Dr. Ronald J. O’Malley, the F. Kenneth Iverson Endowed Chair of Steelmaking Technologies at Missouri University of Science and Technology, has been honored with the 2025 Tadeusz Sendzimir Memorial Medal for Innovation in Steel Manufacturing Technology by the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST).
O’Malley earned a Ph.D. in metallurgy from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in materials engineering from Drexel University. He was also awarded AIME Honorary Membership—one of the organization’s top honors, in 2021.
“Over the 36 years I have been a member of AIST, I have been fortunate to receive some wonderful recognitions from the association, but I am especially proud of this honor. Dr. Tadeusz Sendzimir was an extraordinary innovator in the steelmaking industry, so being selected for a medal with his name is a special honor.” said O’Malley, serving as director of S&T’s Kent D. Peaslee Steel Manufacturing Research Center.
O’Malley is to receive the award during the 2025 AIST President’s Award Breakfast on Tuesday, May 6 to be held in Nashville, Tennessee.
AIST the been awarding the medal to perpetuate the memory of Sendzimir’s contributions, since 1990, in the development of the process equipment used in the steel industry. The award is given to the individual(s) who worked in advancing steelmaking through the invention, developing or applying of a new manufacturing process or equipment.
Dr. Ronald J. O’Malley has been awarded the 2025 Tadeusz Sendzimir Memorial Medal for Innovation in Steel Manufacturing Technology by the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST). The recognition highlights his pioneering work in utilizing optical fiber sensors to monitor temperature and strain in steelmaking processes. His research enables real-time data collection in extreme industrial environments, contributing to advancements in efficiency and precision within the steel industry.
Previously, The chief metallurgist at Nucor Decator in Trinity, Alabama and a member of the Missouri S&T faculty since 2014, O’Malley has been awarded millions of dollars in federal grants to support his research with his team on improving the operating efficiency of steelmaking technologies.
O’Malley, a distinguished leader in the steel industry, previously served as the 2019-20 president of the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST) and remains a lifetime member of the organization. He currently holds the position of president-elect of the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (AIME) Board of Trustees, representing almost 200,000 professionals and students around the globe.