Celebrating the Winners of the MS&T 2026 Student Competitions

Students showcased their creativity, technical knowledge, and presentation skills at MS&T 2026 through a variety of competitions celebrating the next generation of materials science and engineering professionals.

From designing creative ceramic mugs and discs to presenting undergraduate and graduate research, students from universities across the country demonstrated their talent and innovation.

Mug and Disc Golf Competitions

The mug competition recognized Joseph Casper of Alfred University, whose mug survived a drop from more than 17 feet to win the Drop category.

Lily Phillips of the University of Florida earned the Aesthetic award for “Albert,” a mug designed to resemble an alligator in honor of the Florida Gators mascot.

In the disc golf competition, four students tied in the golf/toss category after their discs survived impact and landed in the basket from 5 meters. Congratulations to Monte Jenkins, Kate Tickle, and Noi Larrick of Virginia Tech, and Tully Downer of Purdue University!

Katelynn Bone of Missouri S&T won the Aesthetic category with a striking blue-and-white glazed disc depicting a manta ray and a whale shark swimming around one another in a graceful, interlocking circle.

Undergraduate Student Speaking Contest

The Undergraduate Student Speaking Contest recognized students for their communication skills and ability to present technical topics effectively.

• 1st Place ($500): Kaylin Lamaute, The Pennsylvania State University
• 2nd Place ($250): Kaia Thompson, University of Michigan
• 3rd Place ($150): Aileen Cornwall-Grady, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
• 4th Place ($100): Daniel Johnson, University of Michigan

Undergraduate Student Poster Competition

Congratulations to the undergraduate researchers who earned top honors for their work:

• 1st Place ($250): Allison Jones, Colorado School of Mines
• 2nd Place ($150): Kyle Mizenko, The Pennsylvania State University
• 3rd Place ($100): Sophia Ayer, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Graduate Student Poster Competition

Graduate students also showcased their research and contributed to the exchange of new ideas in materials science and engineering:

• 1st Place ($250): Nathan Gillespie, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• 2nd Place ($150): Stephen Price, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
• 3rd Place ($100): Sarah Loucks, Alfred University

Congratulations to all the MS&T 2026 student competition winners and participants! Their achievements reflect the creativity, dedication, and enthusiasm of the next generation of materials professionals. Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make these competitions a success.