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Class of 2024: Aliya Kaplan named outstanding graduate in materials science and engineering

Florence Gonsalves

22 Apr 2024

Student in white dress sits on rocks. — Aliya Kaplan, 2024 Outstanding Graduate in Materials Science Engineering. Photo courtesy of Aliya Kaplan.

Name: Aliya Kaplan

Major: Materials Science and Engineering, minor in math

Hometown: Vienna, VA

Plans after graduation: Pursue a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering at either Northwestern University or M.I.T.

Favorite Hokie Memory: "I started here during COVID so it was hard to meet people, but my favorite experience is joining the Galipatia Living-Learning Community. I met my boyfriend there and even though COVID had everything shut down, we did a lot of exploration on campus. It was so quiet at that time and just nice to absorb the beauty here."

What faculty say: "Aliya is the first-rate embodiment of a Hokie and she will be a brilliant representative of Virginia Tech wherever she goes in her professional journey. Outside of her accolades, what I am most proud of is her growth - not just as a student, but as person who can overcome the hardest challenges, who can rise from failures, and who can remain positive in stressful environments. She has shown a most unassuming humility and an open-mindedness that characterizes our University’s Principles of Community," said Christine Burgoyne, assistant professor of practice in materials science and engineering.

Meet the self-described "last-minute" engineer

Aliya Kaplan grew up loving art, calculus, and working with her hands, so how did she find herself involved with polymers, ceramics, and electron microscopy as the Department of Materials Science and Engineering's outstanding 2024 graduate?

“The field of Materials Science and Engineering forms a connection between creativity, out-of-the-box thinking, and a fundamental understanding of math and science," Kaplan said. "I also really enjoy working with my hands; it’s mindful. That’s what I appreciate about engineering, and all the thought that goes into research—it’s that creative process where there’s a connection for me.”

Kaplan started at Virginia Tech in 2020 and made a last minute decision to study engineering over her favorite high school subjects: art and math. Although she didn't pursue art directly, she didn't totally leave it behind either.

"I study electron microscopy, which I view as the photography of science. I get to image nano-scale, gorgeous pictures of microstructures, and form an understanding of how these microstructures form through the processes used to make the materials. In other words, it connects my love of art and math,” Kaplan said.

While engineering was a departure from her anticipated path, she attributes her positive experience to joining a living learning community her freshman year. Being part of Galipatia set her up socially, but also provided necessary exposure to the different paths available in engineering.

“I made the right decision to participate in the Galipatia LLC because the mentorship I had through the program helped me through my freshman year. My mentor had other students so I was able to meet other people, which otherwise would’ve been hard because of COVID,” she said. “Not only did I meet one of my closest friends there, but it got me to interact with different facets of engineering and all the degree possibilities. I came to this major last minute so the living learning community encouraged my fascination with engineering and is a big part of the reason I pursued Materials Science and Engineering.”

Finding the photography of science

Kaplan researches how materials behave in extreme environments. Specifically, she works to develop aligned porosity in ultra-high-temperature ceramics for applications in moderating heat in hypersonic aircraft where the temperatures reach above 3000 °C. These materials are suitable for the insulation packages, combustor, and leading edges of hypersonic aircraft. She says many areas of engineering are held back by necessary materials advancements and so there are many avenues for her research to take.

“In pursuing graduate school, I am interested in continuing to study materials at nanometer length scales through advanced microscopy techniques. Using computational techniques jointly with microscopy instruments, we can actually relate the way materials grow to their properties. It is the fundamental scientific studies that can produce the most significant scientific impact," she said.

After graduation, Kaplan will be pursuing a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering at either M.I.T. or Northwestern University. This challenging next step of her education is one that her experience at Virginia Tech prepared her for. She attributes her success to the hands-on, experiential learning opportunities that she took advantage of during her four years. Some of her many accomplishments, accolades, and awards include:

Presenting at the 2024 American Ceramic Society's International Conference and Expo on Advanced Ceramics and Composities, an honor usually reserved for a graduate student
Winning the National Undergraduate Speaking Competition at the Materials Science and Technology Conference in 2022
Receiving a 2022-2023 Virginia Space Grant Consortium Fellowship
Participating in a 10-week independent research program in partnership with the University of Notthinghm in 2021
Receiving the John G. Dillard Travel Award and the Louis H. and Diane E. Sharpe Undergraduate Scholarship
Serving as social media representative for the Society of Plastic Engineers
Publishing a paper co-authored with faculty in the journal Cellulose

Kaplan said, “I’ve done something every summer since starting at VT, mostly research related. After freshman year I did an international research program for students which was one of my first research experiences. I also did an internship at a local company called NanoSonic where I did R&D work which was very cool—interns were handed our own project and they were like go. And we did," Kaplan said.

She also highlighted the importance of mentorship, especially when it came to securing internships, scholarships, and conference opportunities.

“It was important that I got in as early as I did with Dr. Michael Bortner’s group. He was a great mentor to me and really supportive. I got a few scholarships through the Macromolecules Innovation Institute, and a travel grant to my first conference where I gave my first oral presentation. It was terrifying and I don’t think I met another undergraduate while I was there, but everything I’ve done research and internship-wise has helped along the road to my Ph.D.”

When she isn’t in the lab, Kaplan stays in touch with her art roots through knitting, and participating in the crocheting club. She also just got a puppy, a new addition that takes up a lot of her time lately. As Aliya prepares to advance her degree in Materials Science and Engineering, she reflects on what makes being a Hokie special.

“My favorite thing about VT is the mentorship. I had my very first faculty connection with Dr. David Gray who was my freshman year foundations professor, and the reason I ended up in MSE. I have my mentors Professor Christine Burgoine and my current advisor, Dr. Carolina Tallon, to thank for their huge influence on my education and providing me every opportunity possible for research and community engagement.”

She also had some advice for her freshman year self:

“I was really anxious my first year in engineering, so I would tell myself to just make learning my focus and keep taking every opportunity that comes my way - trust that by focusing on learning I will find people that will support my path and everything will work out," Kaplan said.