MetSoc Undergraduate Scholarship
The call for applications for 2026 is OPEN. The deadline is February 10, 2026.
The purpose of the MetSoc Undergraduate Student Scholarship is to encourage and support the attainment of educational goals by students who have demonstrated a high level of academic achievement at a Canadian university.
2025 Recipient
Diego Barnett
University of Toronto (U of T)
Diego Barnett is a fourth-year Chemical Engineering student pursuing a Bachelor of Applied Science with a minor in Business at the University of Toronto (U of T). Before starting his undergraduate degree, he performed microbiological and chemical tests on water samples to ascertain their compliance with WHO guidelines at Guyana Water Incorporated.
During his undergraduate degree, he researched the feasibility of polyamide forward osmosis membranes for improved water recovery in the mining industry as part of an NSERC-Industrial Research Chair project co-funded by NSERC, Agnico Eagle, Vale, and Neo Materials. Membrane-based water recovery methods are more energy efficient and have lower CO2 emissions than thermal-based ones, minimizing environmental impact and improving companies’ ESG profiles.
Beyond his research interest, he is committed to the development of others and himself. As an academic mentor at U of T, he guided first-year engineering students through problem-solving and supported their adaptation to university life. As a One Young World Delegate, he undertook leadership development through plenary presentations and workshops focused on climate action, AI for positive impact, and entrepreneurship for social impact.
Diego’s research excellence, commitment to sustainability, and leadership development position him to contribute immensely to more efficient and sustainable mining operations. Currently, Diego is documenting his research findings to share with the mining community through a publication.
Scholarship Terms
The value of the scholarship is a single payment of $2,000. 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. 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
This scholarship is intended for an outstanding final year full-time undergraduate student currently enrolled in materials science (engineering)/metallurgy/mining department, or a closely related discipline such as mechanical or chemical engineering, at a Canadian institute, with a demonstrated interest and activity in the fields of materials/metallurgical/mining engineering.
Recipient’s Obligation
The scholarship 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 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 academic excellence for undergraduates.
Every year MetSoc honours three students in three different categories; Undergraduate, Master’s, and Doctoral. The students receive awards 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.