Jenifer Locke selected to receive TMS Frank Crossley Diversity Award

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Jenifer Locke, Materials Science and Engineering, Ohio State University
Professor Jenifer Locke

Dr. Jenifer Locke will be recognized at the 2023 TMS Annual Meeting for her prolific career in metallurgy and for being an advocate of equity and inclusion.

Recipients of the TMS Frank Crossley Diversity Award represent victory over personal, professional, educational, cultural, or institutional adversity while establishing a career in minerals, metals, and/or materials.

A long-time supporter of creating welcoming and unbiased environments, Locke encourages everyone to listen with open minds, believe others' truths and welcome difference to help eliminate implicit bias. Through application, she sees her equation enabling every person to reach their potential unhindered by the mental load caused by bias.

In addition to her technical career with research and teaching in materials science, Professor Locke is trained in life coaching, was involved with culture change workshops while working for Alcoa, Inc., was the co-president of the Alcoa Technical Center's local chapter of Alcoa's LGBTQA employee resource group, and was on the corporate lead team while working at Alcoa. Locke's participation and activism earned her the title of Pittsburgh Area Dignity and Respect Champion in April 2013.

While at Ohio State, Dr. Locke is devoted to creating more equitable learning environments. She applies usable techniques learned from her personal experience and from participating in social justice activities at Ohio State and beyond. Locke consistently attends diversity workshops on campus and is involved in the College of Engineering's Racial and Social Justice Community of Practice. She has earned the College of Engineering's Inclusive Excellence Certificate. Professor Locke is a member of the Women in Engineering ProActive Network (WEPAN) and is the current chair of TMS's Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee.

“Being awarded the Frank Crossley Diversity Award serves as a reminder that my resilience, ever present energy and smile, hard work, persistence, and tenacity, even when told I shouldn’t, or couldn’t, or wouldn’t, not only served me well, but has been recognized and appreciated by those around me. I hope this award can help another have the strength to not settle for what is expected or recommended by others based on any facet of their identity, but to push onward towards their own personal goal, even when they don’t know if it is achievable for a person like them. One might find, like me, that they can come out the other side achieving what seemed impossibly difficult and still smiling. I’d like to thank TMS and the TMS Foundation for being unique in that they provide and cultivate an environment that continuously strives to improve and always focuses on becoming more inclusive, equitable, and welcoming. There are many societies where one can volunteer, I choose TMS because it has created a space where I feel welcomed, supported, and championed for all facets of myself. TMS not only allows me to share my technical work and thinking, but also bring my whole self and help them work to create a better community for the future.” - Professor Jenifer Locke

This award is made possible by the generosity of Jeffery Wadsworth and Geraldine McCulley Wadsworth.