Committee chair Alicia Valentino reported that each year, SIA awards travel scholarships to assist students with offsetting expenses associated with attending our conferences. The scholarships are often to full-time students or emerging professionals with fewer than 3 years’ experience. Applicants must demonstrate an interest in, and a commitment to, the field of industrial archeology.

Scholarships are funded through a dedicated account. This fund relies on annual contributions for replenishment, and members are encouraged to consider making a donation at the time that they receive their annual dues notice.

This year, through your generosity, SIA was able to award two $700 scholarships and one $350 scholarship.

Jessie McNabb is pursuing a master’s degree in historic preservation at the University of Vermont. We welcome her to her first SIA conference, where she is presenting a paper on the development of perforated radial bricks used in the construction of industrial chimneys.

Daniel Schneider is completing his second year of studies toward a master’s degree in industrial archeology from MTU. Daniel has an interest in the development of die-stamping machines used to manufacture wood printing type and is presenting a paper on that topic at this year’s conference.

John Arnold is a Ph.D. student in the MTU program in industrial archeology. John is pursuing IA as a second career after already establishing himself as an architect. He is very interested in the relationship between nature and culture as recorded in industrial landscapes, as he prepares to embark on his dissertation work. He is currently working on a preservation plan for copper mining era buildings in Calumet.

Alicia asked everyone to join her in congratulating and extending a warm welcome to this year’s student scholarship recipients and encouraged each of them to submit their research for publication in the IA journal.