2015 Amelia Earhart Fellows

2015 Amelia Earhart Fellows
Amelia 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 Ain
Citizenship: Pakistan
Proposed 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. Fundamental understanding of and eventual control of the drag forces has
the potential to offer a reduction in fuel consumption and significant 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.
www.zonta.org
Melissa Arras
Citizenship: Italy
Proposed 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 correlation between numerical and experimental models, and the
structural updating of the numerical model based on experimental 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 frequency response functions. Ms. Arras’ research is focusing on improving 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 structures and in particular, a helicopter blade model and a UAV. Ms.
Arras enjoys cooking and baking.
Clemence Bacquet
Citizenship: France
Proposed Program: Aerospace Engineering at the University of
Colorado, Boulder
Ms. Bacquet will be studying damping effects on the wave dispersion characteristics of both acoustic metamaterials and general 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 materials that exhibit both high load-bearing and high dissipation levels. 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 activities. Ms. Bacquet also enjoys rock climbing, playing the violin and
traveling.
www.zonta.org
Camli Badrya
Citizenship: Israel
Proposed 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 fundamental 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 principles. Ms. Badrya’s Ph.D. program will investigate the aerodynamic 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.
Camille Bilger
Citizenship: France
Proposed Program: Aeronautics at the University of Cambridge
Ms. Bilger is studying the optimization of fuel injection for liquidpropellant 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 aeroengine 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.
www.zonta.org
Natasha Bosanac
Citizenship: Australia
Proposed Program: Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue
University
Previous 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 orbiting 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 dynamics of extra solar planets. Ms. Bosanac is active in the Purdue
Computational Student leadership team, a volunteer in many Purdue student associations, and enjoys spinning, Pilates and baking.
Eleonora Botta
Citizenship: Italy
Proposed 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.
www.zonta.org
Katelyn Burkhart
Citizenship: USA
Proposed 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.
www.zonta.org
Eda Dogan
Citizenship: Turkey
Proposed 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 surfaces) depends on the external turbulent conditions and provides
critical information for developing control strategies toward drag
reduction and/or effective cooling. Ms. Dogan designed, developed 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.
Nicole Duncan
Citizenship: 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.
www.zonta.org
Elise Fahy
Citizenship: Australia
Proposed 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.
Francesca Favarò
Citizenship: 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.
www.zonta.org
Maria Folk
Citizenship: USA
Proposed Program: Aerospace Engineering at the University of
Cambridge
Ms. Folk is investigating the highly turbulent flow in the highpressure 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.
Linda Forster
Citizenship: Germany
Proposed Program: Meteorology at Ludwig-MaximiliansUniversitat 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.
www.zonta.org
Graciela González Peytaví
Citizenship: Spain
Proposed 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.
Tanya Harrison
Citizenship: USA
Proposed Program: Geology at University of Western Ontario
Previous 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.
www.zonta.org
Saghar Hosseinisianaki
Citizenship: Iran
Proposed Program: Aeronautics and Astronautics at the University
of Washington, Seattle
Previous 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.
Erica Jawin
Citizenship: 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.
www.zonta.org
Mathilde Jean-St-Laurent
Citizenship: Canada
Proposed 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.
Ioana Josan-Drinceanu
Citizenship: Romania
Proposed Program: Aerospace at Massachusetts Institute of
Technology
Previous 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.
www.zonta.org
Lin Li
Citizenship: USA
Proposed 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.
Tafara Makuni
Citizenship: United Kingdom
Proposed Program: Aerodynamics at the Magdalene College of
the University of Cambridge
Ms. Makuni will investigate transitional shock wave/boundary-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 working 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 committee. She also enjoys sponsoring and working as a webmaster for
the Cambridge University Women’s Ice Hockey Club.
www.zonta.org
Julie Mitchell
Citizenship: USA
Proposed 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.
Katarina Morowsky
Citizenship: 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.
www.zonta.org
Natalia Ortiz Gómez
Citizenship: Spain
Proposed 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.
Susanne Peters
Citizenship: Germany
Proposed Program: Space Technology at the Bundeswehr
University Munich
Ms. Peters is investigating innovative autonomous approaches
for safe satellite operation for active debris removal. After analyzing 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 debris removal mission. In parallel she is investigating different options 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 characteristics of a space mission. Ms. Peters enjoys sports, hiking and
learning foreign languages.
www.zonta.org
Elaine Petro
Citizenship: USA
Proposed 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.
www.zonta.org
Alena Probst
Citizenship: Germany
Proposed Program: Space Technology at the Bundeswehr
University Munich
Ms. Probst’s Ph.D. topic is the accessibility analysis of multiplebody 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.
Colleen Rosania
Citizenship: USA
Proposed 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 because of their high strength-to-weight ratios and design adaptability, but they require distinct techniques to monitor the cure
cycle, verify material quality and estimate damage in the structure 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 particularly interested in contributing to the next generation of human-capable orbital vehicles for Mars and other spacecraft. She
is very involved in many social and organizational aspects of her
department.
www.zonta.org
Valerie Schroeder
Citizenship: Germany
Proposed 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.
Sivaranjani Seetharaman
Citizenship: India
Proposed 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 difficult to analyze and control. The first objective of her research is
to develop techniques to analyze properties like stability, controllability, 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 system 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 interconnected 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.
www.zonta.org
Elena Shrestha
Citizenship: Nepal
Proposed Program: Aerospace Engineering at the University of
Maryland, College Park
Ms. Shrestha’s research is focused on miniaturizing flightcapable 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.
Sanna Siddiqui
Citizenship: USA
Proposed Program: Mechanical Engineering at the University of
Central Florida
Ms. Siddiqui’s doctoral program is studying thermal barrier coatings (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 Aluminide (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.
www.zonta.org
Constanze Syring
Citizenship: Germany
Proposed 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.
Melinda Verebélyiné Dósa
Citizenship: Hungary
Proposed 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-effective. 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, communication providers, flight operations and power grids. Ms. Verebélyiné
Dósa is interested in different languages and Asian cultures.
www.zonta.org