Pyrometallurgy Student Award – In Honor Of Professor Toguri
THE CALL FOR APPLICATIONS IS OPEN for 2026. The deadline is February 10, 2026.
The purpose of the Pyrometallurgy Student award, in honor of Professor Toguri, 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
Brian Makuza
University of Toronto
Brian Makuza is a PhD Candidate in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mining and Mineral Processing Engineering from Midlands State University, where his interest in mineral processing first developed. He went on to earn a Master’s degree in Metallurgical Engineering from Central South University, specializing in pyrometallurgical processing.
During his master’s studies, Brian conducted research on the extraction of valuable metals from spent lithium-ion battery black mass under the supervision of Prof. Yu at the Research Institute of Resource Recycling. This work led to an innovation patent, two Highly Cited Papers, and several publications in High Impact Journals. He also received multiple distinctions, including the Honorary Research Award and the Outstanding International Student recognition.
Currently, Brian is part of the Sustainable Materials Processing Research Group, supervised by Prof. Marcuson and Prof. Barati. His PhD research investigates the high-temperature reactions during the thermal treatment of ultramafic nickel concentrates to enhance nickel recovery. His findings have been published and presented at international conferences, such as the Conference of Metallurgists (COM) and Minerals Engineering International (MEI), contributing to the advancements in sustainable mineral processing.
Award Terms
The value of the award is a single payment of $3,000 CAD. The amount of the award is reviewed annually by the Pyrometallurgy Section of MetSoc. No single individual should hold more than one student 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.
Eligibility
The candidate should be registered in a Master’s or Ph.D. program in the field of pyrometallurgy during the whole academic year in a Canadian university.
Recipient’s Obligation
Information for the Student Scholarship Recipients
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 them in the field of metallurgy.
We encourage student recipients to apply for student travel funding (if travel is more than 500km) through the MetSoc Student program to help subsidize travel costs. The Pyrometallurgy section may grant the student recipients a complimentary ticket for the award banquet.
a. The applicant’s resume; including related experience in the field of pyrometallurgy. Indicate internships, work and/or co-op experience, academic courses and projects related to the pyrometallurgy. Current involvement in extracurricular activities is a plus.
b. Student statement of intent; including the applicant’s a career/educational objectives in pyrometallurgy, how this award would help her/him in achieving these objectives, future plans to stay involved in the pyrometallurgical industry or research community (max. 1 page).
c. Name of at least one reference to be contacted upon request.
d. The applicant should be willing to become a member of the MetSoc Pyrometallurgy section, attend the section meetings on a regular basis, and help in future conferences or section activities.
(The transcript of the student is no longer required)
The nomination criteria: are academic excellence, research potential, leadership, community service and extra-curricular activities. The adjudication of the scholarship shall be made by the Metallurgy and Materials Society of CIM. In making its determination, the MetSoc Pyrometallurgy Executive Committee will consider the academic excellence of the nominee and make a selection on the basis of demonstrated achievement and potential for significant contributions to the field.
The scholarship application program is closed for 2025.