The list of books written and edited by Krishan Chawla, Ph.D., is impressive. So is their impact. Metal Matrix Composites, Ceramic Matrix Composites, Mechanical Behavior of Materials. . .the list goes on. And each of the 12 textbooks he has written or edited is used in classrooms throughout the English-speaking world.

Krishan Chawla was appointed editor of the prestigious International Materials Reviews, a journal published jointly by U.S.-based ASM International (formerly the American Society of Metals) and the U.K.-based Institute of Materials.

Now Chawla, a professor in Materials Science and Engineering, is overseeing a new venture as editor of the prestigious International Materials Reviews, a journal published jointly by U.S.-based ASM International (formerly the American Society of Metals) and the U.K.-based Institute of Materials. The journal publishes peer-reviewed, authoritative and critical assessments on topics relating to all aspects of materials science and engineering.

“We publish review articles only by authoritative and world-renowned authorities,” Chawla says. “In other journals people can submit unsolicited manuscripts, but not in this one. Here we commission people to write.”

And it’s not an easy process.

The journal prints six times a year and the editorial board, which Chawla now leads, meets twice a year to brainstorm about the most important areas of the materials industry. Then they contact those working in the areas of interest to see if they would be willing to write a review for the journal.

“Writing a review article is much more time-consuming than an original research paper,” Chawla explains. “The reviewer has to be very critical. He or she must review what already has been published. People aren’t always willing to commit to such an effort because it takes a lot more time to write a review article.”

But that’s also why ASM International is considered to be the premier materials-related professional society in the world, Chawla says.

Chawla was appointed editor of International Materials Reviews this past August, and his appointment is open-ended. The journal covers technologies affecting the metals, ceramics, composite materials and electronic materials. Topics range from use to theory and practice of extraction, production, fabrication, properties and behavior of materials. Each issue contains two to three reviews assessing years of research in a particular field.

Chawla, who has been at UAB for 10 years, was one of 13 faculty members honored this past year with the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. He consistently receives superb evaluations from materials and engineering students despite a reputation for being demanding.

“This has been a great place to me for 10 years,” Chawla says. “It’s very, very encouraging personally and professionally to be able to excel in these kind of intellectual efforts here at UAB.”