Penn State was proudly represented at the Materials Science & Technology (MS&T) annual conference held in Columbus, Ohio, where MatSE alumni Nathan McIlwaine and Katelyn Kirchner earned accolades.
The MS&T technical meeting and exhibition highlights technical innovation at the intersection of materials science, engineering and application. The meeting, which is held each fall, is organized by a partnership of leading materials science-related societies: the American Ceramic Society, the Association for Iron and Steel Technology and the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society.
At the conference, Nathan McIlwaine received the Richerson Educational Outreach Award from the American Ceramic Society (ACerS) for his outreach to K–12 students during his time as a graduate student at Penn State. Eager to share his passion for materials science, he volunteered at STEM events, including the COSI Science Festival, where he demonstrated how materials science shapes everyday life. He also participated in the National Science Teaching Association conference, speaking with teachers about ways to bring materials science into their classrooms.
Katelyn Kirchner was also honored at MS&T with the Morgan Advanced Materials Global Distinguished Doctoral Dissertation Award from ACerS. At Penn State, her work explored fluctuations in glass structural formation, which can improve the performance and design of new glass materials.