A CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK FOR EDUCATION IN THERMAL ANALYSIS

Despite its significance and versatility, the status of thermal analysis as a group of primary analytical techniques in materials science and engineering (MSE) has declined progressively over the last two decades. These techniques have become subservient to the more well-known spectroscopic, chromatographic and separation techniques for materials characterisation. It appears that this decline correlates with an acute lack of education and training in the thermal sciences and in thermal analysis in particular. This paper is an attempt by the Educational Committee of ICTAC (International Confederation of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry) to revive education in thermal analysis by proposing a curriculum framework for an introductory course in thermal analysis which increases awareness of the unique and powerful characteristics of these analytical techniques and their wide and diverse application range.