SAMPE is investing its educational funds in SAMPE Student Members and Student Chapters. We have five major programs described below. Click on the titles of each program below to go to the page for that program to see the details and download the applications. Contact Paul Wienhold if you have any general questions.

Benefits of Being a SAMPE Student Member

• Receive all the benefits of a professional member (with the exception of voting for SAMPE officers) for 1/5 the annual cost of professional membership
• Receive one free year of professional membership upon your graduation
• Receive all issues of the SAMPE Journal
• Receive full member access to the SAMPE website which includes free access to all conference proceedings and the Journal in electronic format
• Participate in your student chapter (possibly as a chapter officer) which will teach you leadership and enhance your resume
• Participate in the SAMPE Student programs including:
            o SAMPE Student Bridge Program – with team cash awards
            o SAMPE Student Chapter Funding Awards – with up to a $1,000 chapter award
            o SAMPE Student Research Symposium – with up to a $1,000 individual award and trips abroad
            o SAMPE Student Leader Experience Program – expense paid trip to conferences

• Attend local professional chapter meetings, for a significantly discounted cost, where you can:
            o Network with materials and process engineering professionals in your area
            o Meet professionals that might be able to assist with student projects, internships, or employment
            o Learn new things from the presentations at the meetings

• Volunteer at SAMPE conferences where you will receive one-half day conference attendance for each one-half day of volunteering.

How to Start a Student Chapter

SAMPE Student Bridge Contest - The SAMPE Bridge Contest allows students to design, build, and test a miniature structural bridge using various composite materials in accordance with a set of well defined rules, and then compete with other students in a testing event held at the SAMPE International Symposium & Exhibition. Monetary prizes are awarded to the student chapter of the winners of each of several divisions of the competition. Last year 57 bridges were submitted from 15 colleges and universities in 7 categories. Awards were submitted for each category, as well as for the posters submitted.

SAMPE Student Chapter Funding Awards - This program is a competitive program whereby SAMPE Student Chapters can compete for money to support technical projects such as Sun Rayce, human powered vehicles, miniature structural bridges (including those built for the SAMPE Bridge Contest), Mini-Baja cars, senior projects, support of community science projects, etc. Last year seven student chapters were awarded funds of up to $1,000 each.

SAMPE Student Research Symposium - This is a competitive program that sponsors selected SAMPE student members to present the results of their technical research at the SAMPE International Symposium & Exhibition each year. There are categories for Senior Undergraduates, as well as Masters and PhD candidates. The best papers presented in each student category are awarded cash prizes, while winners in the PhD student category are further sponsored to present their papers at SAMPE conferences in Europe and Japan. Last year 19 students participated and 6 won awards of up to $1,000 each in addition to those that received their travel expenses to Europe and Japan. In addition, the graduate student winners from the SAMPE Europe and SAMPE Japan student programs present their research at the US Student Research Symposium.

SAMPE Student Leader Experience Award -  The SAMPE Student Leader Experience Award sends student leaders to the SAMPE International Symposium & Exhibition to network with peers and industry professionals and increase their understanding of the Materials & Processes community. Last year six SAMPE student members were sponsored by SAMPE through this award to attend SAMPE 2011 in Long Beach, California. SAMPE 2012 is in Baltimore, Maryland.

Free Membership for Recent Graduates - SAMPE celebrates the success of new student member graduates by offering them one year of professional membership at no charge upon their graduation.

SAMPE K-12 Program – SAMPE sponsors several programs to educate both teachers and groups of students in elementary school and high school in the basic concepts of materials and process engineering to spark their interests in the subject. The programs are administered by the SAMPE Foundation. Contact person for this award: Vince Bailey

SAMPE Asia Student Poster Contest -The SAMPE Asia Conference and Exhibition will include a poster session for students. This is a great opportunity for students to showcase their research in front of an engaged and connected community of materials and processes engineering professionals.

THE FOLLOWING SCHOOLS HAVE SAMPE STUDENT CHAPTERS ON CAMPUS THAT ARE CURRENTLY INACTIVE, BUT COULD EASILY BE ACTIVATED:

Click here for all SAMPE Student Chapter contacts.

If you see your school listed, click the above "here" and received insufficient info about the chapter you would still like to have a chance at SAMPE's fine Educational Programs, contact Patricia Padelford. If you don't see your school listed, and would like to participate in these fine programs by starting a SAMPE student chapter at your school, also contact Patricia Padelford. Those of you that are high school students, remember SAMPE - the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering early in your freshman year. Also remember that no engineer or scientist can exist without materials and processes. By the way, starting an engineering society or being an officer of the same enhances your resume. Company managers are always looking for the self-starter. An active engineering society member is just that!

If you wish to correspond with Patricia Padelford, make sure you include your school's name, the year you hope to graduate, and the degree that you are seeking.