Young Professionals

“TMS and the TMS Foundation provided an early boost to my career through the TMS Young Leaders Professional Development Award and the Emerging Leaders Alliance (ELA) conference. These awards provided travel funds as well as networking opportunities, including leadership training that I credit with professional advancement. Shortly after these awards I was promoted on the technical ladder and made a program manager of energy-related activities at Savannah River National Laboratory before I made the transition to academia at Clemson. I look forward to continued active involvement with TMS.”

—Kyle Brinkman, Clemson University, 2015 Young Leaders International Scholar – FEMS, and 2011 EMPMD (now FMD) Young Leaders Professional Development Award Recipient


Since 1996, the TMS Foundation has sponsored more than 250 awards for young professional TMS members. Through the TMS Young Leaders Professional Development Awards, TMS Early Career Faculty Fellow Awards, and Emerging Leaders Alliance Program, the Foundation supports young professionals in navigating the early years of their careers by offering opportunities for travel, leadership development, and networking with society leaders. The following programs for young professionals are funded through the Foundation:

Emerging Leaders Alliance Program

The TMS Foundation covers registration fees for eight TMS representatives for the annual Emerging Leaders Alliance (ELA), a multi-society initiative that provides an interdisciplinary community of learning for engineering and scientific professionals, promoting the development of great leaders to guide professions in addressing the needs of people in the 21st century.

TMS Early Career Faculty Fellow Award

This award recognizes an assistant professor for his or her accomplishments that have advanced the academic institution where employed, and for abilities to broaden the technological profile of TMS.

TMS Extraction & Processing Division (EPD) Young Professionals Leadership Development Award

This award enhances the professional development of dynamic young people from TMS’s Extraction & Processing Division by helping them participate in society activities, become better acquainted, make important contacts with TMS leaders, and network with prominent society members.

TMS Functional Materials Division (FMD) Young Professionals Leadership Development Award

This award enhances the professional development of dynamic young people from TMS’s Functional Materials Division by helping them participate in society activities, become better acquainted, make important contacts with TMS leaders, and network with prominent society members.

TMS Light Metals Division (LMD) Young Professionals Leadership Development Award

This award enhances the professional development of dynamic young people from TMS’s Light Metals Division by helping them participate in society activities, become better acquainted, make important contacts with TMS leaders, and network with prominent society members.

TMS Materials Processing & Manufacturing Division (MPMD) Young Professionals Leadership Development Award

This award enhances the professional development of dynamic young people from TMS’s Materials Processing & Manufacturing Division by helping them participate in society activities, become better acquainted, make important contacts with TMS leaders, and network with prominent society members.

TMS Structural Materials Division (SMD) Young Professionals Leadership Development Award

This award enhances the professional development of dynamic young people from TMS’s Structural Materials Division by helping them participate in society activities, become better acquainted, make important contacts with TMS leaders, and network with prominent society members.

TMS/Federation of European Materials Societies (FEMS) International Scholar Award

This program was created to promote young member activities and strengthen the collaborations between TMS and the Federation of European Materials Societies (FEMS). This collaboration has resulted in an exchange program, which offers select young members the opportunity to present papers at international sessions.


TMS/Japan Institute of Metals (JIM) International Scholar Award

This program was created to promote young member activities and strengthen the collaborations between TMS and the Japan Institute of Metals (JIM). This collaboration has resulted in an exchange program, which offers select young members the opportunity to present papers at international sessions.

“I am extremely thankful to the TMS Foundation for supporting my participation in the 2014 Emerging Leaders Alliance (ELA) conference. I am proud to be a part of the TMS community in that it strongly values the growth and professional development of its young professional population.”

—Megan Brewster, U.S. Department of Energy, 2014 Emerging Leaders Alliance Attendee (published in March 2015 issue of JOM)