2015 Amelia Earhart FellowsAmelia Earhart Fellowship Program

A Zonta International Program, funded by the Zonta International Foundation

The Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellowships were established in 1938 in honor of Amelia Earhart, famed pilot and member of the Zonta Clubs of Boston and New York. The Fellowships are awarded annually to women pursuing Ph.D./doctoral degrees in aerospace-related sciences or aerospace-related engineering.

Hurmat Ul AinCitizenship: PakistanProposed Program: Mechanical Engineering at the University of Melbourne

Ms. Ain is performing basic research in the field of turbulent flows. Her specific interest is focused on turbulent boundary layer dynamics influencing the drag force of aircraft. Fundamen-tal understanding of and eventual control of the drag forces has the potential to offer a reduction in fuel consumption and signifi-cant cost and CO2 savings. In her research Ms. Ain is conducting laminar physical simulation experiments that seek to expose the basic mechanisms by which the vertical eddies in a turbulent flow transport momentum. These experiments are very sensitive and require an unusual degree of care and diligence. Ms. Ain enjoys swimming, running and yoga.

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Clemence BacquetCitizenship: FranceProposed Program: Aerospace Engineering at the University of Colorado, Boulder

Ms. Bacquet will be studying damping effects on the wave dis-persion characteristics of both acoustic metamaterials and gen-eral periodic structures. This fairly new interdisciplinary field of phononics combines applied physics, engineering methods, high-performance computation and experimental validation. The ultimate goal of her research is to enable the design of materi-als that exhibit both high load-bearing and high dissipation lev-els. These materials would help to limit vibrations in aerospace structures that can lead to passenger discomfort, material fatigue and eventual failure. She has mentored undergraduate students and she regularly conducts outreach and organizational activi-ties. Ms. Bacquet also enjoys rock climbing, playing the violin and traveling.

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Melissa ArrasCitizenship: ItalyProposed Program: Aerospace Engineering at the University of Rome La Sapienza/Carleton University

Ms. Arras’ research program is in the field of structural dynamics of aerospace structures. Her main interest concerns the cor-relation between numerical and experimental models, and the structural updating of the numerical model based on experimen-tal data. The aim of structural updating techniques is to improve the accuracy of an initial finite element model to narrow the gap between numerical and experimental results in terms of dynamic parameters such as natural frequencies, mode shapes or frequen-cy response functions. Ms. Arras’ research is focusing on im-proving the iterative response-based updating technique, using frequency response functions. The results of her research have already been successfully validated on simple structures—such as beams and plates. Her next focus will be on more complex struc-tures and in particular, a helicopter blade model and a UAV. Ms. Arras enjoys cooking and baking.

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Camli BadryaCitizenship: IsraelProposed Program: Aerospace Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park

Ms. Badrya is conducting a numerical investigation of insect flight at low Reynolds numbers, focusing on developing fun-damental understanding of how small insects fly and how this knowledge can be utilized to formulate design principles for a micro-flapping-wing aircraft. Engineers are focusing on the flight of insects because they fly in the same aerodynamic regime as insects and small birds, to learn underlying aerodynamic princi-ples. Ms. Badrya’s Ph.D. program will investigate the aerodynam-ic phenomena governing insect flight using computational fluid dynamics. Ms. Badrya enjoys physical activities such as yoga, running and hiking, and is interested in history, art, poetry and politics.

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Camille BilgerCitizenship: FranceProposed Program: Aeronautics at the University of Cambridge

Ms. Bilger is studying the optimization of fuel injection for liquid-propellant engines with a view to reducing the environmental impact of aircraft gas turbines and rockets. Liquid fuel injection—and in particular, the nature of the spray produced upon primary atomization—is still poorly predicted. This is due to the complexity of the physics involved, including turbulence, vortex dynamics, multiphase flows, hydrodynamic instabilities and wave theory. Further, experimental investigations of this phenomenon are very expensive. Ms. Bilger’s research will be using Computational Fluid Dynamics to qualitatively and quantitatively assess the phenomena observed during primary atomization. The outcome of her analysis will provide the aero-engine industry with a parameterization of the Reynolds and Weber number regimes for liquid sheet primary atomization. This work will facilitate the design of future low-emission combustion chambers. Ms. Bilger enjoys dancing and playing the piano.

Eleonora BottaCitizenship: ItalyProposed Program: Mechanical Engineering at McGill University

Ms. Botta is investigating the development of an efficient and reliable numerical standalone tool for simulation of the deployment, capture and disposal phases of a net-based active debris removal mission. Space debris is a widely recognized problem involving non-functional spacecraft and mission related objects. Tether nets mounted on the dedicated spacecraft present a promising option for the capture of massive debris. Before using such systems in actual missions, it is necessary to gain an understanding of the deployment dynamics in micro gravity and vacuum conditions of the capture of a tumbling object and the transfer in orbit of the entire system. In the final phase, Ms. Botta will validate the results against experiments and other published results. She hopes to have a research career in the space-engineering domain. Ms. Botta works with an organization at McGill to promote opportunities for women. She also volunteers with the McGill International Student Services Buddy Program, welcoming new international students.

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Natasha Bosanac Citizenship: AustraliaProposed Program: Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue UniversityPrevious Fellowship: 2014

Ms. Bosanac will use her second fellowship to continue her project dealing with the nature of gravitational interactions in systems containing three bodies, such as a planet and two orbit-ing stars. Since receipt of her first fellowship, she has adapted techniques from other disciplines, including physics and applied mathematics. Ms. Bosanac is utilizing and improving techniques for dynamical systems theory, including visualization techniques, stability analysis and frequency analysis of quasi-periodic orbits. The results of her computational work will be useful for designing efficient spacecraft trajectories to reduce fuel and time of flight requirements and will also produce better models of the dynam-ics of extra solar planets. Ms. Bosanac is active in the Purdue Computational Student leadership team, a volunteer in many Pur-due student associations, and enjoys spinning, Pilates and baking.

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Katelyn BurkhartCitizenship: USAProposed Program: Health Sciences and Technology, Medical Engineering and Medical Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Medical School

Ms. Burkhart aims to develop a state-of-the-art musculoskeletal model of the human trunk to predict loads on the vertebrae during various activities during and after human spaceflight and atmospheric flight (such as aircraft ejection) and predict the risk of vertebral failure. Astronauts experience negative effects on the musculoskeletal system after long-duration spaceflight. Marked bone loss, especially at weight-bearing sites, is one well-known effect. However, there is little information regarding degree of spinal deconditioning and subsequent risk of spine fracture following long-duration spaceflight. With an accurate and physiologically detailed spinal musculoskeletal model, the forces experienced during aircraft ejection can be simulated and spinal loading can be monitored.

Ms. Burkhart’s project will use OpenSim, an open-source software system that allows users to create musculoskeletal models and analyze dynamical simulations of movement, to develop and validate a state-of-the-art multibody model of the thoracolumbar spine and ribcage. Ms. Burkhart will develop an anatomically detailed, fully articulated musculoskeletal model of the human spine and thorax that will be broadly useful for improved understanding of the biomechanical mechanisms underlying vertebral fracture. This knowledge will help astronauts better understand their risk of fracture post-flight during daily living activities and aid in development of a more ergonomic ejection seat that would redistribute or dampen acceleration forces so that vertebral fracture becomes less prevalent among pilots after aircraft ejection. Ms. Burkhart is active in the women graduate students organization, Health Science and Technology Department and volunteers for a local Big Sister Association. She also practices soccer and taiko drumming.

Nicole DuncanCitizenship: USA Proposed Program: Solar and Space Physics Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley

Ms. Duncan’s research at Berkeley aims to understand how the largest solar flares accelerate particles. Solar flares are key precursors to hazardous space weather and it is important to understand the origins of disruptive weather in interplanetary space when planning for human or robotic flight. She is working toward launching a next generation solar telescope, the Gamma Ray Imager/Polarimeter for Solar Flares (GRIPS) and is a member of the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) satellite’s science team. Large-scale reconfigurations of magnetic fields likely provide the energy to drive solar flares. With the GRIPS instrument she will study the mechanisms that convert stored magnetic energy into particle kinetic energy. On the RHESSI team, Ms. Duncan takes rotational responsibility for monitoring spacecraft health and operations. She will also use RHESSI’s extensive flare data set for particle acceleration analyses. Ms. Duncan is a member of the public policy group of the American Astronomical Society’s Solar Physics division to discuss solar and space weather concerns with public policy makers on the effect on power grid management and satellite security during space weather events. She also enjoys sailing and rebuilding sailboats.

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Eda DoganCitizenship: TurkeyProposed Program: Aerospace Engineering at the University of Southampton

Ms. Dogan’s studies are focused on understanding the influence of external disturbances on characteristics of turbulent boundary layers (TBL). She is looking at the role of freestream turbulence in altering the transport properties of a TBL. This topic is very important since it allows understanding of how the performance of various aerospace systems (i.e. gas turbine blades or wing sur-faces) depends on the external turbulent conditions and provides critical information for developing control strategies toward drag reduction and/or effective cooling. Ms. Dogan designed, devel-oped and implemented an experimental system to explore this topic. She has also developed various diagnostic methods and used them to obtain detailed flow field measurement data. She will continue these studies to determine effects on drag and heat transfer characteristics of these boundary layers. Ms. Dogan also enjoys singing and acting in amateur theater.

Francesca FavaròCitizenship: Italy Proposed Program: Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology Previous Fellowship: 2013

Ms. Favarò’s research involves various aspects of accident causation. She is currently studying software-related accidents to define and characterize software failure mechanisms. Her goal is to conceive and develop a novel theoretical basis for accident prevention in the aerospace industry with the aim to expand the toolkit of safety professionals and risk analysts including those of other industries. Her research will contribute to aircraft safety by identifying characteristic mechanisms of software failures related to software interactions with other subsystems. Since her first award, Ms. Favarò has created a substantial library of systems accident scenarios. She is also co-authoring a textbook on the basics of system safety for young engineers in academia and industry. Ms. Favarò tutors undergraduate students and actively participates in a K-12 outreach program in Atlanta schools and is participating in two mentoring programs, one online and one in Atlanta.

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Elise FahyCitizenship: AustraliaProposed Program: Aerospace Engineering at the University of Queensland

Ms. Fahy’s research is aimed at increasing the knowledge of extreme conditions experienced during spacecraft re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. In particular, she is concerned with a vehicle’s thermal protection system, which is critical for surviving the extreme velocities, heat and radiation experienced in the vehicle shock layer during re-entry. Ms. Fahy’s project aims to recreate the flight spectra from a trajectory point on the recent flight of the Hayabusa spacecraft re-entry in expansion tubes, and also using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Matching flight data will validate ground testing methods and enable a more robust design process, refining the thermal protection system through results of expansion tube experiments and CFD. She has recently had the opportunity to collaborate with the European Space Agency on a project on ablation-radiation coupling. Ms. Fahy is passionate about encouraging others to seek careers in science and engineering. She plays the violin in an orchestra and also enjoys netball, dodgeball and skiing.

Linda ForsterCitizenship: Germany Proposed Program: Meteorology at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munchen

Ms. Forster’s research will help to understand the effect of air traffic on climate, quantify its contribution to global warming and minimize this contribution. One significant effect is caused by aircraft contrails. These are artificial ice clouds that are formed when the humid, hot exhaust from the aircraft engine mixes with the cool surrounding air. Contrails contribute to the greenhouse effect by reflecting solar radiation back to space and trapping thermal radiation within Earth’s atmosphere. These interactions are strongly dependent on the orientation and shape of the ice crystals, which are poorly known. Ms. Forster’s particular project will be investigating whether it is possible to quantify ice crystal shape and orientation from ground-based atmospheric optical phenomena. Ms. Forster previously worked in Abu Dhabi as an adviser to a program to enhance precipitation. She enjoys playing the piano and is a competitive tennis player.

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Maria FolkCitizenship: USAProposed Program: Aerospace Engineering at the University of Cambridge

Ms. Folk is investigating the highly turbulent flow in the high-pressure turbine of an aircraft engine. As air traffic becomes more ubiquitous, the increasingly strict regulations on carbon and noise emission require the advent of cleaner and more efficient gas turbine machines. High-pressure turbine efficiency has the largest impact on pollution and overall fuel burn, which is why Ms. Folk has chosen this particular research focus. This turbine section is incredibly complex, with blades that carry a centrifugal force of the weight of a double-decker bus. Ms. Folk will systematically break down the complex problem in a series of fundamental experiments and plans to investigate these experimentally and computationally. Having more than four years of industry experience and being located at the leading aerodynamic laboratory at the University of Cambridge, she is in a unique position to take on these challenges. Ms. Folk speaks at local schools about aerospace engineering to get more young women interested in engineering. She is also interested in foreign languages and cultures.

Tanya Harrison Citizenship: USA Proposed Program: Geology at University of Western OntarioPrevious Fellowship: 2014

Ms. Harrison will use her second award to continue her research on the geology of the planet Mars. She is establishing a database of the global distribution of gullies, crater fill material and crater wall mantling material in order to investigate the mechanisms by which they were formed, as well as for understanding mechanisms of crater modification on Mars. She will investigate whether there is an atmospheric control on the formation and/or degradation of these features and whether any or all of them are genetically related. This database will be made available to the planetary science community at large. Ms. Harrison will use data obtained by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Context Camera for her studies. Since the formation of these features potentially involves water and/or ice, this research is important for determining the past, present and future habitability of Mars. Her interest is not only in the geology of planets, but also in the instrumentation required to conduct geological research. Her professional goal is to become the principal investigator of a planetary mission or an instrument aboard such a mission. Ms. Harrison is extremely involved in space science educational programs and also owns and operates a photography business.

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Graciela González PeytavíCitizenship: SpainProposed Program: Aerospace Engineering at the Bundeswehr University Munich

Ms. González Peytaví will study and develop new concepts for autonomous spacecraft navigation in different phases of a lander mission, such as interplanetary flight, approach, entry, descent and landing, to a micro gravity body in deep space (e.g. an asteroid). She will develop concepts for precise on-board orbit determination, autonomous absolute positioning, as well as robust orbit and altitude estimators for spacecraft navigation. She will also investigate precise relative navigation with respect to a small planetary body such as an asteroid. Ms. González Peytaví will also study and characterize different sensor technologies in terms of measurement precision and accuracy, as well as system observability, and derive observation and noise models for the sensors. She also will evaluate current navigational methods and concepts for different mission phases and identify weaknesses and potential improvements to current methods as well as propose new ones. She has already presented a novel idea of autonomous solar navigation that uses the intensity of the sunlight. Ms. González Peytaví participates in technology and business idea competitions with the aim of becoming an entrepreneur herself. She volunteers for a local branch of Engineers Without Borders and enjoys automating remotely controlled model planes and copters.

Erica JawinCitizenship: USA Proposed Program: Planetary Science at Brown University

Ms. Jawin’s research is aimed at overcoming the physical constraints on humans living beyond our planet. In particular, she is investigating the mineralogy of lunar dark mantle deposits (DMDs), which may yield significant insight into how resources, like water, can be extracted from the local environment on the moon. The distribution of DMDs on the moon is widespread, and these deposits may have formed through ancient eruptions of gas-rich magmas from deep within the moon. Ms. Jawin will use spacecraft-based visible and near-infrared (VNIR) spectroscopy to distinguish different glass compositions in various deposits. She will highlight the mineralogical and compositional diversity among the deposits and when combined with other data (i.e., gravity and radar), reveal details about the lunar history such as magma source depths, volatile contents of the lunar interior and the mineralogical evolution of the moon. This will have a direct impact on the sustained habitability of lunar bases. Ms. Jawin is a mentor for undergraduates and elementary school students. She is also the department representative for the graduate Women in Science and Engineering group.

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Saghar Hosseinisianaki Citizenship: IranProposed Program: Aeronautics and Astronautics at the University of Washington, SeattlePrevious Fellowship: 2014

Ms. Hosseinisianaki is a second-time award winner. She is studying renewable energy sources and cooperative energy management for aerial vehicles. In particular, she has been studying solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). Using solar energy has the potential to vastly improve fuel consumption and allow air vehicles to stay in the air for long periods of time. Solar-powered UAVs can be used in a wide range of commercial and scientific applications from disaster management to remote sensing, where they might replace satellites. In addition, Ms. Hosseinisianaki will investigate cooperative energy sharing within a swarm of such cooperative UAVs. She is also working on a project to develop adaptive algorithms for onboard power management in aircrafts. With her first Amelia Earhart Fellowship she investigated the application of a solar UAVs swarm in forest firefighting. Her generalized goal is to design lighter and more efficient aerospace systems that are environmentally friendly. Ms. Hosseinisianaki volunteers as a science and math tutor for high school students and is active in other outreach activities.

Ioana Josan-Drinceanu Citizenship: Romania Proposed Program: Aerospace at Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyPrevious Fellowship: 2014

Ms. Josan-Drinceanu is a second-time award winner. She is developing advanced life support systems that will allow humans to go on extended space missions. For long-term missions, consumables such as oxygen, water and food must be regenerated onboard the spacecraft or in the planetary habitat. To make this a reality, the physiochemical systems (like those onboard the International Space Station for producing oxygen or removing carbon dioxide) must be combined with biological systems (like those needed for producing food). However, there are many complications in getting the two very different kinds of systems to be controlled and managed together in an effective manner. Ms. Josan-Drinceanu is working on developing the analysis framework, which will help guide future advanced life support systems development efforts. She is using modeling and simulation software called HabNet that she helped develop. With her first Amelia Earhart Fellowship, Ms. Josan-Drinceanu applied her simulation to another isolated environment—the ocean floor—and she could qualify the method. Ms. Josan-Drinceanu is an executive member for professional development in her department’s Women’s Association. She is also an amateur radio operator and her hobbies include traveling, Aikido and photography.

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Mathilde Jean-St-LaurentCitizenship: CanadaProposed Program: Mechanical Engineering at Université Laval

Ms. Jean-St-Laurent’s doctoral research aims to understand the behavior of composite sandwich panels, used for space applications, under low velocity impact at cold temperatures. The thermal environment influences composite materials by the difference between the coefficient of thermal expansion of the fibers and the matrix binding the fiber materials. Composites are also sensitive to impact loading. The material to be studied will be used for a rover for lunar exploration with possible rock collisions. The rover will be out of sunlight most of the time and therefore subjected to an extreme cold environment. Ms. Jean-St-Laurent will study how low temperatures influence the properties of the sandwich panel and behavior under impact loading, and how damage due to low temperature impact will influence the long term properties of the composite panel. Ms Jean-St-Laurent has been involved in student projects for superefficient cars and high student open house programs at her university.

Tafara MakuniCitizenship: United KingdomProposed Program: Aerodynamics at the Magdalene College of the University of Cambridge

Ms. Makuni will investigate transitional shock wave/bound-ary-layer interactions (TSWBLIs) that can occur at the lip region of a transonic intake air flow of an aircraft jet engine at certain incidence angles. TSWBLIs are not well researched and they can have detrimental effects for the overall intake flow in a jet engine. Ms. Makuni has designed, manufactured and installed a simplified geometric setup to investigate TSWLIs and is work-ing on detailed experimental investigations that are compared to computational studies on this setup by her coworkers. Ms. Makuni’s research will potentially help in designing future more effective jet engines. She is a co-editor for “The Cambridge Engineer” magazine, serves as a panel judge for the Cambridge University Engineering Society’s grant scheme and as a graduate representative on the departmental student-staff joint commit-tee. She also enjoys sponsoring and working as a webmaster for the Cambridge University Women’s Ice Hockey Club.

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Lin LiCitizenship: USAProposed Program: Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology

Ms. Li is interested in developing a next generation aerodynamic decelerator, the portion of a spacecraft responsible for slowing the vehicle down before landing on another planet. In particular, her research involves inflatable aerodynamic decelerators (IADs), which could land heavier payloads than are practical now. This technology should be applicable to a wide range of future space missions from landing on Mars to returning payloads from near earth orbit. The configuration of an IAD affects the aerodynamic performance of the device and Ms. Li will investigate new configurations that provide lift through asymmetry in material properties. Her work will involve computational modeling and material testing. Ms. Li has had internships at a number of institutions, including the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA Ames and Langley research centers. She has organized an Aerospace Graduate Women lunch series program at Georgia Tech.

Katarina MorowskyCitizenship: USA Proposed Program: Industrial Engineering/Aviation at Oregon State University

Ms. Morowsky is performing pioneering work to increase helicopter safety. Her research seeks to identify underlying causes of human error that lead to helicopter incidents and accidents. Her study is based on existing frameworks and will identify major areas of human error within and across helicopter mission types. She will also evaluate human error frameworks to identify their similarities, differences and shortcomings for evaluation of helicopter mishaps. Finally, she plans on a second incident and accident analysis study that will allow for a robust study of errors found within specific helicopter applications. With an increase in understanding, the industry will be better equipped to design and implement methods to reduce future accidents. Ms. Morowsky is a member of Women in Aviation International, as well as a member of the organization’s Portland club. She is also a member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, the Mechanical Engineering Honors Society and the Engineering Honors Society.

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Julie MitchellCitizenship: USAProposed Program: Geological Sciences at Arizona State University

Ms. Mitchell’s career goal is to accelerate the establishment of a permanent human presence in space by bridging the gap between engineering and science. Permanent settlement of humans in space will strongly depend on utilization of water sources on nearby bodies. Therefore, Ms. Mitchell is investigating water sources on the moon and Mars. Since adding salt depresses water’s freezing point, active water flows on the cold Martian surface would likely be composed of brine; on the other hand, salt deposits on Mars indicate where bodies of water once stood. One of her focuses is therefore on brine and salt deposition on Mars. In addition, she is looking for potential ice deposition in shadow regions of the moon. Her efforts will help mission planners to maximize both the in-situ resources available for astronauts and the scientific value of future surface exploration efforts. Ms. Mitchell works as university outreach volunteer, Mars Student Imaging Program mentor, science public speaker and lecturer. She enjoys studying foreign languages.

Susanne PetersCitizenship: GermanyProposed Program: Space Technology at the Bundeswehr University Munich

Ms. Peters is investigating innovative autonomous approaches for safe satellite operation for active debris removal. After ana-lyzing the distribution and characteristics of space debris in low earth orbits, she defined criteria for a realistic mission scenario. Based on this she designed a reference scenario for an active de-bris removal mission. In parallel she is investigating different op-tions for autonomous operations with focus on the reactions in the case of failures during the close proximity operations. This is very challenging because it requires the connection of theoretical autonomy approaches with the technical and operational charac-teristics of a space mission. Ms. Peters enjoys sports, hiking and learning foreign languages.

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Natalia Ortiz GómezCitizenship: SpainProposed Program: Space Engineering at the University of Southampton

Ms. Ortiz Gómez is interested in removal methods for space debris. Current Active Debris Removal methods (ADR) can help to remove those objects in orbit that pose the biggest collision risk; however, current ADR methods cannot be used for rapidly rotating objects. Ms. Ortiz Gómez’s research involves studying and developing a de-tumbling method to slow this rotation, in conductive objects, that depends on eddy currents induced by a magnetic field and requires no mechanical contact with the target. So far she has analyzed the feasibility from a theoretical point of view, developed new algorithms to evaluate the expected results and carried out a systems engineering analysis of the method. Several actual targets have been selected and analyzed for this de-tumbling process, including several uncontrolled objects that are now located in very populated orbits and pose a large potential risk. Experimental tests are the next step to validate all empirical models. Ms. Ortiz Gómez also plays the piano and is a skilled swimmer.

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Elaine PetroCitizenship: USAProposed Program: Aerospace Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park

Ms. Petro is studying a type of electric propulsion system that uses a traveling electromagnetic wave interacting with a current sheet to maintain a strong force on plasma moving along an axis. This type of electric propulsion device is called the helicon thruster. Helicon plasma generators create denser plasma than traditional ion sources and they can use wider range of propellants including water vapor. Helicon thrusters are attractive for outer solar system missions because they can harvest water vapor for refueling during the mission. Ms. Petro will design and test a helicon thruster that uses water vapor as propellant. She will model the performance of a stand-alone helicon thruster using water vapor, and compare it with traditional propellants, such as argon and xenon. She will use her model to calculate thruster performance metrics that will then be verified experimentally. Ms. Petro will also investigate the performance gains that can be realized with a secondary ion acceleration stage. She will design and build an acceleration stage that uses an ion cyclotron heating to energize ions with resonant waves for a small-scale water vapor thruster. She will then evaluate the performance of the helicon thruster with and without the secondary stage with a laboratory prototype. This will be the first time this concept will be studied for helicon and refuelable thrusters. Ms Petro organizes and leads skiing trips, is involved in STEM outreach activities and works as a volunteer at an animal rescue center.

Colleen RosaniaCitizenship: USAProposed Program: Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford University

Ms. Rosania will use her fellowship to study life-cycle health management technology for composite materials using built-in sensor networks. Composites are important to aerospace be-cause of their high strength-to-weight ratios and design adapt-ability, but they require distinct techniques to monitor the cure cycle, verify material quality and estimate damage in the struc-ture during operation. The first part of her work is to develop the built-in sensor system for continuously monitoring the significant parameters and secondly to interpret these measurements. This is a first step toward “intelligent” materials that could lead to self-monitoring materials for spacecraft. Ms. Rosania is partic-ularly interested in contributing to the next generation of hu-man-capable orbital vehicles for Mars and other spacecraft. She is very involved in many social and organizational aspects of her department.

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Alena ProbstCitizenship: GermanyProposed Program: Space Technology at the Bundeswehr University Munich

Ms. Probst’s Ph.D. topic is the accessibility analysis of multiple-body encounter missions. The aim of her research is to increase the knowledge of small planetary bodies and their scientific importance in the formation of the solar system or even life on Earth. Her research deals with the design of a highly autonomous spacecraft that will provide a scientific characterization of a sequence of asteroids. In particular, her thesis will focus on the development of an on-board algorithm that enables the spacecraft to find a series of optimal asteroid targets based on pre-defined criteria, such as the spacecraft’s current position, the launch date or the remaining fuel stock. Ms. Probst will collaborate with the European Space Agency and Jet Propulsion Laboratory for their interplanetary trajectory design and optimization, and small planetary body mission experience. Ms. Probst enjoys languages and music. She is also an avid basketball player.

Sivaranjani SeetharamanCitizenship: IndiaProposed Program: Electrical Engineering Control Systems at the University of Notre Dame

Ms. Seetharaman’s research is related to the design of scalable control laws for Linear Parametric Time Varying (LPV) systems. LPVs are standard modeling paradigms for flight control design; however, the time varying nature of the models renders them dif-ficult to analyze and control. The first objective of her research is to develop techniques to analyze properties like stability, control-lability, etc., of LPV systems that operate in unstable trajectories for short periods of time. The second objective is to synthesize controllers that optimally utilize limited fuel to maintain the sys-tem stability. Most LPV systems’ performance deteriorates with the system complexity. The third objective of her research is the development of scalable control design techniques for intercon-nected LPV systems. Ms. Seetharaman hopes to work in industry and government agencies to solve practical aerospace problems. She is a trained classical violinist and a professional Carnatic singer.

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Valerie SchroederCitizenship: GermanyProposed Program: Aerospace Engineering, Institute of Space Systems at the University of Stuttgart

Ms. Schroeder’s goal is to set up a mission-maneuvering strategy that permits spacecraft to orbit around asteroids of various sizes, densities and trajectories. Asteroids and comets are very interesting targets for space science. Our knowledge about their shape, composition and physical properties is still limited. So far there have been only a few missions to asteroids or comets, but they have become more of a focus of interest in the last few decades. Missions to such objects are still a big challenge because of the lack of information available. There is the need for a maneuvering strategy that is flexible and able to adapt quickly and autonomously to unexpected environmental situations. Even the optimal strategy for a certain mission depends often on information you cannot determine from Earth. Ms. Schroder is working on a method to let the spacecraft act autonomously, finding the optimum strategy for orbit operations while approaching the target. Ms. Schroeder is a founding member of the Yuri’s Night Deutschland society that organizes events to inform people about space flight. She plays the harp and guitar and likes sports.

Sanna SiddiquiCitizenship: USAProposed Program: Mechanical Engineering at the University of Central Florida

Ms. Siddiqui’s doctoral program is studying thermal barrier coat-ings (TBCs) on the turbine blades of aircraft gas turbine engines. Environmental contaminants such as volcanic ash and sand have an effect on aircraft engine performance and longevity by melting and solidifying within the TBC, resulting in failure and reduction in performance and blade life. Her Ph.D. will characterize the thermomechanical performance of TBC-coated Titanium Alu-minide (TiAl) additive manufactured (3D printed) blades. TiAl is known for its high strength and low density and is being used to replace current nickel-based alloy blades. Ms. Siddiqui’s research will compare the TBC-coated additive manufactured blades to the TBC-coated nickel-based alloy blades to understand how the mechanical properties vary for thermal barrier coatings applied to the blades of each material. Ms. Siddiqui is a student member of the American Ceramic Society.

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Elena ShresthaCitizenship: NepalProposed Program: Aerospace Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park

Ms. Shrestha’s research is focused on miniaturizing flight-capable cycloidal rotor-based micro air vehicles (cyclocopters) to the weight of 20 grams and improving the overall vehicle design, control and gust tolerance capabilities. Micro air vehicles (MAVs) can be used for reconnaissance and search-and-rescue operations. Cyclocopters offer high maneuverability, high-speed forward flight and gust tolerance needed for these types of missions. The cyclorotor blades constitute the largest component of the cyclocopters. Ms. Shrestha is working on designing cyclorotor blades that are lightweight and structurally robust with a high strength-to-weight ratio. To improve cyclocopter stability and controllability, she is developing a comprehensive flight dynamics model and investigating gyroscopic and controls couplings that impact vehicle dynamics. The flight dynamics model will enable quantification of the maneuverability and gust rejection capability of the cyclocopters and establish a framework for comparison with MAV platforms. In her spare time, Ms. Shrestha enjoys mentoring K-12 and undergraduate students.

Melinda Verebélyiné DósaCitizenship: HungaryProposed Program: Particle Physics and Astronomy at Eötvös Loránd University

Ms. Verebélyiné Dósa’s Ph.D. thesis is on the geo-effectiveness of space weather-related solar wind disturbances. Her work is in the field of space weather, focusing on the dynamic structures in the heliosperic magnetic field (HMF) that is established by the continuously emitted solar wind flow. One effect she is studying is the coupling of the heliospheric and Earth’s magnetic field. During the 11-year cycle of solar activity events, such as Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), have significant impact on the near-Earth space and Earth’s atmosphere: disrupting communication and navigation systems and causing physical damage to satellites. Ms. Verebélyiné Dósa is seeking to know whether solar activity will be geo-effec-tive. She is focusing on CMEs because they cause severe storms. Ms. Verebélyiné Dósa’s research will assist society in understanding space weather and the coupling processes with Earth’s atmosphere and provide warnings to mitigate effects on satellites, communica-tion providers, flight operations and power grids. Ms. Verebélyiné Dósa is interested in different languages and Asian cultures.

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Constanze SyringCitizenship: GermanyProposed Program: Aerospace Engineering, Electric Propulsion at the University of Stuttgart

Ms. Syring’s Ph.D. thesis combines electric propulsion with a potential fusion propulsion device. The Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) technology was originally invented as a fusion device, but will be investigated as a non-fusion electric propulsion device. This work may permit development of a future thruster device, enabling operation in a fusion and non-fusion regime. In her thesis, Ms. Syring will study not only the IEC but also the diagnostic methods used for the study. She is working to assess the uncertainties that occur with electrostatic probe measurements that apply to all electric propulsion devices and will form the basis for standardizing measurement techniques used by the European Space Agency. Ms Syring is a cyber mentor to online female pupils seeking guidance on courses of study. She also enjoys sailing and travel abroad.