thoroughly enjoy seeing the student poster sessions and chatting with the students. So much brain power!
Educational tracks.
Technical sessions and networking opportunities.
Education courses and technical sessions.
To be able to meet people from the tribology community in person and discuss research.
Networking and new findings in lubrication to be useful in problem solving.
(1.) Keynote presentations. (2.) Technical sessions.
The conversations between formal events. (The talks are very good, but the networking is the one thing the meeting provides that isn’t easily available elsewhere.)
Education courses.
The exhibition and Commercial Marketing Forum.
Actually, it’s the exhibition.
Technical talks.
The technical sessions.
The technical talks by far.
The various lectures and usually the informal discussions during the breaks.