UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Behzad Vaziri Hassas received the 2023 Rong Yu Wan Ph.D. Dissertation Award in Metallurgical Engineering from the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME). Hassas, who earned his doctorate in energy and mineral engineering from Penn State earlier this year, was recognized for his dissertation, “Process development for selective separation of critical elements from secondary resources."
The Rong Yu Wan Ph.D. Dissertation Scholarship was created as a tribute to the life and work of Rong Yu Wan, an internationally renowned metallurgist and 22-year-member of SME, according to the society. During her career, Wan not only made many contributions in the field of metallurgical engineering but also mentored many young scientists and students. The scholarship is presented to a recent doctorate recipient for outstanding dissertation research in the general area of metallurgical engineering, including mineral processing, hydrometallurgy and extractive metallurgy.
“Considering Dr. Rong-Yu Wan’s amazing journey to success, I was tremendously honored to receive this award for my doctoral dissertation,” Hassas said. “On the National Academy of Engineering memorial tribute to Dr. Wan, it reads ‘Rong-Yu never dwelled on obstacles she faced in her life and career, always conquering challenges to excel in personal and professional development.’ This is such an encouraging and assuring message from a great metallurgist and teacher to be strong and confident in dealing with the ups and downs in personal and professional life.”
Hassas, who is now a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University, was advised by Mohammad Rezaee, associate professor in the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering and holder of the Centennial Career Development Professorship in Mining Engineering in the Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.
"As his adviser, I am immensely proud of Behzad's achievements and his commitment to excellence in research,” Rezaee said. “His ability to combine theoretical knowledge with practical applications, relentless pursuit of excellence and resilience in overcoming challenges demonstrates his exceptional skills as a scholar and researcher. This award not only signifies his academic achievements but also serves as a testament to the high caliber of research conducted at Penn State. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Behzad Vaziri Hassas for this well-deserved recognition. I look forward to witnessing Behzad's continued success as he embarks on an impactful career in academia in the field of extractive metallurgy."
SME is a professional society that encourages worldwide advancement in the mining and underground construction industry by offering professional development and information exchange opportunities for its 15,000 members located in more than 100 countries.