ABOUT US
GEMS provides a series of professional events in which students, professors, and industry leaders have an opportunity to network with one another. Our events focus on building resumes and CVs, interviewing skills, and writing dissertations. We also have monthly mini-workshops in which students in the department share a particular skill they have with others, whether it's using LaTeX for producing professional documents, or performing advanced image processing using MATLAB.
Work hard play hard is a motto the GEMS social team strives to achieve. We organize fun events throughout the year ranging from casual happy hours to year-end blowouts celebrating the close of another semester. Our events offer an informal setting for students and faculty alike to get to know each other outside the academic setting, and encourage a mental break from classes and research. With a variety of exciting events, there's something for everyone to enjoy!
The Virginia Tech motto Ut Prosim is Latin for "That I May Serve." As an engineering society, we believe it is our duty to serve our community through education and outreach programs. We aim to conduct fun activities and experiments for kids at different school levels to introduce them to various realms of basic engineering. We also aim to assist the aspiring Engineering Mechanics colleagues to smoothly transition into the Hokie family. Serving back the community is the motto of our outreach.
LEADERSHIP TEAM
GEMS is comprised of six officers with various roles in the organization. Within the outreach program, there are also student ambassadors, which you can meet here.
PRESIDENT
Amanda Hashimoto, Ph.D. Student
B.S. Physics and Mathematics, Butler University
Research Interests: Lost person behavior, binaural beats, dynamic systems modeling
Advisor: Dr. Nicole Abaid
VICE PRESIDENT
Aarushi Bhargava, Ph.D. Student
B.E. Mechanical Engineering, BITS Pilani, India
M.S. Biological Sciences, BITS Pilani, India
Research Interests: Acoustics, shape memory polymers, nonlinear & molecular dynamics
Advisor: Dr. Shima Shahab
TREASURER
Aidan Bradley, Ph.D. Student
B.S. Engineering with a specialization in Electrical Engineering, Roger Williams University
Research Interests: Multi-agent systems, underwater robotics, dynamic systems modeling
Advisor: Dr. Nicole Abaid
SOCIAL CHAIR
Eileen Herbers, Ph.D. Student
B.S. Applied Mathematics Engineering, Northwestern University
Research Interests: Advanced Vehicle Safety Systems, Roadway Infrastructure Design
Advisor: Dr. Zachary Doerzaph
OUTREACH CHAIR
Dong Ho Justin Kim
B.E. Mechanical Engineering, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
Research Interests: Multi-scale damage prediction of nanotube reinforced composites
Advisor: Dr. Romesh C. Batra
PROFESSIONAL CHAIR
Dea Santi Alqurwani, Masters Student
B.S. Engineering Physics, Randolph-Macon College
Research Interests: Seal flutter analysis on Turbomachinery
Advisor: Dr. Alexandrina Untaroiu
