Malhan, Syal Win Earhart Fellowships

Monica Syal and Ria Malhan have won Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellowships for the 2010–2011 academic year. These fellowships are granted annually to women who demonstrate a superior academic record in the field of aerospace-related sciences, and aerospace-related engineering. Fellowship recipients are awarded $10,000, which may be used to cover tuition, books, and living expenses.

Syal completed her undergraduate degree in aeronautical engineering at the Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh (India) in 2004. She worked in the Defense Research and Development Organization in India until August 2006, when she joined the Clark School as a master's degree student with Prof. J. Gordon Leishman as her adviser. After finishing her M.S. in December 2008, she has continued her education as a Ph.D. student with Leishman, and is working on helicopter brownout research. Syal also received the Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellowship Foundation in the 2009-2010 academic year.

Malhan completed her B.S. in aeronautical engineering from Punjab Engineering College in August 2007. She joined the Clark School as a master's degree student with her advisor, Prof. Inderjit Chopra. After finishing her M.S. in May 2009, she continued as a Ph.D. student with Chopra and is working on bio-inspired flapping wing research. Her work involves experiments and analysis to understand the aerodynamics of flapping wings with application towards micro air vehicles.

Visit the Zonta International Foundation website for more information on its mission and the Amelia Earhart Fellowship.

Published April 6, 2010