2024-2025 Women in Defense Scholars: Stephanie Andress (third from left) and Angelique Klimek (sixth from left)

The Women in Defense (WID) Scholar Program was established in 1988 to support women in government, academia, and the defense industrial workforce. These awards are based on academic achievement, participation in defense and national security activities, field of study, work experience, statements of interest, recommendation, and financial need.

Angelique Klimek is a Ph.D. candidate in chemical engineering at Purdue University. She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in chemical engineering and food science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Co-advised by Dr. Steve Beaudoin, professor of chemical engineering and director of the Purdue Energetics Research Center, and Dr. Davin Piercey, assistant professor of materials engineering and mechanical engineering, her doctoral research focuses on the development and characterization of advanced energetic materials. This includes the synthesis of novel high nitrogen-containing compounds designed to achieve performance levels comparable to or exceeding those of Royal Demolition eXplosive (RDX) while offering improved mechanical and thermal stability. Additionally, her research aims to develop energetic materials with performance capabilities that surpass those of CL-20.

Stephanie Andress completed both a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science in mechanical engineering at Purdue University, and began her Ph.D. in the same program in 2022. Her advisor is James Gibert, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Purdue University. Stephanie is also a part of Purdue Energetics Research Center. Her research interests revolve around material characterization and fabrication with a focus on additively manufactured energetic materials. Specifically, her work involves characterizing the mechanical properties of these materials to better understand their behavior under different conditions, while also working to make the research and production process safer and more environmentally friendly. Funding from the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) and U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command - Army Research Laboratory (DEVCOM-ARL), allows her to pursue her research goals while contributing to the advancement of defense research.