Faculty member Stephanie TerMaath has won an award from the US Navy for her work in repairing ship hulls. As part of her reward, she and a select group of students will spend the summer furthering her research in a Navy laboratory.
TerMaath, an assistant professor in the College of Engineering’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, will receive a $510,000 research grant from the Navy’s Young Investigator Program, and will continue her research as a 2014 Summer Faculty Fellow at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division in Potomac, Maryland.
Her students working on the YIP research look forward to applying to the Navy’s student summer program in 2015 to also take part in this exceptional hands-on experience.
They will be looking at ways to optimize the reliability of composite patches for aluminum ship hulls.
“This funding will enhance my ability to build a cutting-edge research program in structural repair,” said TerMaath. “Working in the lab will provide me with a hands-on opportunity to learn more about the applications for my research and implementation of the repair technique onto naval ships.
“This grant provides exceptional opportunities for students to interact with national experts and to gain professional experience, as well as advance the forefront of knowledge through their research”
Implemented by the Office of Naval Research, the program serves to encourage development and innovation among young academic scientists and engineers and to help fund their ideas. The Navy is awarding $12.5 million this year alone.
“Support of outstanding young research scientists is one of the ways the Navy maintains a technological edge throughout the world,” said Lawrence Schuette, ONR’s acting director of research. “Many winners continue to engage in naval research beyond their award periods, during which their careers often accelerate, earning them opportunities and prominence in their respective fields.”
TerMaath credited UT colleagues for helping her win the honor.
“I am extremely grateful for the unwavering support from my colleagues at UT,” she said. “This proposal would not have been successful without the support of Dr. Dayakar Penumadu, Dr. Jennifer Retherford, and Jada Huskey.”
Visit the College of Engineering’s website to learn more about the college.
For more on the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, visit the website.
For more on the Navy’s Young Investigator Program, visit the Office of Naval Research.
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C O N T A C T :
David Goddard (865-974-0683, david.goddard@utk.edu)