2009 FeMET and StEEL Initiative Scholarships and Grants Awarded
09/14/2009 - The FeMET and StEEL Initiatives award scholarships and grants for the 2009-2010 academic year.
In support of their ongoing mission to attract to top-notch talent to the North American steel industry, the “Ferrous Metallurgy Education Today” (FeMET) Initiative and “Steel Engineering Education Link” (StEEL) Initiative have awarded another full round of scholarships and grants for the 2009–2010 academic year. Sponsored by the Association for Iron & Steel Technology Foundation (AIST) and the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), the initiatives provide selected students with scholarships and paid summer internships at a North American steel company.
“The FeMET and StEEL programs continue to champion one of AISI’s important priorities: to attract top notch talent to become part of the North American steel industry,” said AISI President and CEO Thomas Gibson. “Clearly these programs are supporting this objective, which will help build a strong vision and secure future for the steel industry.”
“Despite the challenging economy, the FeMET and StEEL Initiatives have sustained their momentum and continue to foster an important focus within the university system on ferrous metallurgy and technology advancement for the steel industry,” said Ron Ashburn, AIST executive director.
Scholarships — This year, eight students from seven U.S. and Canadian universities have been awarded FeMET scholarships, (focusing on metallurgy and materials science), and four students from four U.S. and Canadian universities have been identified as StEEL scholarship finalists (focusing on all engineering disciplines). The next step for the StEEL finalists is to be matched with interested corporate sponsors. In addition to the FeMET and StEEL Scholarships, AISI and the AIST Foundation also have awarded the second AISI/AIST Foundation Premier Scholarship.
The thirteen scholars for 2009 are:
AISI/AIST Foundation Premier
- Robert M. Rettig, Metallurgical Engineering, Missouri University of Science & Technology
FeMET Scholarships
- Reuben W. Brooks, Materials Joining Engineering, LeTourneau University
- David M. Cole, Materials Engineering, University of Cincinnati
- Erin E. Diedrich, Materials Science and Engineering, Washington State University
- Lucas C. Jaster, Metallurgical Engineering, Missouri University of Science & Technology
- Kalen L. Jensen, Materials Engineering, University of Alberta
- Ryan C. Morrison, Metallurgical Engineering, University of Utah
- Jonathan D. Stein, Metallurgical Engineering, University of Alabama
StEEL Scholarships
- Melissa A. Brooks, Civil Engineering, Auburn University (sponsor pending)
- Joseph R. Junkin, Mechanical Engineering, University of Alabama, sponsored by Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa Inc.
- Mark J. McGinley, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Pennsylvania State University (sponsor pending)
- Christopher J. McKelvey, Welding Engineering, Pennsylvania College of Technology, sponsored by TMK-IPSCO
Each scholar will be awarded a scholarship of $5,000 for the school year beginning in fall 2009. Each scholarship will include a paid internship at a North American steel company during the summer of 2010 and a second scholarship of $5,000 in the student’s senior year, based on satisfactory academic and internship performance. This is the fifth year of the FeMET Initiative and the fourth year of the StEEL program.
The new AISI/AIST Foundation Premier Scholarship is awarded to the highest ranking of all FeMET and StEEL applications received. In addition to the benefits provided for the other scholarships, the AISI/AIST Foundation Premier Scholarship features an increase to $10,000 per year. The number of applications continues to increase each year, indicating the programs are developing recognition on college campuses and students are beginning to view steel industry careers as an opportunity.
FeMET Design Grant — Dr. Chenn Q. Zhou and a team of mechanical, electrical, computer graphics and research students from Purdue University–Calumet have been selected for their proposal entitled, “Integration of Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation and Virtual Reality Visualization for Iron and Steel Making Processes.” Their proposal was submitted in response to the 2009–2010 design theme, “The Description of the State-of-the-Art Modeling Techniques” and “The Detailing of How They Can Be Applied to Steel Processes and the Benefits That Could Be Derived.” Purdue University–Calumet was granted US$50,000.
The Design Grant Program challenges North American university teams of students and their professors to submit proposals for grant funding in theme areas selected by the steel industry. Each proposal is to indicate how that team of professors and undergraduate students will approach the problem, including budget and schedule requirements. The maximum allowable time for the project is one year beginning in the fall of 2009. The number of awards granted depends on the funds availability; the maximum grant per award will be $50,000.
FeMET Curriculum Development — This year, eight grants in the amount of $5,000 each were issued to professors of ferrous metallurgy or materials science. Of that total, seven grants represent renewals from 2008, including:
- Dr. Robert H. Wagoner, The Ohio State University (Year 5 of 5)
- Dr. Harvey Abramowitz, Purdue University Calumet (Year 5 of 5)
- Dr. David P. Field, Washington State University (Year 5 of 5)
- Dr. Thomas J. Balk, University of Kentucky (Year 4 of 5)
- Dr. Sivaraman Guruswamy, University of Utah (Year 3 of 5)
- Dr. Thomas E. Graedel, Yale University (Year 3 of 4)
- Dr. Alan P. Druschitz, University of Alabama at Birmingham (Year 2 of 2)
One new grant was awarded to:
- Dr. S. Komar Kawatra, Michigan Technological University (Year 1 of 5)
Proposals are solicited from North American universities for funding of a curriculum development assistant to enhance or update industry curriculum in ferrous metallurgy programs. The program objective is to utilize students to assist in the editing and updating of textbooks and/or other course materials for use in ferrous metallurgy education, with an underlying objective to increase industry awareness within the academic community. Proposals must indicate how the professor will approach the task, including budget and schedule requirements. Up to five university professors will be awarded $5,000 each to fund initiatives designed to enhance or update industry curriculum in ferrous metallurgy programs. The number of awards granted depends on fund availability; the maximum grant per award will be $5,000 per year for five years for a total of $25,000.
The AIST Foundation is a Pennsylvania-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation organized for charitable, education and scientific purposes that seeks to attract technology-oriented professionals to the steel industry by educating the public about the high-tech, diverse and rewarding nature of careers in modern steelmaking. Scholarships are awarded on an annual basis to talented and dedicated students to encourage the pursuit of a career within iron and steel-related industries. Approximately $400,000 will be awarded in 2009 through the AIST Foundation and its affiliated groups. The AIST Foundation is part of AIST, an international professional and technical association of more than 14,000 professional and student members. As the industry evolves, the AIST Foundation will strive to develop new and innovative programs to support the future of the iron and steel technology. Visit the AIST Foundation at www.aistfoundation.org.
AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. AISI comprises 24 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and 138 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. AISI’s member companies represent approximately 75% of both U.S. and North American steel capacity. Visit AISI at http://www.steel.org.
