Professor Omelon Ready to Serve MetSoc Students

We're grateful that Prof. Omelon took time out of her busy teaching schedule to speak with us and share her story – as you will soon learn, her career path is particularly interesting.

_____________________________

Can you tell us a bit about yourself? Where do you currently work, and in what capacity?

Here are two bits about myself to start: I really enjoy being outside, and I also really enjoy process engineering. I am a pre-tenure Associate Professor in the Department of Mining and Materials Engineering at McGill University. Associate Professors are normally tenured. I earned tenure at another university, so I can keep the title, but I also need to re-qualify.

What are some highlights of your past focus in hydrometallurgy and materials?

Some hydromet highlights include introductions to the hydromet and wastewater treatment processes at CEZinc by Gary Monteith, and the hydromet side of the Caron process at Queensland Nickel by an epic operator, also named Gary.?As the QNI story goes, the engineers decided to go on vacation when the hydromet process was first starting up. He was left to take care of this simple task. Consequently, he understood the process on a profound level that few did.?

I was also very fortunate for a foundational work experience with the process engineering team at the Hatch Montreal office between graduate degrees. The lessons I learned there continue to guide my work.

On the materials side of life, I think I am the only person who has looked at the textbook theory of skeletal mineralization from a process engineering perspective, decided that it made no sense, and proposed a different theory. Learning about process engineering made me see the world differently. After I began to learn about materials chemistry and performance, the world has become an even more interesting place.

What is the history of your involvement with MetSoc?

Funny you should ask this - I prepared this answer a long time ago with a short story that was published in?Nature, when I was tasked to describe my graduate student experiences in a monthly column:

In 1996, as a new master's student, I went to the Conference of Metallurgists in Montreal, Canada, and was completely overwhelmed. I didn't know what to say or who to talk to — I just had the vague sense that somehow I was supposed to ‘network’. Instead, I hid from the crowds at the conference bookstore.

My refuge proved to be fortuitous. After browsing a bit, I realized the conference staff were still setting up the store. I offered to give them a hand. In return, I found an informal way to mix with scientists. The staff told me that I was not the only delegate who would rather read than talk to scientists they didn't know.

Since then, I have volunteered for a conference organizing committee and have led some student chapter meetings at conferences. And I continue to ask senior attendees how they arrived at their work, and what they like about it. It gets easier to approach new people with every conference. By helping out and talking to a few people casually, I learn more from conferences than just what is delivered at the podium. And I no longer try to hide in the bookstore.

What does your new role as MetSoc Student Affairs Chair mean to you?

I appreciate having the opportunity to lower the activation energy barrier between students across the country, and between students and professionals. I am also keen to speak with students about their future aspirations, and connect them with people who are further ahead in their careers who may have advice to offer.

How will you infuse your many years of teaching?experience in this new role?

I will give the best MetSoc tests you have ever seen. You have been warned.

What are some things our student members can look forward to?

I hope to highlight how student-level involvement in MetSoc can build new relationships and transferable skills that will be useful for their industrial careers.

Any final remarks?you would like to tell our readers?

Since you asked, I propose that your readers shake up their work and study break habits, and consider going for a short walk outside. Any outdoor (or indoor, winter should arrive sometime) walk offers the opportunity to observe and consider the diverse materials in our engineered and natural worlds - and give our screen-fatigued eyes a break.

Students: see what MetSoc of CIM has to offer for you!

Bonus feature: MetSoc McGill Student Chapter plays One or the Other with Prof. Omelon