Two awards for outstanding research on iron-based shape memory alloys

At the TMS2025 conference, early-career scientist Johanna-Maria Frenck was honored with two prestigious awards for her outstanding contributions to materials research: the Acta Student Award (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589152924002540) and a poster prize as part of the TMS Division Student Poster Contest (https://www.tms.org/TMS2025/Attendee_Toolbox/TMS_2025_News/TMS2025/Attendee_Toolbox/TMS_2025_News.aspx?hkey=36f52a13-5631-4bf0-b61f-c06db58bc365). Her research, titled "Interrelationships of stress-induced martensitic transformation and pitting corrosion in iron-based shape memory alloys," sheds light on the complex interactions between martensitic phase transformation and corrosion behavior in iron-based shape memory alloys.

In her work, Ms. Frenck, who is affiliated with the Institute of Materials Science at the University of Kassel, focuses on investigating the corrosion mechanisms of Fe-Mn-Al-Ni-based shape memory alloys. These materials show great potential for use as new functional materials in civil engineering. Not only can the mechanical properties of building structures be improved, but their longevity and safety can also be optimized. The research, conducted with her co-authors Georg Frenck, Sebastian Degener, and Malte Vollmer under the guidance of Prof. Thomas Niendorf, highlights the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in materials science. Their findings could not only advance fundamental research but also revolutionize practical applications in construction. Further parts of the research have already been presented at various international conferences and have garnered significant attention through publication in scientific journals. The awards received at TMS2025 are further proof of the excellent quality, current relevance, and high importance of this research.

The annual conference brings together more than 4,000 scientists from the fields of minerals, metals, and materials for an interdisciplinary exchange of technical knowledge. This year, the conference took place from March 23 to 27 in Las Vegas. The Acta Student Award was presented during the Acta Materialia Symposium, which honors outstanding scientists in the field of materials science and engineering each year. Ms. Frenck also impressed during the presentation of her scientific work in the poster session, earning a poster prize. Out of 132 posters presented, an independent jury selected five posters to receive the poster prize.