Students Program

Student Program Overview

  • Monday, August 21 – Student Welcome
  • Monday, August 21 – Student Fun Night (evening out)
  • Tuesday, August 22 – Poster Competition
  • Tuesday, August 22 – Student Industry Mixer Night
  • Wednesday, August 23 – Student Lunch and Learn

Student Zone
We have a designated room for students to meet up, chat and relax. MetSoc’s Student Chair, Sidney Omelon, a professor at McGill University will be present to answer any of your questions, give you recommendations and guide you through the conference. This is a great space to meet others between sessions. View Student Image Contest Winners

Location: Salon A, Convention

Student Zone

The Student Zone room offers a space for students to meet, connect, or unwind. MetSoc’s Student Chair, Sidney Omelon, professor at McGill University and Co-Chair, Ali Nasiri, professor at Dalhousie University will be present to answer any of your questions, give you recommendations and guide you through the conference.

Here are the opening hours of the Student Zone:

Monday  Orientation at 15:00
Tuesday 07:00-14:50
Wednesday 07:00-17:00
Thursday 07:00-12:00

Monday, August 21 at 15:00 – 15:30 | Salon A, Convention Level

Student Welcome & Conference Orientation

Discover the secrets to a successful COM experience! In the Student Lounge, 30 minutes before the grand plenary opening, MetSoc Student Chair, Sidney Omelon and Co-chair, Ali Nasari will guide you through what you can do at the conference.

Monday, August 21 at 18:00-21:00 | Location: TBD

Student Fun Night

All students are invited to a night out around the city of Toronto and organized by the students at the University of Toronto.

More details on the destinations to be determined.

Tuesday, August 22 at 17:00 – 18:00 | Location: Salon A, Convention

Student Industry Mixer

Representatives from industry and students are invited to meet informally at the mixer. The event will include a presentation on student job opportunities, and our upcoming events at MetSoc and we will announce the winners of the Student Poster session. Door Prizes will be drawn!

Sponsored by     

Wednesday, August 23 at 11:50-13:30 | Location: Salon A, Convention

Student Lunch and Learn

Complimentary 3-course lunch. Reserve your spot when you register.

We are delighted to feature four Emerging Professionals from MetSoc who will be presenting Green House Gas Accounting 101.

Summary of the presentation:
Did you know that the iron and steel industry is responsible for 7% of the global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions? If you want to learn more about the climate change impacts of our industries, join us for this interactive lunch & learn session on the basics GHGs emissions accounting. Greenhouse House Gas Accounting 101 will demystify GHGs emissions, accounting guidance, and scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions within the mining and metal industry. You will also have the chance to take part in a real-word case study on how to quantify those emissions in the iron and steel context. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn and discover how you can make positive change.

Aya Benotmane

Aya is an Engineer-in-Training at Hatch’s Climate Change business practice. She holds a Master of Engineering degree from the University of Toronto in Chemical Engineering with a specialization in Advanced Water Technologies and a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of New Brunswick. She has extensive cross-disciplinary team experience working with global mining and metals clients and is experienced in process engineering, carbon accounting, decarbonization technology evaluation, and developing decarbonization road maps.

Maéva Chrzaszcz

Maéva joined Hatch as a Process Metallurgist in Pyrometallurgy after completing a Bachelors in Materials Engineering at McGill University. Since starting her career at Hatch, she has had the opportunity to work in multidisciplinary teams to investigate new decarbonization pathways for the iron and steel industry. These experiences allowed her to travel and meet clients to evaluate novel solutions to the global challenge that is steel decarbonization. Maéva leads Hatch’s Young Professional Committee and is passionate about connecting people across the organization.

Takshi Sachdeva

Takshi is a Process Metallurgist at Hatch with a Bachelors in Materials Engineering from McGill University. Since joining Hatch, she has developed a passion to work in the green steel space. She has had the opportunity to work on multiple iron and steel projects in many different capacities and has gathered experience in simulation modeling and mass & energy balances. She has contributed to pilot plant testing of new ironmaking technologies, risk assessments, emissions reduction, and techno-economic studies.

Matthew Tutty

Matthew is an Engineer-In-Training in Hatch’s Climate Change practice. He has experience supporting extractive resource companies developing climate change strategy including quantifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories, climate-related risk analysis, and evaluating GHG reduction opportunities. Matthew holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Western University and an Honours in Business Administration from the Ivey School of Business. Matthew is the 2021 recipient of the Engineers Canada Gold Medal Student Award for his contributions during university to the engineering community.

Student Travel Funding

The Student Travel Funding deadline has passed.

Students winning this grant will be required to provide their social insurance number and address to CIM. All grants will be wire transferred AFTER the conference. Notifications of grants will be the first week of July.

If you are a student studying hydrometallurgy, you can contact the MetSoc Hydrometallurgy technical section for information about a travel grant. Learn more about hydrometallurgy TRAVEL FUNDING ASSISTANCE – CONFERENCE SUPPORT.

MetSoc Student Multi-Scale Image Contest 2023

MetSoc celebrates the beauty of materials research at multi-scales by hosting its first image contest for MetSoc Students. The winners earn cash prizes, and their images will be mounted and displayed at COM 2023. 

Silicon island growing out of an aluminum dendrite ocean

Photo by Sevda Fathipour

At Last

Photo by Lori Manoukian

Through the Dragon's Eye

Photo by Corina Maftei

Mg-Zn-Ca plates with Mg matrix Dissolved

Photo by Gautam Genani

This image was taken from a Al-Si cast alloy fracture surface where exposed aluminum dendrites were observed and on one dendrite a small Si island can be seen emerging from the surface.

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is used to separate and analyse molecules, and involves adding samples to a gel and applying an electric field across it. The molecules move through the gel at different rates depending on their size and charge. After separation, they can be visualized with cationic dyes. In this study, polymers of phosphates known as polyphosphates, are analysed through gel electrophoresis and visualized with methyl green to identify their chain lengths. This technique requires practice, patience and some say a bit of luck. This image captures the proud moment of a scientist displaying their successful gel.

On the surface of the austenitic steel cells, sits a crystallized droplet mimicking the watchful eye of a dragon. Dilated yet immobile, it exposes the mysteries behind the dragon’s armor: a precise structural arrangement emerging from rapid solidification. Like the skin of a reptile, this patterned shield, created layer by layer, provides the mythic creature with unique strength and toughness. Through the dragon’s eye, the engineering beauty of the metallurgical world is revealed.

The SEM micrograph depicts the microstructure of Mg-Zn-Ca alloys when the Mg matrix is dissolved in Ringer’s solution to simulate a body fluid. The Mg-Zn-Ca intermetallic phases are observed as plates with a web like structure. These intermetallic phases are resistant to corrosion and different Mg-Zn-Ca alloy compositions with varied microstructures can be developed for biodegradable implant applications.

Sevda Fathipour
A master’s student from the University of Guelph

Lori Manoukian
A doctoral student from McGill University

Corina Maftei
An undergraduate student from McGill University

Gautam Genani
An undergraduate student from the University of Guelph