Ruixiao Xue, a PhD student in mechanical engineering and mechanics at Lehigh University, was awarded a 2025 academic scholarship from the Society of Tribologists & Lubrication Engineers (STLE) Philadelphia Section.
Xue is conducting numerical research in MechE Professor Natasha Vermaak’s group evaluating the cyclic thermostructural response of bladed disks in oxygen-rich turbopumps for advanced propulsion. Blisks in oxygen-rich turbopumps must resist failure related to burst, thermal fatigue, and frictional ignition.
The STLE mission is to advance the science of tribology and the practice of lubrication engineering in order to foster innovation, improve the performance of equipment and products, conserve resources and protect the environment. The STLE Philadelphia Section Scholarship Award is given to undergraduate (sophomores or above) or graduate students pursuing a degree in the lubrication sciences, tribology, physical sciences, engineering, mathematics, or similar studies with a GPA of 3.0 or above. The award is made possible through fundraising from generous corporate and individual donors.
Awardees are provided professional development opportunities through an invitation to network and present their research at a Philadelphia STLE Section Meeting: Xue presented at the section virtual meeting in January 2026. The awardees are also profiled in the STLE magazine, Tribology and Lubrication Technology.