Selina Yao | Polymer | Best Researcher Award
Dr. Selina Yao, Rivian Automotive LLC , United States .
Selina Yao, Ph.D. , is a Mechanical Engineer specializing in polymer materials and their applications in automotive, AR/VR, and battery technology
. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Vermont and is currently a Senior Design for Reliability Engineer at Rivian Automotives
. With a robust background in materials engineering and extensive research on gas-polymer interactions, she has published numerous papers and contributed to innovative product designs. Her expertise spans from high-precision air slit fabrication to polymer electrolyte development, and she actively mentors students in materials science and engineering.
Publication profile
Education and Experience
Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Vermont, 2020
- Dissertation: “Using dielectric characterization to study transport and thermal properties of gas/supercritical fluid embedded polymer solution”
BA in Materials Science & Engineering, Central South University, 2014
Senior Design for Reliability Engineer, Rivian Automotives, Palo Alto, CA (2021–present)
Materials Engineer, Facebook (2020–2021)
Polymer Engineer, TE Connectivity Corporation (2020)
Research Assistant, University of Vermont (2015–2020)
Suitability for The Award
Professional Development (
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Research Focus 

Awards and Honors (
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Published numerous papers in prestigious journals such as Micromachines and ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
Successfully secured NSF funding for $500,000 during her Ph.D. research
Raised $225,000 in research funding from ExxonMobil for polymer foaming process optimization
Co-authored papers on innovative battery technology and precision fabrication techniques