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SAMPE Conference & Exhibition
Student Leadership Experience Award

The application period will open soon. Please check back for more details.

Objective

The SAMPE International University Student Leadership Experience Award program invites student leaders to attend the annual SAMPE Spring Conference & Exhibition for a week of networking with peers and professionals, learn about career opportunities in the materials and process engineering community, and meet future employers.

2025 Winners

Nate Allen, Brigham Young University, Idaho

 

Marion Cardous, Benelux University

 

Marco Didone, University of British Columbia

 

Dori Harcharik, Western Washington University

 

Alison Kennedy, University of Southern California

 

Jose L Martinez Collado, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

 

Jose Ramirez Jimenez, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

 

Rahul Sheley, Texas State University

Award Benefits:

  • Complimentary Premium Conference Registration ($1,155 value!)

  • Up to $500 Round-trip economy airfare/travel to Indianapolis from anywhere in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

  • Five (5) nights hotel accommodation at a SAMPE-contracted/preferred Hotel.

  • Five (5) days of networking, exhibits, technical education, and special events.

Eligibility Requirements – You must:

  • Be a current member of an active SAMPE North America Student Chapter.

  • Be 18 years of age or older.

  • Be currently enrolled in an upper division or graduate degree program at a college or university.

  • Be a continuing student in advanced materials curriculum in the current academic year.

  • Not have been awarded this before.

Travel:

  • SAMPE will reimburse the award recipient up to $500 for airfare, train/interstate bus transportation, or mileage to/from origination (anywhere on in the U.S., Canada and Mexico) and Indianapolis. 

  • SAMPE will process reimbursement after the conference upon validation of attendance to required events and completion of exit interview.

Ground Transportation:

  • Local transportation (e.g., rideshare, city bus/rail, taxi, parking or rental cars) are not included and are the responsibility of the award recipient.

Hotel Accommodations:

  • The sharing of rooms with other award recipients is required for SAMPE to cover the full cost of five (5) nights hotel accommodation; Award recipients will be assigned by SAMPE staff according to gender identity. 

  • Award recipients who prefer their own accommodation must pay for all five (5) hotel nights at the time of check-in. SAMPE will reimburse 50% of the cost of hotel accommodation upon validation of attendance to required events and completion of exit interview.

  • A credit card deposit/authorization is required at check-in for incidentals only, or for deposit/payment authorization of room nights and incidentals.

  • Room upgrades and guests are the responsibility of the award recipient; Special requests or special room types are not guaranteed. 

  • SAMPE reserves the right to not reimburse the cost of accommodation at hotels that are not contracted by SAMPE.

Meals:

  • The Student Welcome dinner, President’s and other receptions, Student Leadership and Awards Keynote Breakfasts are included.

  • All other meals are the responsibility of the award recipient.

Required Events:

  • Award recipients are expected to attend a minimum of 11.5 hours of conference programming, plus special events and exit interview as follows:

    • Student Welcome Dinner

    • President’s Reception

    • One (1) Tutorial or One (1) Offsite tour (180 Minutes)

    • Opening Keynote (90 minutes)

    • Conference: 240 minutes / 4 hours of featured sessions or Technical Paper presentations.

    • Student Leadership Awards Breakfast

    • Awards Keynote Breakfast

  • Attendance will be validated by badge scan data.

  • Award recipients will not be excused from attending the required events to present technical papers nor for other student competitions.

  • Award recipients are required to participate in a brief exit interview regarding their experience at the SAMPE Conference & exhibition.

Guests:

  • The SAMPE Conference & Exhibition is open to the public to purchase registration.

  • The benefits of this award program are intended for the award recipient only.

  • SAMPE does not extend award benefits to individuals other than award recipients.

How to apply:

  • Click here to start your application

  • Complete Sections A-F; all fields are required.

  • Submit your application by 11:59 p.m. (Pacific), February 21, 2026.

Support:

  • Questions? Need help with your application? Contact us at +1.626.521.9460 or info@sampe.org

Winners 2024

  • Christopher Clark, Aerospace Engineering, University of Maryland-College Park 

  • Martin Giersberg Sola, M.Sc., IKV-Institute for Plastics Processing, RWTH Aachen University 

  • Matthew Godbold, Mechanical Engineering, University of South Carolina 

  • Ariel Hall, Polymer Materials Engineering, Western Washington University 

  • Grace Johnson, Aerospace Engineering, University of Maryland-College Park 

  • Max Kauphusman, Composite Materials Engineering, Winona State University 

  • Lane McDermott, Aerospace Engineering, University of Maryland-College Park 

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