Gentzen receives Aerospace Corporation Graduate Fellowship Award

Vanessa Gentzen (MS Student) is the very first recipient of the Aerospace Corporation Graduate Fellowship Award. Recently, the Aerospace Corporation donated funds to the college of engineering and the department to recognize graduate students who either were sons/daughters of veterans or actual veterans themselves. The award includes a check of $2,500.

Vanessa is originally from Ashburn, VA and completed her B.S. in aerospace engineering from Virginia Tech in May, 2006. Since 2004, she has been a member of the U.S. Navy Electromagnetic Railgun program at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Dahlgren, VA, with focus on the aerodynamic and thermal design of the program’s hypersonic projectile. Currently, she is a 2nd year M.S. student in the Department of Aerospace Engineeering at the University of Maryland working as a research assistant under Dr. Wereley and Dr. Pines. Her research focuses on the utilization of wave mechanics and smart materials for damage detection in composite panels. In her free time, Vanessa enjoys running, volunteering and watching Hokie football and Terrapin basketball.

Published October 11, 2007