Tribology needs talent!

By Edward P. Salek, CAE, Executive Director | TLT Headquarters Report April 2023

STLE’s student support programs will be getting a boost.
 
Attracting new talent to the world of tribology is one of the top concerns facing STLE companies and organizations. 

That’s according to the most recent STLE Member Needs Assessment, which was conducted late last year. Lack of awareness of the field also was seen as a problem, especially in comparison to alternative technical career paths in other industries. 

While there are no simple or fast ways to correct the situation, STLE’s leadership earlier this year took two significant steps toward addressing this problem. 

The first step will be recognition of the latest young scholars to receive financial support through the STLE Presidential Awards Program. These awards are administered by the STLE Presidential Council, which is comprised of former STLE presidents. The goal is to encourage students to pursue an advanced degree or a career in tribology or lubrication engineering by subsidizing a research project related to the field. 

STLE grants three academic awards through its program: the E. Richard Booser Scholarship (for undergraduate students), the Elmer E. Klaus Fellowship (for graduate students) and the Jeanie S. McCoy Scholarship (for female students).1 

The three awards combined represent an annual investment of $20,000 in students who are doing research work related to tribology. The 2023 recipients will be honored at the STLE Annual Meeting & Exhibition, May 21-25, in Long Beach, Calif. Selection is based on grade point average (GPA) or equivalent, letter of recommendation from a faculty advisor, relevance of the research to tribology and quality of the proposed research experience. 

The next application period for STLE Presidential Awards opens Sept. 1. Deadline for submissions is Dec. 1. Awards will be presented at the 2024 STLE Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, Minn. Go to www.stle.org for more details.

Since the STLE Presidential Awards Program was established in 1980, it has assisted more than 200 students with funds totaling nearly $500,000 over the past 43 years. That total doubles to the $1 million range when scholarships and grants presented by STLE Local Sections are taken into consideration. In addition, STLE also funds an Early Career Awards Program that recognizes the technical achievements of STLE student members, young researchers and junior-level academic faculty by providing financial support for attendance to the STLE Annual Meeting. 

The second action by the STLE Board of Directors relates to the fact that there are more superior students seeking support than there are funds available. For example, this year there were a total of 32 applicants for the three awards but only enough budget to provide funding for four scholars. 

To address the added demand, the board has created the Scholarship and Investments for the Future Fund (SIFF). It is managed by the STLE Scholarship Committee, which includes, among its purposes, fundraising efforts that will allow STLE to expand the existing scholarship programs. Another goal will be to support STEM education, student mentoring and co-op and student internship programs, and give financial support to students in technical and vocational schools. 

Plans call for details of the SIFF initiative to be rolled out during the 2023 STLE Annual Meeting. Additional information campaigns will follow. Members interested in making a donation to the scholarship program prior to that time can visit the donation webpage at www.stle.org/files/DonateNow.aspx. 

REFERENCE
1. Richard Booser was STLE’s 1956 president. Elmer Klaus was a Penn State University professor deeply involved in STLE student programs. Jeanie S. McCoy was one of STLE’s first female members and the long-time editor of Lubrication Engineering magazine (predecessor to TLT).
 
You can reach Certified Association Executive Ed Salek at esalek@stle.org.