The board is the principal source of objective, independent and informed scientific, technological and policy assessments of materials, processes and applications for use by industry, government agencies and universities. It focuses on those materials and systems issues that have the greatest importance to the nation's health, security and welfare - raising awareness and advocacy of issues related to materials.
Becher has been with ORNL's Metals and Ceramics Division since 1980. Becher was a senior research staff member and section head with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory's Materials Science and Technology Division in Washington.
A past president of the American Ceramic Society, Becher earned bachelor's and master's degrees in metallurgical engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla and a doctorate in metallurgical engineering from North Carolina State University.
Becher and his wife, Shirley, are residents of Oak Ridge.
ORNL is a multiprogram science and technology laboratory managed by UT-Battelle for the Department of Energy.