Jiaxin Chen & Yunzhi Xu Awarded Fellowships

Jiaxin Chen and Yunzhi Xu were awarded the NSF and US National Committee for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (USNC/TAM) Early Career Attendee Fellowships. Early Career Attendee Fellowships will provide registration costs for students, postdoctoral researchers, assistant professors, and other junior professionals, whose professional development would benefit from attending the virtual International Congress on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics ICTAM 2020+1 conference and experiencing this international gathering of mechanicians. The intent of such fellowships is to attract and recruit qualified individuals into the field of mechanical science and engineering and to broaden participation from underrepresented groups. There is particular award funds researchers with a view to broadening participation in the national and international mechanics arena.

Jiaxin Chen is a 4th year Ph. D. candidate in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, studying Mechanics, Materials, and Structure. Jiaxin is in Prof. Ange-Therese Akono’s sustainability and micromechanics group. Her research interests are cement, geopolymer, and other construction materials with nanomaterials.

Yunzhi Xu is a second-year PhD student at Northwestern University studying Mechanics, Materials, and Structure in Akono’s research group. Her research interests include nano-mechanics, composite materials, and additive manufacturing.

This award was also given to Northwestern Mechanical Engineering Assistant Professor Victor Lefevre, and PhD students Nicolas Alderete, Daicong Da, Satyajit Mojumder, Derick Suarez, and Samantha Webster. Prof. Horacio Espinosa, incoming chair of the US National Committee on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, said "I am delighted our committee could provide 57 fellowships for young researchers to attend and present their work at the incoming ICTAM 2020+1. This will ensure mechanics will remain vibrant in years to come."

McCormick News Article