The Young Professional Network (YPN) is designed for ACerS members who have completed their terminal degree or are 25 years of age and up to 40 years of age.
Expand your circle through ACerS Young Professionals Network (YPN)
The American Ceramic Society’s Young Professionals Network (YPN) aims to:
- Attract and retain young professionals as members of The American Ceramic Society
- Connect young professionals with opportunities to actively contribute and take on leadership roles in the Society
- Create a technical and social network amongst young professionals within the Society
- Provide opportunities for professional development training of relevance to young professionals
- Facilitate networking between YPN members and senior leaders in the ceramics and glass communities
Join the growing YPN community
If you have completed your university career and/or are between the ages of 25-40, you are encouraged to join the ACerS Young Professionals Network (YPN).
You may join this growing community by logging in to your ACerS Personal Snapshot and marking "Young Professionals Network (YPN)" under the Interest Groups and Communities tab.
YPN Connect - May
Join us for the upcoming ACerS YPN Connect event scheduled for Thursday, May 19, 2022 at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern.
This virtual event is open to both ACerS YPN members and non-members, so be sure to invite your colleagues and friends!
Register below so that we may send you the connection details. We look forward to seeing you there!
Also, save the date for these upcoming YPN Connect events:
- Check back for more dates!
YPN+1 Program - NEW
The deadline for the current YPN+1 calls for volunteers is:
May 31, 2022.
The YPN Steering Committee has been working hard to put together a program that helps to provide leadership opportunities to ACerS Young Professionals Network (YPN) members within ACerS and their Divisions.
At this time we are happy to announce the YPN+1 program! The YPN+1 program offers the following ways that YPN members may seek to become involved in leadership roles.
- YPN Division Liaison
- YPN Symposium Co-organizers
Find out more about each of these leadership opportunities by visiting the YPN+1 Program webpage!
The YPN+1 program is open to all eligible YPN members, although preference will be given to those who are not currently enrolled students.
Young Professionals Network (YPN) Opportunities
- Participate in the Lunch with a Professional program
- Serve as a Student Contest Judge
- Sign up for one or both of the ACerS Mentor Programs
- Apply to be a part of the NEW YPN+1 Program
- Be a Super Member or Moderator within the new ACerS Member Community
- Join the YPN as a Steering Committee member
- Join us for the next YPN Connect (virtual mixer)!
Connect with YPN members
ACerS Member Community
Join us in the Young Professionals Network group within the ACerS Member Community.
Join us in the ACerS Young Professionals Network (YPN) group.
Make connections with young professionals from around the globe!
Young Professional Awards
Apply for one or more of the following awards that are specifically geared towards young professionals! Gain visibility and recognition while building your CV with ACerS.
Society Awards
Division Awards
- Global Young Investigator Award - offered by ACerS Engineering Ceramics Division (ECD)
- Jubilee Global Diversity Award - offered by ACerS Engineering Ceramics Division (ECD)
- Bioceramics Young Scholar Award - offered by ACerS Bioceramics Division
- Global Young Bioceramicist Award - offered by ACerS Bioceramics Division
- Early Career Award - offered by ACerS Cements Division
- Early Discovery Award - offered by ACerS Basic Science Division
ACerS offers even more awards! While the above apply specifically to young professionals, chances are that you may qualify for additional awards. View the entire list of awards to see which apply to you.
“The connections that I’ve made through The American Ceramic Society have been invaluable. I highly encourage anyone to get involved with the Society.”
Geoff Brennecka, Colorado School of Mines
- Become a mentor for ACerS PCSA
- Write for JACerS, ACT, IJAGS, or ACerS’ Bulletin
- Subscribe to Ceramic Tech Today
- Present a paper or poster at ACerS meetings
- Apply for the several ACerS awards offered that are specifically for young professionals (see listing above)
- Post your resume and search the Ceramic Career and Glass Center
- Increase your knowledge with Ceramic Materials Course offerings
- Participate in free webinars without ever having to leave the office or lab.
2021-2022 Young Professionals Network (YPN) Steering Committee
2020-2022 YPN Co-Chair
Yuxuan Gong, JELD WEN, Inc.
2021-2023 YPN Co-Chair
Ashley Hampton, Allied Mineral Products
YPN STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Mark Losego, Georgia Tech
Charmayne Lonergan, Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory
James LeBeau, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
David Poerschke, University of Minnesota
Shiv Prakash Singh, International Advanced Research Center for Powder Metallurgy & New Materials (ARCI)
Vipul Kumar Sharma, Manipal University Jaipur
Kathryn Goetschius, Corning, Inc.
Usman Liaqat, National University of Sciences and Technology
Emmanuel Rowe, Middle Tennessee State University
Ângelo Cristante, Reno Refractories, Inc.
Chuancheng Duan, Kansas State University
The YPN Steering Committee is composed of members who are actively engaged in identifying and executing specific activities and tasks to further the goals of the YPN within any given year, as determined by the YPN co-chairs.
The YPN’s initiatives for 2021 include:
- YPN + 1 Initiative – launched as of January 2022!
- YPN Connect (informal networking virtual events) – created to connect YPN members across the globe for networking opportunities outside of conference events.
- Super Member / Moderator – these roles offer opportunities to grow the YPN’s presence within the online ACerS Member Community.
- YPN is actively helping to define and support the roll out of ACerS Strategic Initiatives.
Ongoing YPN initiatives include:
- Lunch/Network with a Professional – offered in conjunction with a variety of ACerS conferences throughout the year.
- Webinars – offered under the ACerS Professional Skills and Personal Development Webinar Series, the YPN organizes several webinar offerings throughout the year.
- Collaboration - The YPN Steering Committee strives to work with groups such as the PCSA, to co-organize programs and events, as well as to more clearly define a path from student to young professional.
- Du-Co Ceramics Young Professional Award
Become an Individual or Associate Member
If you are a recent graduate, ACerS can help you succeed by offering you a FREE Associate Membership.
By becoming an ACerS Individual or Associate Member, you’ll have access to valuable resources that will benefit you now and throughout your career.