Alex Guibert, a doctoral student in UC San Diego's Department of Structural Engineering, recently earned the $4,000 Frank Robinson Scholarship from the Vertical Flight Foundation (VFF). This merit-based scholarship, named in honor of the founder of Robinson Helicopter Corp., is awarded to college students who demonstrate an interest in engineering careers related to vertical flight technology.

The Vertical Flight Society, the oldest technical society focused on vertical flight technology, is a non-profit organization dedicated to education and technical advancement. Established in 1943 as the American Helicopter Society, it has since been the leading platform for exchanging information on vertical flight advancements.

Under the mentorship of Professor H. Alicia Kim, Guibert is engaged in research on modeling and optimizing battery packs for electric aircraft, a key technology for enabling electric vertical flight. He is also investigating topology optimization of multiphysics systems. The fellowship will allow him to connect with influential leaders in both industry and academia and highlight the critical role of battery packs in the development of future electric aircraft.

Outside of his doctoral studies, Guibert also serves in a part-time role as a mechanical engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). He holds master's degrees in mechanical engineering, physics, and structural engineering, and also received an MBA.