SAMPE Journal - March/April 2024 - 7

What first got you started with SAMPE?
Tony: While I was working on my graduate degree, I was
nominated in 1985 for the SAMPE Outstanding Graduate
Student Scholarship Award. (See below for more)
Prior to the mid-1990s, the SAMPE educational programs
included a scholarship program for undergraduate
students and graduate students. There were very few
student chapters. One of my faculty members nominated
me for the Edward Horne Award, given by the Midwest
SAMPE chapter to an outstanding materials science
student. The Midwest chapter forwarded my nomination
to the National SAMPE Graduate Student Scholarship
program run by Jim Bell.
Don: Tony Saliba was instrumental in involving me
and many other fellow students in SAMPE. He was the
founder and advisor of our student chapter of SAMPE,
and many times in class he would talk about SAMPE
and composite materials. He was the spark for many UD
students who went on to careers in composite materials
and contributed to SAMPE.
What made you first want to volunteer at SAMPE?
Tony: For me, it all started in 1985 when I participated
in the SAMPE graduate student scholarship program.
At the time the scholarship check was mailed to the
winner. I requested instead of the monetary award
if SAMPE could bring me to the SAMPE Symposium
because I wanted to meet the people of SAMPE. I was
not disappointed. I got to experience firsthand the family
spirit of SAMPE: The professional technical excellence,
but especially the caring and mentoring attitude of the
people of SAMPE got me hooked on SAMPE. I went back
to my university, started a SAMPE student chapter, and
have been active ever since. Two years later, I helped
start the student symposium which is now the University
Research Symposium (URS).
Don: For me, it started when I was a student contestant
in the 1993 URS, which was held in Anaheim that year.
This was my first SAMPE conference. I was deeply
impressed and inspired by the SAMPE community:
their friendliness, energy, ingenuity, and generosity. I
knew that I had to become part of this family. Soon after
that, I became involved with running our local student
symposium (Midwest Chapter), the winner of which
would be sent to the national University Research
Symposium (URS). I transitioned to becoming a
regular judge at the annual URS, and finally a co-chair
for the event. Over the years I have been inspired by
the enthusiasm and professionalism of the students
participating from a wide variety of universities across
the U.S., not to mention the interaction with the
European and Japanese student symposium winners
who are invited to the URS to present as guests.
Share your favorite SAMPE URS story or memory:
Tony: There are too many memories to capture and so
many wonderful people who have truly touched my
heart. The best memories were of the relationships,
support, and connections to the people such as the
SAMPE staff and leadership, the board of directors,
professionals, and the many student participants in
the URS program.
Don: I have two answers here: the first is hearing
Tony's inspirational send-off speech that he would
give to the students at the end of each URS ( " Be smart
but be kind! " ). The second is an amalgam of spending
fun time with Tony and the students at the receptions
and hospitality suites provided by SAMPE's generous
industrial sponsors. This was a place where we could
all blow off steam and get to know each other - it was
a great way to build camaraderie.
What takeaways have you learned from your
volunteer experiences?
Tony: Volunteering for SAMPE has tremendous
rewards. The biggest reward for me has been getting
to know the student participants, watching their
successes and contributions to the profession, and
watching so many of them become leaders in SAMPE.
Don: When you are part of the SAMPE family, it
doesn't feel like you're volunteering! Also, there are
so many ways to volunteer and contribute your time
and talent, that there is something for everyone. It's
really fun to see everyone, long-time acquaintances
and colleagues, in action, even at just one or any
given conference.
www. sampe.org
MARCH APRIL 2024
|
SAMPE JOURNAL |
7
http://www.sampe.org
SAMPE Journal - March/April 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of SAMPE Journal - March/April 2024
