Doctoral Student, Yi Hui Tee Receives Amelia Earhart Fellowship
Yi Hui Tee, a doctoral student in the AEM Department, has been awarded the 2018 Amelia Earhart Fellowship by Zonta International. The Amelia Earhart Fellowship was established in 1938 in honor of famed pilot and Zontian, Amelia Earhart. The fellowship was created to assist the future of women in Aerospace and other related science and engineering fields. Each year, the Fellowship awards $10,000 to 30 talented women pursuing doctoral degrees in these areas. Past fellows have gone on to become astronauts, aerospace engineers, professors, geologists, business owners, and even the Secretary of the US Air Force.
Yi Hui’s current research focuses on understanding particle dynamics in a turbulent boundary layer. The air, rivers and oceans around us are typically turbulent and mixed with discrete particles such as sand and ice crystals. Poor understanding of particles and turbulence interaction has led to catastrophic failure of aircraft due to lift degradation as well as severe environmental pollution.
Most current simulations of particle turbulence interactions model particles as point masses with no volume. These point mass particle models neglect lift force as well as particle collision and friction with walls, which often lead to failure in simulating real life phenomena. Yi Hui’s research goal is to investigate the flow physics surrounding a finite size particle that is sliding, rotating, lifting off, or colliding with a wall in a turbulent flow while providing key dimensionless data for parallel simulation to be conducted. This research will allow for predictive simulations and design improvements prior to any unforeseen consequences.
Yi Hui acknowledges her faculty advisor, Professor Ellen Longmire for her advice and guidance in both her study and research work.
“I learned to pay more attention to each and every detail, to become more systematic and organized in my research, to think and plan ahead step-by-step, and to look at the broader picture before diving in blindly,” says Yi Hui.
Yi Hui is new to the state of Minnesota, hailing from Malaysia. She received her B.E. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Science Malaysia (Universiti Sains Malaysia) in 2015. She joined the AEM department as a graduate student immediately after completing her bachelor’s degree, and has remained as a doctoral student.
Her interest and passion in Aerospace Engineering was sparked by the documentary “Air Crash Investigation,” which she watched frequently with her brother during her high school years. She was deeply saddened by the lives that were lost in the air crashes, but also motivated by the efforts that the researchers, investigators, and engineers have put into improving the safety of aircraft.
“This documentary exposed me to the amazing world of the aerospace industry and has inspired me to be an aerospace engineer so that I can also contribute to a safer flying experience,” she says.
In her free time, Yi Hui enjoys watching drama because it helps her to stay connected to her friends and family back in Malaysia. After coming to Minnesota, she has also become a big fan of hockey as the intensiveness of the game excites her and it gives her a temporary break from her work.
The department wishes Yi Hui the best of luck as she continues her research.
For more information on Zonta International and the Amelia Earhart Fellowship, please refer to: https://www.zonta.org/Global-Impact/Education/Amelia-Earhart-Fellowship