The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) and the Association for Iron and Steel Technology Foundation’s Ferrous Metallurgy Education Today (FeMET) Initiative, which is aimed at attracting top talent to the North American steel industry, has awarded 10 scholarships to leading college students who competed from across North America.

Junior-year scholarship recipients Allen Hunter, Kevin Fields, Vanessa Li, Jacob Dolezal, Aaron Potalivo, Blake Mitchell, Wesley Nicholson, Ryan Spoering, Zane Voss and Chris Buterbaugh have been awarded $5,000 for the 2005-2006 school year, a paid internship with a North American steel company between their junior and senior year, and $5,000 toward their senior year tuition.

“AISI is pleased to take part in awarding scholarships to these 10 individuals whom we feel possess the skill and talent necessary to be successful in the metallurgy and materials science fields,” said Andrew G. Sharkey, President and CEO of AISI. “The steel industry is now one step closer to having the next generation of skilled metallurgists who will bring innovative ideas and a competitive edge to the industry.”

“Today’s steel industry offers significant employment opportunities for talented and enthusiastic metallurgists,” according to Ron Ashburn, AIST Executive Director. “The FeMET Initiative, as evidenced by the caliber of its’ inaugural class of FeMET Scholars, is now working to secure the best of the materials science and engineering students for our industry.”

The scholarship program’s goal is to present incentives to the scholarship recipients to continue in the field of ferrous metallurgy/materials science programs by ensuring two years of scholarship plus the summer internship, all provided that the students continue to perform satisfactorily in their studies and work.

The Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST) was formed on Jan. 1, 2004, by the merger of the Iron & Steel Society and the Association of Iron and Steel Engineers. AIST is an international technical association representing iron and steel producers, their allied suppliers and related academia.

The association is dedicated to advancing the technical development, production, processing and application of iron and steel. The AIST Foundation seeks to attract young technology-oriented professionals to the industry by promoting the high-tech, diverse and well-paying natures of careers in modern steelmaking.

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 is comprised of 32 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and 118 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry.