Undergraduate Student Events

The TMS 2020 Annual Meeting & Exhibition presents students with invaluable opportunities to learn more about the minerals, metals, and materials professions; to network with professionals and peers; and to compete in contests that offer cash prizes and valuable recognition.

Don’t Forget Your Student ID!

Every student who registers for the TMS 2020 Annual Meeting & Exhibition at the student rate will be asked to show a valid student ID when they pick up their badges at the registration desk. This is the only way to make sure you receive the deeply discounted student attendee rate on the conference. So please—when you pack your bags for San Diego, don’t forget to bring your student ID!

Student Activities Planned at TMS2020

TMS2020 Materials Bowl

Date: Sunday, February 23, 2020
Time: 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Location: San Diego Convention Center, Room 6A
Even if you aren’t competing in the materials-themed quiz-show competition, you’re welcome to attend the elimination rounds or the final championship round. Play along to test your materials science and engineering knowledge or cheer on your favorite school.

Student Mixer

Date: Sunday, February 23, 2020
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Location: San Diego Convention Center, Room 6B
Take a break and have some fun at this informal social event. Students will have the opportunity to interact with each other and with professionals in a relaxed setting. Refreshments will be provided.

Student Poster Contest

Date: Monday, February 24, 2020
Time: 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Location: San Diego Convention Center, Sails Pavilion
Stop by and browse the student poster displays at your leisure or attend the official judging session to ask questions of the participants. If you are participating in the student poster contest, you must be present at the judging session to answer questions about your work.

Student Career Forum

Date: Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Time: 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: San Diego Convention Center, Room 19
"When should I start my job search?" "Should I continue to graduate school or begin my career?" "How important is networking to my career?" If you find yourself asking questions like these about your future, then you should attend the Student Career Forum. Organized by the TMS Young Professional Committee, this session will feature speakers from various stages of their careers and diverse materials science backgrounds to discuss how to navigate a successful career path in the fields of minerals, metals, and materials. 

Speakers will include:

Melanie Lang, FormAlloy
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Adam Hope, Thermo-Calc Software
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Nolan Hoffman, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center
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Remi Dingreville, Sandia National Laboratories
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Brian Jordon, The University of Alabama
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Kester Clarke
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Preparing a Winning Application Package Workshop

Date: Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Time: 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Location: San Diego Convention Center, Room 6A
Instructors: Mohsen Asle Zaeem, Colorado School of Mines; additional instructors to be announced
In this workshop, instructors from a national laboratory, university, and industry will share their experiences in obtaining and/or recruiting entry-level positions (postdocs, tenure-track faculty positions, etc.) and help guide the young professional on their journey from recent graduate to career professional. There is no additional cost to attend for TMS2020 registrants, but pre-registration is required. Note: this event is now full.

Programming Developed by Students

Expanding the Boundaries of Materials Science: Unconventional Collaborations

As the demands on modern materials continue to intensify, the field of materials science must advance beyond its traditional capabilities and limitations. One way researchers are working toward this is by re-visiting classical problems in materials science from a new perspective through the lens of interdisciplinary collaboration. Talks will feature examples of how significant materials advancement has resulted from collaboration with physicists, statisticians, computer scientists, chemists, and other disciplines. Speakers will include academic researchers who have successfully contributed to interdisciplinary research, which has led to new routes for materials characterization and data processing, thereby expanding the boundaries of how we do research today. It will showcase successful advancements made through effective integration between modeling, computing and experimental groups, allowing development of high-throughput methods to accelerate materials discovery and development. A panel presentation featuring collaborative researchers will elucidate best practices on effective communication and strategies for making the most out of interdisciplinary research collaborations.

This special-topic symposium at TMS2020 is being organized by four graduate students from North Carolina State University: Alex Hsain, Sourabh Kadambi, Brady G. Dowdell, and Benjamin Anthony.