Student Activities

Attendance at MS&T events exposes students to networking, learning, and fun. Students in the materials science field should take advantage of this unique opportunity to interact with professionals from all areas of materials science.

Material Advantage (MA) Chapter Travel Grants

MA chapters that plan to attend MS&T23 in person can apply for a US$500 Material Advantage Chapter Travel Grant! Chapter must be active and at least one Chapter Officer must be present at the Chapter Officer Workshop and Student Mixer to be considered for funding. Travel grants are made payable to the university’s MA Faculty Advisor at the conclusion of the conference. Travel grants are restricted to one grant per chapter per year.

The deadline to apply for a Material Advantage Travel Grant is September 8, 2023. If you have any questions, please contact Courtney Young. Stay tuned for more information.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2023

Chapter Officer Workshop – FOR CHAPTER OFFICERS ONLY

Network and share best practices! This year’s Chapter Officer Workshop will take place on Sunday, October 1 from 10:00 a.m. to noon. This workshop provides a detailed introduction to the Material Advantage Student Program for chapter officers.

Registration is required for this workshop as well as for MS&T. This workshop is for Material Advantage Chapter Officers only.

Registration information coming soon. Contact Drew Fleming for more information.

2023 Undergraduate Student Speaking Contest
Semi-Final Time: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Final Time: 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Come showcase your presentation skills by making a short technical presentation about an aspect of materials science and engineering that you find exciting. Presentation can be based upon work that you have done in a class or internship, or simply on a technical topic that interests you.

Interested in participating but unsure what to present? Use this as a conversation starter with your favorite professor!

Undergraduate Student Speaking Contest Rules (PDF)
Undergraduate Student Speaking Contest Scoresheet (PDF)
2023 Undergraduate Student Speaking Contest Application (PDF)

Cash prizes to be awarded to contest winners are as follows: $500 for first place, $250 for second place, $150 for third place, and $100 for fourth place.

Up to two students per school may participate. MS&T speaking contestants must be reported to Yolanda Natividad by September 8, 2023. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Yolanda.

Student Networking Reception
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Students will have the opportunity to interact with each other and with industry professionals in a relaxed setting. Refreshments will be provided. This event is open to all students and faculty advisors. No tickets or reservations are required.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2023

ACerS Student Tour
Time: TBD

Students will have the opportunity to attend a tour during the MS&T23 conference. The ACerS Student Tour is open to all MS&T23 student registrants and is free of charge. Space is limited and registration is on a first come, first served basis.

If you have any questions, please contact Yolanda Natividad. The tour is organized by ACerS President’s Council of Student Advisors (PCSA). More details to come!

AIST Student Plant Tour
Time: TBD

AIST will offer students the opportunity to tour a local steel plant. Students registered for MS&T23 before August 14, 2023, will be contacted by e-mail to sign up. Advance registration is required.

Stay tuned for more information!

IGNITE MSE Professional Development Symposium 
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.  

This symposium is designed to provide students and early career professionals with the knowledge, skills, and connections they need to succeed in their careers. By bringing together experts from both academia and industry, this symposium offers a unique opportunity for participants to gain a comprehensive understanding of the field and the diverse career paths available to them. Invited speakers will discuss topics such as professional skills for global environments, determining if you are best suited for academia or industry based upon your professional and personality traits, and how to engage in STEM outreach. Those who attend the IGNITE MSE Symposium will receive an invitation to a reception at a local Hot Glass Studio to network with professionals in the field while enjoying hot glass demonstrations.  

IGNITE MSE Career Panel Luncheon
Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

This luncheon will feature a career panel with engaging speakers from industry and academia. Students will have the opportunity to ask the panel questions about their career choices and seek advice about how to succeed in their careers. 

IGNITE MSE Professional Development Stations
Time: 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

IGNITE MSE will offer a series of professional development stations from interactive workshop to photo opportunities that will provide participants with a chance to learn from experienced professionals and connect with their peers. 

Resume Coaching Workshop
Time: 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The key to securing an internship or job after graduation is a great resume! All MS&T23 student registrants will have the opportunity to attend this free workshop and receive advice from an industry hiring professional. Perfecting your resume will ensure you have a better chance at standing out from other candidates and easily earning an interview with their desired employer. 

Advanced registration is required. Stay tuned for more details.

AIST Foundation Steel to Students Recruiting Reception
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Position yourself ahead of your peers by attending the Steel to Students Recruiting Reception held in conjunction with MS&T23! The reception is a golden opportunity to meet established professionals and hiring managers interested in investing in the next generation of the steel industry. Take advantage of the opportunity to network and maybe even secure an internship or job after graduation!

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2023

2023 Undergraduate Student Poster Contest
The purpose of this contest is to encourage undergraduate students to present their undergraduate research experiences and to improve their communication skills. The poster entered must be the work of an undergraduate and completed during the undergraduate education of the student.

The work presented in the poster does not have to be performed at the student’s home institution, but could be, for example, from a project performed as part of a co-op experience, a summer internship, or a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) project.

First, second, and third places will be given in the amounts of $250, $150, and $100, respectively. All undergraduate students are eligible to enter the poster contest. The winners will be announced at the student awards ceremony at MS&T.

To be eligible to enter the contest you must submit your abstract to the symposium titled, 2023 Undergraduate Student Poster Contest. You will be asked to register and log in to submit your abstract(s). The deadline for abstract submissions to the Undergraduate Student Poster Contest is September 1, 2023.

Undergraduate Student Poster Schedule 

  • Monday, October 2: Poster Installation, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Tuesday, October 3: Poster Installation, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
  • Tuesday, October 3: Poster Judging, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.; Poster Judging with Contestants, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday, October 4: Poster Removal, 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

See below for the poster contest scoresheet, judging guide, and some tips on creating a technical poster.

Poster Scoresheet
Poster Judging Guide
Guide for Creating a Technical Poster

2023 Graduate Student Poster Contest
The purpose of the contest, open to current graduate students pursuing M.S. or Ph.D. degrees, is to recognize superior research performed during graduate study. Posters must be accepted for the MS&T technical program to be entered into the contest. Entries will be displayed in the general poster session.

If you are pursuing an M.S. or Ph.D. degree and your poster abstract has been accepted into the MS&T technical program, you are eligible to enter. First, second, and third place prizes will be given in the amounts of $250, $150, and $100, respectively.

Graduate Student Poster contestants must be reported to Yolanda Natividad by September 1, 2023.

Please note that you must have an accepted abstract for MS&T23 to be eligible to enter. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Yolanda.

Graduate Student Poster Schedule*

  • Monday, October 2: Poster Installation, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Tuesday, October 3: Poster Installation, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
  • Tuesday, October 3: Poster Judging, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.; Poster Judging with Contestants, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday, October 4: Poster Removal, 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

*Graduate student posters will be displayed in the General Poster Session area which also has separate times set aside for the authors to be present with their posters. Check the MS&T schedule for those dates/times.

Ceramic Mug Drop Contest
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

The Ceramic Mug Drop contest allows students to demonstrate their prowess in designing and manufacturing a ceramic mug possessing high strength, mechanical reliability, and/or aesthetics. Mugs fabricated by students from ceramic raw materials are judged (separately) on aesthetics and then by dropping them from ever-increasing heights. The mug with the highest successful drop height will win!

Please note that students who chose to make fiber-reinforced mugs may use individual commercial fibers in the construction of their mug, but the use of commercially woven mats is not allowed.

The Ceramic Mug Drop Contest is sponsored by Keramos. More details to come on the submission process and deadline.

Ceramic Disc Golf Contest
Time: 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

This contest always draws a crowd! Students create discs from ceramic or glass materials to meet certain specifications, and the discs are thrown into a regulation disc golf basket. Each disc will be judged in the categories of farthest distance achieved and artistic merit (aesthetics). The disc that is successfully thrown into the disc golf basket from the farthest distance in the fewest number of shots will be named winner of the Ceramic Disc Golf Contest, and the most aesthetically pleasing/creative disc will be recorded as “Best Looking” disc.

The Ceramic Disc Golf Contest is sponsored by Keramos. More details to come on the submission process and deadline.

Student Awards Ceremony
Time: 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Congratulate the winners of this year’s contests: Material Advantage Chapters of Excellence, Student speaking Contest, Graduate and Undergraduate Poster Contests, Ceramic Mug Drop Contest, Ceramic Disc Golf Contest, TMS Superalloys Awards, AIST/AISI Scholarships, and Keramos National Awards.