Materials science and engineering student Kelly Jacques is at it again. The recent bachelor's grad has received another scholarship for her work in the field of tribology – this time from the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE).

The E. Richard Booser Scholarship for Undergraduate Students provides $4,000 towards Jacques's academics and research needs as she continues her studies at UNT this fall. The scholarship is awarded annually to one student nationwide.

"It's really quite exciting and humbling to receive recognition from the go-to organization within the industry,” said Jacques. "I'm excited to be able to use this scholarship to further my research on improving drones' reliability for use in military applications."

Jacques's research is focused on the fuel injection system in drones. She wants to develop coatings that could be incorporated into the fuel system that will reduce friction from poor and inconsistent fuel quality, ultimately, reducing wear and tear on the drone. It's a study that has also landed her the Department of Defense’s SMART Scholarship.

"Kelly started working in my lab in spring 2019, and right from the beginning, she showed herself as a hard-working and very motivated student," said Diana Berman, Department of Materials Science and Engineering assistant professor and Jacques’s mentor. "Early on, Kelly took the lead on a small project looking at the tribological properties of lubricants that resulted in a publication in the Tribology Letters Journal. Since then, she has continued to grow into an exceptional researcher and member of the tribology community. I’m excited to see what she goes on to accomplish throughout her graduate career."

The STLE Booser scholarship honors its namesake and encourages undergraduate students to pursue graduate degrees or a career in tribology by providing the opportunity for them to participate in tribology research.