The Refractories Institute announced the 2024 recipients of college scholarships for students pursuing an education related to refractory science. TRI, which is comprised of approximately 50 member-companies that operate in the refractory industry, awards scholarships annually. This year’s recipients are Jakia Sharmin Mim from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Rajat Durgesh Rameteke from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Logan Wehrli from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The academic scholarships are distributed to each student as a one-time grant of $5,000. To be eligible, students must be currently in pursuit of a degree (undergraduate or graduate) in materials science, ceramic engineering or a similar discipline. Students must be enrolled full-time at a North American college or university. Scholarships are awarded to a limited number of students each year and are based on academic merit and the student’s interest and experience in the field of refractories.

Mim is pursuing a master’s degree in materials engineering from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Mim is a research assistant at the university, where her work includes innovative research on the evaporation of zinc aluminate and magnesium aluminate at different temperatures and atmospheres (Ar, stagnant air, flowing air, H² and H² + H²O) and the microstructure evolution and densification behavior of mullite. She has an article under review for publication in the Journal of Surface Research. Mim earned her bachelor’s degree in glass and ceramic engineering from the Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology in Rajshahi, Bangladesh.

Rameteke is pursuing his doctorate in materials engineering from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He delivered an oral presentation at the American Ceramic Society Pan-American Ceramics Congress and Ferroelectrics Meeting of Americas in Panama on the topic of hibonite formation in the CaO-ZnO-Al²O³ system, an analog to CaO-MgO-Al²O³, in spinel-containing refractories and is currently working on two articles for publication. Ramateke earned his master’s degree in nanotechnology from the National Institute of Technology Karnataka in Mangalore, India, and his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Visvesvaraya Technological University in Belagavi, India.

Wehrli is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. An internship opportunity with a metal components company serving the defense industry piqued Wehrli’s interest in the dynamic nature of refractory technology, where ongoing developments in materials engineering and manufacturing techniques present an exciting landscape for continuous learning and innovation. His intention is to further his education in an effort to stay at the forefront of these advancements, contributing to the evolution of refractories to meet the evolving demands of modern industrial processes.

For more information about TRI and its scholarship application requirements, visit www.refractoriesinstitute.org.