Gebhardt Named 2025-26 MWC ARCS Scholar
The Metro Washington Chapter (MWC) of Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) named Department of Aerospace Engineering Ph.D. student Rose Gebhardt as a 2025-26 ARCS scholarship recipient. Gebhardt is a fifth-year Ph.D. student advised by Professor Derek Paley and performs research in the University of Maryland's (UMD) Collective Dynamics and Control Laboratory (CDCL). “It was an honor to receive this scholarship, and I am grateful for the support it provides as I work to complete my graduate studies,” said Gebhardt. Her Ph.D. research focuses on the hydrodynamics of fish schooling, and in particular, she studies the dynamics, estimation, and control challenges that arise in bio-inspired underwater locomotion. This work includes modeling the fluid-structure interactions of flexible fish bodies, studying fluid interactions between swimming agents, and designing feedback controllers to exploit hydrodynamic benefits. “This research helps contribute to the development of soft robotic autonomous underwater vehicles,” explained Gebhardt, “which have greater propulsive efficiency and are less disruptive to the environment than traditional propeller-based vehicles.”
ARCS is a national, all volunteer, women’s organization that advances science and technology in the United States by providing awards to academically outstanding U.S. citizens studying to complete degrees in science, engineering, and medical research. The Metro Washington Chapter of ARCS makes annual awards to graduate and undergraduate students attending five regional universities, including the University of Maryland.
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Gebhardt, pictured at right diving in UMD’s Neutral Buoyancy Research Facility, came to UMD after completing her B.E. in mechanical engineering from Cooper Union in 2021.