Serendipitous Research
Melvina Quartey is a fourth-year PhD student in aerospace engineering with research focusing on computational fluid dynamics and quantum computing methods. Quartey joined RPI’s PhD program with an open mind about her research direction and willing to take on a new challenge. She found that challenge after joining Dr. Lucy Zhang’s research lab.
With the quantum computers on the rise at RPI, Quartey joined Dr. Zhang’s lab, where they research quantum computing applications for computational fluid dynamics (CFD). This opportunity led her to develop quantum algorithms for simulating complex fluid flows.
Professor Zhang, who leads a computational lab, was looking for a new way to innovate her field. “Melvina’s work is on quantum computational fluid dynamics, where she develops quantum algorithms for CFD that explore quantum advantage and benchmark the performance of quantum hardware on engineering applications”, states Professor Zhang.
Quartey’s research has evolved; she’s identifying limitations in current methods and improving the efficiency of quantum CFD codes by creating new methods that reduce computational cost, overcoming the limits in simulation and measurement methods.
The Road to RPI
Before Quartey was a graduate student here at RPI, she was an undergraduate student at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana, studying Aerospace Engineering. Quartey didn’t fully feel like an aerospace engineer and decided she wanted to pursue a deeper understanding of her field.
She learned about RPI through a friend who attends RPI, which sparked her interest after hearing about the strong aerospace program and notable RPI alumni like Reid Wiseman. After researching the MANE faculty and finding projects aligned with her interests, Quartey knew RPI was for her.
Community Involvement
Outside of her research, Quartey is very active in the RPI community. She has taken on multiple leadership roles in RPI’s student organizations.
Quartey has served as the graduate representative for NSBE, where she helps encourage undergraduate students to pursue graduate school. She has also served as the Co-Programs Chair and Treasurer for the Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA). She has also managed BGSA’s finances and event planning, which includes social events and organizing professional and industry-focused events, such as panels, mentorship, and alumni engagement.
As a member of the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering Student Advisory Council, Quartey acts as a bridge between students, administration, and faculty. She contributes to the decision-making discussion and represents student voices. She has focused on community building and improving graduate student experience.
Life Outside the Lab
When Quartey isn’t in the lab, she enjoys spending time with her friends. These meaningful connections in her life are very important to her. Quartey also enjoys traveling and exploring, which is no surprise, as she has been all over the world. Overall, Quartey values staying connected to others and the world around her.
Openness to Opportunities
After Quartey finishes her Ph.D., she is open to what comes next. Quartey does not have a rigid plan in motion to avoid boxing herself out of opportunities. She is interested in simulation software development, computational research, and quantum computer applications. Her real goal is to make an impact, to solve problems that make people’s work easier, and improve efficiency in real-world applications.
Whatever Quartey ultimately goes after, it will most definitely be a success. Rather than having a strict path in motion, her openness allows exploration for many of the opportunities that come her way. She has shown all her talents through meaningful contributions to her RPI’s labs and community. With all that Quartey has accomplished so far, it is expected that her future will continue to be a successful trajectory.
To see and hear Quartey talk about her research, watch Using a Quantum Computer for my PhD: A Conversation with Melvina Quartey | Quantum in the Field
Categories Campus and Community, School of Engineering, Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering
Press Contact Calleigh Pellitier, pellic@rpi.edu
