Dr. Amber N. Black is a Research and Development Engineer and the Team Leader for Sigma Division’s Welding & Joining team at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). She is the subject matter expert on high energy density welding and electron beam additive manufacturing. She has worked with lasers and electron beams for over 15 years, using them to additively manufacture, weld, cut, drill, braze, engrave, coat, and for various research processing methods. Dr. Black is the principal investigator for a number of high priority projects and the author of numerous reports and presentations, which are instrumental to supporting stockpile stewardship and modernization as part of LANL’s mission. Prior to joining LANL she worked as a Welding Applications Engineer for PTR – Precision Technologies, where she developed welds for customers with aerospace, defense, automotive, research, and industrial applications.

She has been a member of the materials science community for 19 years. Amber became an ASM member while an undergraduate at the University of Connecticut, where she began honing her leadership skills as the president of the Material Advantage chapter. She was an ASM International student Board member in 2008-2009, a Future Leader of the International Institute of Welding’s Board of Directors in 2022-2023, and is a current Trustee of ASM International’s Board. Dr. Black also volunteers for the American Welding Society (AWS) and the IIW. In these positions she has been instrumental in standards development, co-authored handbook chapters, and acted as chair for a number of committees and subcommittees.

Dr. Black holds a B.S. degree from the University of Connecticut and a Ph.D. degree from the Pennsylvania State University.