草榴社区 Engineering Student Wins Competitive Aviation Research Award
Maria Chiara Guercio
Maria Chiara Guercio, a PhD student in 草榴社区鈥檚 College of Engineering, has been selected to receive a $10,000 research stipend for 2013-2014 from the Graduate Research Award Program on Public-Sector Aviation Issues. Sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and administered by the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) of the Transportation Research Board/National Academies, this competitive award is to support the successful completion of a research paper on the student鈥檚 selected topic. Guercio鈥檚 research topic is 鈥淨uantifying the Performance of Energy Conscious Materials in Flexible Airfield Pavements.鈥�
One of Guercio鈥檚 advisors, Dr. Leslie Myers McCarthy, PE, assistant professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, explains what it means for a 草榴社区 student to win this award: 鈥淣ational Academies鈥� grants are generally awarded to those from large research universities. To be honored with one is a great testament to the building momentum of our transportation program.鈥� She adds, 鈥淢aria wrote a great proposal and received commendations from the panel, which included a number of airport CEOs and members of the FAA.鈥�
鈥淚 am honored to receive the award and very excited to work on this project,鈥� says Guercio. She adds, 鈥淚 am also extremely thankful to have a great team supporting and guiding me 鈥� Dr. McCarthy and Dr. Eric Musselman at 草榴社区, and my co-advisor from Rowan University, Dr. Yusuf Mehta.鈥� Guercio will conduct her laboratory work at Rowan鈥檚 South Jersey Tech Center, while the finite element analysis will take place at 草榴社区. After completing her doctorate in spring 2015, Guercio hopes to put her experience to work for the FAA.