UF’s Douglas Spearot Honored with Prestigious Brimacombe Medal by The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society
Douglas Spearot, Ph.D., the Newton C. Ebaugh Professor, has been recognized by The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS), the largest professional society for materials science and engineering. TMS has more than 10,000 members worldwide, and only nine professionals were selected this year for the Brimacombe Medal.
The Brimacombe Medal is a mid-career award that recognizes trailblazing individuals for their contributions to materials science and engineering. Spearot has demonstrated a strong commitment to TMS while actively advancing the understanding of the mechanical and thermodynamic behavior of materials through his research.
He was previously honored for his contributions to TMS in 2020, when he received the TMS Materials Processing and Manufacturing Division Distinguished Service Award for his exemplary participation in various TMS committees.
“TMS has made a profound impact on my professional career. Through my participation in this professional society, I have developed new research collaborations, leadership skills and many lifelong friends,” Spearot said.
Spearot’s research group investigates a diverse range of materials, from soft hydrogels to very strong high-entropy metallic alloys. The group focuses on understanding material behavior at the micro- and nanoscale when subjected to stress or temperature. They study grain boundaries in metals, critical sites where metals often fail. Using advanced computational models, they simulate material performance under various boundary conditions, enabling them to predict material behavior. Through this work, Spearot’s group seeks to design materials with more resilient microstructures, leading to stronger, more reliable materials.
Spearot has also demonstrated his dedication to students through his roles as vice chair of the Membership and Student Development Committee within TMS and as associate chair for academic programs within the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. In 2020, he was named MAE Teacher of the Year, and the following year, he was appointed Newton C. Ebaugh Professor.
The Brimacombe Medal was presented to Spearot on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at the TMS Annual Meeting.
