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

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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

Dr. Selina Yao stands as a highly qualified candidate for the Best Researcher Award, owing to her innovative research, strong academic record, and practical industry experience. Her work encompasses pioneering contributions to materials science, particularly in polymers, supercritical fluids, and electrospinning technologies, as well as significant industrial advancements in electric vehicle (EV) and AR/VR systems.

Professional Development ()

Selina Yao has continuously enhanced her professional skills through hands-on experience and collaboration with leading industry teams. As a Senior Design for Reliability Engineer at Rivian Automotives

, she contributes to vehicle reliability from concept to production. Prior to Rivian, Selina worked at Facebook on thermal management for AR/VR devices

. Her role in TE Connectivity involved developing high-voltage plastic products for EV chargers

. Selina also secured funding for major research projects during her academic tenure

. Her mentoring and teaching roles have helped shape the next generation of engineers, reflecting her commitment to knowledge sharing.

Research Focus

Selina Yao’s research focuses on polymer materials, especially the interaction between polymers and gas/supercritical fluid systems . She explores the dielectric properties of polymer mixtures to study their transport and thermal characteristics, applying this understanding to improve materials for advanced battery technologies, automotive solutions, and imaging systems . Her expertise includes polymer electrolytes for Li-metal batteries, foaming processes for polymers, and MEMS-based precision fabrication for spectrometers . Through her publications, Selina has contributed to the advancement of gas diffusivity measurement methods and materials science, constantly pushing the boundaries of polymer applications.

Awards and Honors ()

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

Publication

Measurement methods for solubility and diffusivity of gases and supercritical fluids in polymers and its applications — 51 citations, 2017
Fabricating and controlling PCL electrospun microfibers using filament feeding melt electrospinning technique — 21 citations, 2016
Effects of cryo-processing on the mechanical and biological properties of poly (vinyl alcohol)-gelatin theta-gels — 5 citations, 2020
A novel method to characterize thermal properties of the polymer and gas/supercritical fluid mixture using dielectric measurements — 4 citations, 2020
A bimetal MOF by solvent-exchanged: Converting pH sensing to “Turn-on” fluorescent receptors for amino acid — 2 citations, 2024
Polymerizable Deep Eutectic Solvent-Based Polymer Electrolyte for Advanced Dendrite-Free, High-Rate, and Long-Life Li Metal Batteries — 1 citation, 2024
Layered Mo x B y (MBenes) derived by a molten-salt method and their application in advanced LIB anodes — 1 citation, 2024