Minerals, Metals and Materials Society Honors Trelewicz

Materials scientists get really excited about defects in materials because the defects control all the properties and performance of those materials as we see them in our daily lives.

Jason Trelewicz, professor in the Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering and Institute for Advanced Computational Science at Stony Brook University, has devoted his career to looking for defects in materials to find ways to make them work better. Trelewicz, who also holds a joint faculty appointment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, is one of seven honorees to be recognized by the Minerals, Metals and Materials Society (TMS) with its 2026 Brimacombe Medal.

Unlike awards that recognize a single breakthrough, the Brimacombe Award, named after the renowned metallurgical engineer J. Keith Brimacombe, recognizes individuals, mid-career, who have demonstrated sustained excellence and achievement in materials science and engineering, along with a significant record of service to the profession. Recipients are selected from across academia, national laboratories and industry and were recognized at the TMS Annual Meeting on March 18, 2026, with a certificate and a lapel pin.

TMS cited Trelewicz for his "pioneering contributions to the science of solute stabilized nanocrystalline alloys and their advancement for nuclear applications, and distinguished service to the nuclear materials community."

Trelewicz has been making, evaluating and testing new materials in his lab, the Engineered Microstructures and Radiation Effects Laboratory. Complementing the experimental efforts is multiscale materials modeling to understand the mechanisms responsible for the behavior of defects under external stimuli. These stimuli include stresses, temperature, radiation, and any of these combinations. "We can measure a response, but the computational modeling really allows us to systematically study the defect physics controlling the measured responses of our materials," he said.

"I am deeply honored to receive the Brimacombe Medal from TMS, an organization that has helped shape my career and one I am proud to call my home society," said Trelewicz. "This recognition reflects the collective effort, creativity and curiosity of my students, collaborators, and mentors - I am immensely grateful for their constant support and inspiration."

TMS is a leading international professional organization dedicated to advancing the global minerals, metals and materials community through research, education, networking and professional development. TMS brings together scientists, engineers and industry leaders from academia, government and industry to foster innovation and address critical challenges in materials science and engineering.

"One of the aspects I value most about TMS is the way it brings colleagues and friends together to share our science, and I look forward to continued engagement with, and service to, this vibrant community for many years to come," said Trelewicz.

Trelewicz's research explores the science of interface engineered materials with a common theme of tailoring interfaces across length scales ranging from the atomic and nanoscale to collective responses of tailored microstructures that govern thermal, mechanical and radiation stability under extremes.

As he stands mid-point in his career, Trelewicz's eyes are on the future. By using multiscale materials modeling techniques, he wants to design, develop and test new materials for advanced energy applications. "One area of investment for my research over the next five years is the development and maturation of materials that can be used in fusion pilot plant demonstrations, which has become a large focus of our nation's energy goals."

"The Brimacombe Medal is a well-deserved milestone for Jason, celebrating a career marked by continuous innovation," said Dilip Gersappe, chair of the Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering. "His groundbreaking research into nanocrystalline alloys is vital for next-generation fusion and nuclear applications, and we are incredibly proud to have him leading these critical efforts in our department."

Trelewicz earned a doctoral degree in materials science and engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2008. Prior to joining Stony Brook University, he was research director at MesoScribe Technologies, Inc.

Some other notable recognitions are the Department of Energy's Early Career Award in 2017 and the National Science Foundation's Faculty Early Career Award in 2016. Trelewicz was also recently recognized by the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research and Scholarship Activities in 2026.