Awards & Scholarships

Samuel Filgueiras Rodrigues is a PhD candidate in mining and materials engineering at McGill University. He is currently advised by Professor John Jonas on a research focused on thermomechanical processing of metal alloys. He received his master degree in materials engineering from the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Maranhão, Brazil (2013) and a Bachelor's degree in Physics from the Federal University of Maranhão, Brazil (2010). He already published 25 peer-reviewed journal papers and 12 conference papers. He has been granted several awards like Henry DeWitt Smith Scholarship from TMS and the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (AIME) (2018), Bronze Medal Award, 2018 Graduate Research Excellence Award, Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) Award, Yearly Achievement, 2017 Graduate Research Excellence Award, McGill GREAT (travel) Awards 2016, 2017 and 2018, McGill Engineering Doctoral Award and Outstanding contribution in reviewing, Materials Science and Engineering C, Elsevier Reviewer Recognition (2016). He has 8 years of industrial experience divided into 2 years of railroad maintenance, 4 years of pelletizing plant operation and 2 years of port operations. Outside of academia, Samuel loves to travel and have time with his family. After his graduation, he wants to continue making good researches and work to contribute for the improvement of the metallurgical industry.

Kao Zoua Yang. I was born and raised in Eau Claire, WI. Grade school was challenging for me. Even though I was born and raised in the U.S. my parents didn't know English and taught me Hmong from young. Going to school with ESL classes brought me behind on my science and math courses. Even though I was behind I was always interested in engineering. I started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, however quickly discovered to not enjoy programming to that extent. I was then recommended by my adviser to check out the new major on campus: Materials Science. I fell in love with the major as the director explained to me what Materials Science does. This led me into taking upon this major. I had intended on graduating and pursuing a job afterward, however, my department adviser saw potential and recommend me into the Ronald E. McNair program. This path was what paved the way into graduate level schooling for me. My adviser, now mentor helped with the research preparation process. With the McNair and mentor's help, I was able to attend Florida International University for my master's in Materials Science and Engineering and now as a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. This past year I was also awarded the Advanced Opportunity Fellowship at UWM.

I was born and raised in Eau Claire, WI. Grade school was challenging for me. Even though I was born and raised in the U.S. my parents didn't know English and taught me Hmong from young. Going to school with ESL classes brought me behind on my science and math courses. Even though I was behind I was always interested in engineering. I started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, however quickly discovered to not enjoy programming to that extent. I was then recommended by my adviser to check out the new major on campus: Materials Science. I fell in love with the major as the director explained to me what Materials Science does. This led me into taking upon this major. I had intended on graduating and pursuing a job afterward, however, my department adviser saw potential and recommend me into the Ronald E. McNair program. This path was what paved the way into graduate level schooling for me. My adviser, now mentor helped with the research preparation process. With the McNair and mentor's help, I was able to attend Florida International University for my master's in Materials Science and Engineering and now as a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. This past year I was also awarded the Advanced Opportunity Fellowship at UWM.