The Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST) Foundation and the American Iron and Steel Institute’s (AISI) “Ferrous Metallurgy Education Today,” or FeMET Initiative, aimed at attracting top talent to the North American steel industry, has awarded its grants for the 2010–2011 academic year.

“We are pleased to be awarding grants through this very worthwhile program geared toward showing the best and the brightest a window into a future in steel,” said Thomas J. Gibson, AISI president and CEO, in a prepared statement. “Clearly, FeMET is supporting this objective, which will help build a strong vision and secure future for the steel industry.”

“Now in its sixth year, the FeMET Curriculum Development Grants and Design Grants are working to ensure students attending universities in North America have access to technical information pertinent to and representative of today’s steel industry.  With this initiative, the steel industry continues to make a sound investment in its future,” said Ron Ashburn, AIST executive director.

FeMET Curriculum Development — Six grants in the amount of $5,000 each were issued to professors of ferrous metallurgy or materials science. Of that total, three grants represent renewals from 2009, including the following:

• Dr. Thomas J. Balk, University of Kentucky (Year 5 of 5)
• Dr. Sivaraman Guruswamy, University of Utah (Year 4 of 5)
• Dr. S. Komar Kawatra, Michigan Technological University (Year 2 of 5)

Three new grants were awarded to the following people:

• Dr. John A. Nychka, University of Alberta (Year 1 of 5)
• Dr. Marian Kennedy, Clemson University (Year 1 of 5)
• Dr. Randy J. Bowers, University of Windsor (Year 1 of 5)

Proposals are solicited from North American universities for funding of a curriculum development assistant to enhance or update industry curriculum in ferrous metallurgy programs. The program objective is to utilize students to assist in the editing and updating of textbooks and/or other course materials for use in ferrous metallurgy education, with an underlying objective to increase industry awareness within the academic community.

The proposals must indicate how the professor will approach the task, including budget and schedule requirements. University professors will be awarded $5,000 each to fund initiatives designed to enhance or update industry curriculum in ferrous metallurgy programs. The number of awards granted depends on fund availability; the maximum grant per award will be $5,000 per year for five years for a total of $25,000.