MetSoc Master’s Scholarship Award
THE CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR IS OPEN for 2024. The deadline is February 12, 2024
The purpose of the MetSoc Master’s Student Scholarship is to encourage and support the attainment of educational goals by Master’s students who have demonstrated a high level of academic achievement at a Canadian university.
2024 Recipient
Petra Berin-Costain
Queen's University
Petra is a second year MASc student in the Department of Mining Engineering at Queen’s University. She graduated with a BASc in Chemical Engineering from the University of Ottawa in 2022, having completed an undergraduate thesis on fuel cell anion exchange membrane development. Under the supervision of Dr Charlotte Gibson and Dr Maziar Sauber, Petra is researching a novel niobium beneficiation process for the Mallard deposit in Québec. Her work focuses on mitigating the problems faced when upgrading low-grade, finely disseminated ore by froth flotation. She is also investigating benzohydroxamic acid as a more effective collector than traditional amines for such ores. As high-grade niobium-bearing ores become depleted, Petra’s work aims to increase the tenability of low-grade ore processing while lowering reagent dosage to minimize environmental impact. As a Research Affiliate Program student, Petra has completed part of her research in the CanmetMINING labs, which is a division of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). As such, she was able to collaborate with NRCan’s Simply Science team, which highlights innovative research in the government for community education and engagement, to create a video on her project.
Scholarship Terms
The value of the scholarship is a single payment of $3,000 CAD. The award recipient is also eligible for a $500 travel grant to the Annual Conference of Metallurgists to receive their award, so long as the distance is above 500KM. Only one award will be made to a given individual in the course of their Master’s graduate program. No single individual should hold more than one scholarship award within MetSoc including its Technical sections in a given year. One award shall be made each year. However, the Award Committee may decide not to make an award if a suitable recipient is not identified. The amount of the award is reviewed annually by the Board of Directors of MetSoc.
Eligibility
Full-time Master’s students in their first year of study who are pursuing degrees in metallurgy, materials engineering or related fields are eligible for a scholarship.
Recipient’s Obligation
The award shall be presented at the Conference of Metallurgists. At that time, the recipient may be requested to speak on a subject of major interest to him/her in the field of metallurgy.
Application packages must be submitted by the student using the online award system. Application packages are limited to the documents requested only. Additional documents will not be weighted into the score of the candidate.
Each application must include:
- One letter of recommendation from the faculty member addressing the selection criteria relative to the field of study in metallurgical or materials research. It should answer the question: “Why do you wish to single out this student for the award?” The letter should also indicate the expected completion date of the candidate’s degree program.
- A written letter by the student of why he/she meets the criteria of the award by describing the following:
- A brief Plan of Work including immediate research goals and career goals
- Their research and academic excellence and potential
- Their demonstrated impact and initiative
- Any community service and/or extra-curricular activities.
- A curriculum vitae for the student, listing publications and work experience, as well as the month and the year at which all university degrees were started or completed.
- A transcript
The percentage of the scale will vary based on the type of scholarship with more emphasis on will vary based on the type of scholarship with more emphasis on research for Doctoral and more academic excellence for undergraduates.
The adjudication of the award shall be made by the Awards Committee of The Metallurgy and Materials Society of CIM. In making its determination, the MetSoc Awards Committee will consider the research and academic excellence and/ or potential of the nominee and select based on demonstrated achievement and potential for significant contributions to the field. The Awards Committee will use a weighted numeric scale on these four criteria:
- Research excellence /potential
- Academic Excellence
- Demonstrated impact and initiative
- Examples could include: organizing student events, serving on the executive of MetSoc student chapter, leading social media activities for department/team, member of the design team
- Community service/extra-curricular activities
The percentage of the scale will vary based on the type of scholarship with more emphasis on research for the Doctoral and more academic excellence for undergraduates.
Every year MetSoc honours three students in three different categories; Undergraduate, Master’s, and Doctoral. The students receive the award at the Annual Conference of Metallurgists (COM). In addition to the awards, MetSoc also supports the students to attend the conference.
- Conference registration is free for the award recipients.
- Accommodation during the conference duration is provided to the recipients by MetSoc at one of the conference hotels.
- Travel costs are subsidized by MetSoc based on the student travel distance. In general, students traveling East-West will receive approximately $800 and those traveling within central Canada (Ontario/Quebec) will receive approximately $500. No travel receipts will be required as the amount will be paid as a stipend, not a reimbursement. Therefore, the student recipients can allocate this fund to travel costs or meal costs, at their discretion. However, the amount may vary as it depends on the yearly student travel budget and is at the discretion of the executive manager/student service chair.
- The student recipients will also receive a complimentary ticket for the award banquet.
The scholarship application program is closed for 2024.
