Ruth Beaver

What are you are studying/what you are interested in studying and/or researching while at Purdue? If you have done internships or other applicable experiences, feel free to include them here.

I’m studying the chemical mechanisms which cause fast ignition in hypergolic propellants (chemicals that catch fire when mixed). A better understanding of these mechanisms will allow us to develop safer alternatives to the propellants currently in use, which are very toxic and carcinogenic. Hypergolic propellants are typically used to steer spacecraft and hypersonic vehicles. For example, the Draco thrusters which SpaceX Dragon capsule uses for steering make use of the hypergolic combination of dinitrogen tetroxide and monomethylhydrazine.

What made you want to join the Leading Women Toward Space Careers program?

I dealt with a lot of imposter syndrome as an undergraduate and participating in a mentoring circle helped me to develop the confidence I needed to continue. Because of this experience, it is important to me to give back and mentor younger students. This also seems like an exciting opportunity to continue to grow and learn from some very cool people.

What area would you like to work in after graduating with your Ph.D.? (What career path, interests, opportunities, etc., would you like to accomplish? What field are you interested in?)

I’m hoping that I will be able to find a company in the private sector that will pay me to continue working on developing better hypergols, as I love the research I am doing and am very excited about what private companies are accomplishing right now. Otherwise, I could also see myself working at a national laboratory.