1. Mengying Liu receives The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society Early Career Leaders Professional Development Award

By Lily Caldwell
November 7, 2025

Mengying Liu, assistant professor of engineering at Washington and Lee University, recently received the Structural Materials Division (SMD) Early Career Leaders Professional Development Award from The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS), one of the largest professional society in materials science field.

The SMD Early Career Leaders Professional Development Award recognizes early-career scholars showing exceptional promise and leadership in structural materials research. The award offers the opportunity for early career members of TMS to advance in the field of materials science through participation in society activities. Through these interactions, recipients will be able to enhance their professional development and play an active role in TMS decision-making and long-range planning.

The three winners receive TMS membership for the year and sponsorship to the TMS Annual Meeting. The recipients will be expected to serve as a judge for division-sponsored student events at the annual meeting and will participate in various division meetings.

Liu has been a member of the W&L faculty since 2021. She holds a Bachelor of Engineering in materials science and engineering from Tianjin University (China) and a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from Texas A&M University.

TMS is a professional society that connects minerals, metals and materials scientists and engineers who work in industry, academia and government positions around the world. The society is committed to expanding access to and involvement in the minerals, metals and materials professions.

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