Prof Eason Chen honoured with TMS 2026 Early Career Leaders Professional Development Award

Prof Eason Y.-S. Chen from NTU’s School of Materials Science and Engineering has been recognised by The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS) with the 2026 Extraction & Processing Division (EPD) Early Career Leaders Professional Development Award.

Coming with sponsored travel expenses, the award was presented on 17 March 2026 at the EPD/MPMD Luncheon during the TMS2026 Annual Meeting & Exposition in San Diego, United States. Conferred on a small number of early career professionals worldwide each year, the award recognises individuals who demonstrate leadership potential and active engagement within TMS and its technical divisions. Prof Eason is one of three recipients globally this year.

Photo courtesy: The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society

TMS is a leading international professional society in minerals, metals and materials science based in Pittsburgh, PA, with strong emphasis on metallurgy, critical mineral extraction, advanced manufacturing and processing, as well as related advanced characterisation techniques. Prof Eason’s work aligns closely with these priorities. 

As a Nanyang Assistant Professor (NAP) and National Research Foundation (NRF) Fellow at NTU, Prof Eason works at the forefront of metallurgy and advanced materials characterisation such as atom probe tomography (APT) and focused ion beam (FIB) for advancing hydrogen and extreme materials research. In particular, his research focuses on developing the microstructure–processing–property relationship in the energy materials, mostly metals and alloys — a central theme in structural materials research.

Beyond experimental characterisation, his research integrates machine learning for materials property prediction, enabling more data-driven approaches to materials design. Applications of his work extend to hydrogen energy systems, additive manufacturing and nanomaterials — areas of growing importance to energy resilience and decarbonisation.

In addition to his research contributions, Prof Eason plays an active role within TMS. He currently serves as Vice Chair of the Materials Characterisation Committee under the Extraction and Processing Division and will assume the role of Chair next year. He is also a member of the TMS conference programme planning committee and the early career development committee, contributing to technical programming and community building within the Society.

At TMS2026, award recipients participated in leadership and professional development activities, including divisional council meetings, mentoring engagements and service as judges at the Student Technical Division Poster Contest. The award also confers membership of the Emerging Professionals Committee, providing recipients with opportunities to contribute to the Society’s governance and future direction.

Reflecting on his involvement with TMS, Prof Eason noted that participation in the leadership of a long-established academic society has offered insights into how international research communities are organised and sustained. He hopes to draw on these experiences to contribute to Singapore’s and NTU’s research ecosystem, and to further strengthen international collaborations in support of extreme materials research, hydrogen technologies and advanced metallurgy initiatives at NTU.

His recognition at TMS2026 underscores NTU MSE’s continued engagement within the global materials community and its contributions to research and leadership in metallurgy and advanced materials science.