Grants to Support Knowledge Exchange - Chukwudike Ukeje

Chukwudike Ukeje, 2024 Grant to Support Knowledge Exchange recipient shares his experience on the process

I want to thank the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (IOM3) for the funds awarded to enable my participation at the 2024 TMS conference in Orland Florida through the Grant to Support Knowledge Exchange. I find this grant to be very useful in enabling students and early-career members of the institute like me to participate in programs that enrich our technical acumen.

What I particularly find interesting in the application process is the direct effort of the Institute toward ensuring that prospective conference participants are aware of the environmental impact of their proposed traveling. For the first time, I had to think of the cost of my conference participation not just from a monetary perspective but also from an environmental sustainability perspective as I was required to provide adequate details of how I Intend to offset the carbon footprint associated with my conference traveling.

I enjoyed my time at the 2024 TMS conference. I had the opportunity to expand my professional network, attend various technical seminars, and present a paper on the application of Barium-titanite-based thin films in capacitive thermoelectric converters for low-grade waste heat harvesting. Thanks again to the IOM3 for the grant.