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FeMET Initiative Awards Curriculum Development Grants

10/05/2006 -  

Oct. 5, 2006 — The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) and the Association for Iron & Steel Technology Foundation’s FeMET (“Ferrous Metallurgy Education Today”) Initiative has awarded its curriculum development grants for the 2006–2007 school year.

Five university professors have each been awarded US $5,000 to fund proposals designed to enhance or update industry curriculum in ferrous metallurgy programs.

The winning proposal for 2006–2007 was submitted by Dr. Thomas J. Balk, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky.

Four 2005–2006 proposals were renewed for 2006–2007. Renewed proposals were submitted by:

  • Dr. Harvey Abramowitz, from Purdue University Calumet, West Lafayette, Ind.
  • Dr. Kip O. Findley, Washington State University, Pullman, Wash.
  • Dr. John G. Speer, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colo.
  • Dr. Robert H. Wagoner, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

Curriculum development grants of US $5,000 were awarded to five university professors to fund proposals designed to enhance or update industry curriculum in ferrous metallurgy programs.

The program objective is to assist students in editing and updating textbooks and/or other course materials for use in ferrous metallurgy education, with an underlying objective to increase industry awareness within the academic community. Proposals indicated how the professor would approach the task, including budget and schedule requirements.

According to Ron Ashburn, AIST Executive Director, “To create a truly sustainable industry, we must develop renewable supplies for our critical resources. The continuation of this program is one small step towards educating the next generation of steel industry technologists—our most important resource of all.”

“In order to consider careers in steel, students must first understand the value of our material, the strength of our companies and the industry’s commitment, as a sector, to our environment. The Curriculum Development Grants help to accomplish all three goals by working to provide students with the most up-to-date curriculum,” said Andrew G. Sharkey III, President and CEO of AISI.

The curriculum development grants are just one part of the FeMET Initiative, a comprehensive, industry-supported program to attract top scholastic talent to the North American steel industry.

The Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST) was formed on Jan. 1, 2004, by the merger of the Iron & Steel Society and the Association of Iron and Steel Engineers. AIST is an international technical association with more than 14,000 members representing iron and steel producers, their allied suppliers and related academia. The association is dedicated to advancing the technical development, production, processing and application of iron and steel. The AIST Foundation seeks to attract young, technology-oriented professionals to the industry by promoting the high-tech, diverse and well-paying natures of careers in modern steelmaking. For more information about AIST, visit www.aist.org.

AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. AISI is comprised of 32 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and 125 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. For more information, view AISI’s website at www.steel.org.