Two graduate students in MME are celebrating the win of a scholarship for students who have exemplified their skills and leadership abilities in the Materials Science and Manufacturing labs in the department. The award is named in memory of distinguished mechanical and mechatronics engineering professor Paul Niessen, along with Cominco Ltd, an organization Niessen had a long association with.
Keep reading to learn more about this year’s award winners and the research they are working on:
Ali Rezaei:
Ali is a dedicated materials engineer who is currently pursuing his Ph.D. at the Multi-Scale Additive Manufacturing (MSAM) Lab. His passion for learning and advancing Materials Science in Additive Manufacturing (AM) has made this field the focus of his research over the past seven years. Ali's research interests and expertise span advanced microstructure characterization, laser-material interactions, designing novel AM-specific alloys, controlling the intricate process-microstructure-properties relationships in AM, and optimizing post-heat treatments for AM alloys. For his Ph.D., Ali is addressing one of the most significant challenges in metal (AM): the crack susceptibility of high-strength aluminum alloys. By leveraging physics-based processing diagrams, he is developing innovative strategies to produce defect-free, high-performance aluminum alloys from sustainably manufactured feedstocks. His research seeks to advance the technological capabilities of metal AM while fostering both the economic and environmental sustainability of the technology.
Shadab Sarmast:
Shadab is a PhD candidate in the Centre for Advanced Materials Joining (CAMJ), where she specializes in material science and welding. Specifically, her research has a sustainable lens to it to make a positive impact on people’s lives and to, of course, protect the environment. She looks at using lightweight materials in automotive components to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions while enhancing the safety of vehicles. She is also passionate about exploring the underlying scientific principles of welding and joining technologies—something she became interested in closer to the end of her bachelor’s degree.
Sarmast is also a fierce advocate for increasing the number of women in welding engineering and research. Wherever she can, she encourages and supports women to pursue their studies in the fields of materials science and welding and joining.
Congratulations to these two excellent students on this award win. We can’t wait to see you continue to flourish in your research and career.
Are you a current or incoming master's or PhD student who is curious about the Paul Niessen-Teck Award? Learn more about the scholarship here.