I was very honored to be selected as an LMD Young Leader Intern for 2003. This year was particularly interesting for me because I was able to see some of the inner workings of the organization itself and develop a better understanding of how a professional organization can help me in my professional development as well as influence the future of the materials industry. In addition to attending sessions on Magnesium Technology, Cast Shop Technology, Computational Phase Transformations, and Automotive Alloys, I also attended several committee meetings including the LMD council meeting, Solidification Committee, Student Affairs Committee, and Young Leaders Committee meetings. I also appreciated the opportunity to attend the Board of Directors meeting, which allowed me to see how TMS is run and also gave me a greater appreciation for the fact that this is truly a member-led organization. I would like to thank LMD and TMS for giving me the opportunity to participate in the meetings this year. I would like to continue to be involved in TMS for years to come.

It is a matter of great pleasure and honor to be selected as a Young Leader Intern of TMS. It really gives a great professional satisfaction to receive this honor. At the annual meeting attended several exciting symposia and lectures. Apart from this, I got the chance to participate in various Young Leader Intern activities, including the business meeting and Young Leader reception. I also attended the President’s Reception, EMPMD Council Meeting, and Awards Banquet. All these activities provided me a deep insight into the frontline research activities and the workings of the society. Altogether, the 2003 TMS Annual Meeting was a great success and it provided me an excellent opportunity to network with established professionals.

This year I was very fortunate in being selected as a Young Leader Intern for the EPD of TMS. This is a great opportunity not only to learn how the society works but also to participate in different professional committees. This year I will have the opportunity to help organize symposia and to make recommendations on the future of the society. I had the opportunity to meet with the other Young Leaders, old friends, colleagues, and former instructors, and to present papers in the Materials Processing Fundamentals Session. Thanks again to TMS for this honor, and to the staff for their guidance and support.

It is my great pleasure to be selected as a TMS Young Leader Intern for the EMPMD. I attended the EMPMD Division Council meeting and was surprised to see how open the division is. Every member has a common goal, to serve the society well and make it better in the future. Encouraged by Jay Narayan, Robert Shull, and Sungho Jin, I joined the Nanomaterials Committee and contacted two other committees. I also attended the TMS Fellow Advisory meeting and feel their discussion on the strategic plan for TMS improvement is very encouraging. I thank TMS for giving me this opportunity to see the society from the inside and make many good friends. I expect to serve this society for the rest of my materials scientist career.

First, I would like to express my gratitude to the TMS LMD for selecting me as one of their Young Leader Interns for 2003. My experiences as a Young Leader Intern provided me with new perspectives on my materials career and role in professional societies such as TMS. I was fortunate to have been able to participate in the TMS Board of Directors Meeting, President’s Reception, Young Leaders Committee Meeting and Tutorial Luncheon, and the LMD Council Meeting and luncheon. Furthermore, I became a member of and participated in the joint TMS-ASM Nuclear Materials and Corrosion and Environmental Effects Committee Meetings. In the past, I only saw slices of the overall TMS society and, without this Young Leader Intern program, would not have been exposed to the diversity of TMS in terms of technical topical areas and the various national and international academic, industrial, and governmental communities that we serve. I look forward to continuing my professional relationship with TMS and the rest of the Young Leader Interns over the next year and career to follow.

Participation in TMS conferences has been an integral element to my educational and professional growth over the last ten years. I deeply thank the SMD for choosing me as one of its 2003 Young Leader Interns. TMS meetings provide a wealth of information through their outstanding technical programs and terrific networking opportunities with the present and future leaders of the materials field. At the 2003 Annual Meeting, I was also able to participate in a wide range of society functions, some of which I have attended in years past and others that I have never been a part of. The SMD meeting provided a better understanding of some of the issues facing the society as a whole and the dedication and commitment of those who serve at the top levels of the organization. In addition to these activities, I attended the Federal Funding Workshop and the Honorary Dinner for Professor Mike Meshii, who was my thesis adviser in graduate school. I am certainly looking forward to many more years of involvement and service to TMS!

I was pleased to be awarded the Young Leader internship. It enables me to come into close contact with fellow professionals from the broad range of research laboratories to the field of applied technology. At this introduction as a Young Leader to the society I was surprised by the structure for some meetings, but during the process of attending the several (sub)committee meetings their function in the overall scheme, together with the goals of TMS, became more and more clear. It is impressive to see such voluntary commitments being made to exchange knowledge and experiences in the field of materials. I am looking forward to the upcoming Fall Meeting!

For more information on becoming a TMS Young Leader, why not join us for one of our committee meetings? Complete and submit the Young Leaders Participation Form or contact TMS Membership Department.

For information on participating in the Young Leader Intern Program, complete and submit the application form (PDF) or contact the TMS Membership Department.

Read additional comments and experiences submitted by former Young Leader Interns:

• Experiences of 2007 Interns at Annual Meeting
• Experiences of 2006 Interns at Annual Meeting
• Experiences of 2005 Interns at Annual Meeting
• Experiences of 2004 Interns at Annual Meeting
• Experiences of 2003 Interns at Annual Meeting
• Experiences of 2002 Interns at Annual Meeting
• Experiences of 2001 Interns at Annual Meeting