One-of-a-Kind Water Vapor Research Performed by FSRI GEM Fellow
Takes third place in Master’s and Early Ph.D. Technical Competition at 2025 GEM Conference
Zahin Ritee, a GEM Fellow with UL Research Institutes’ Fire Safety Research Institute, recently graduated with a bachelor’s in physics and mechanical engineering at Adelphi University and Columbia University, and currently pursuing her master’s degree in mechanical engineering at Columbia University.
Ritee contributed to upgrading the gasification apparatus to include laser-based water vapor measurement diagnostics at FSRI. Just a few weeks into her fellowship, she conducted literature reviews and experiments in the upgraded apparatus.
Ritee said her educational background led her to the GEM Fellowship with FSRI, and the research she was doing in her lab work in college lined up perfectly with the opportunity.
“I felt like I had a ton of book knowledge from my coursework, but now I’m actually able to apply it when I’m designing and running real experiments and working with real data from these experiments,” she reflected. “It’s combined a lot of things I’ve learned theoretically so far, while I’ve also been able to gain professional skills through my participation in the Student Engagement Program.”
Ritee said that through ULRI’s Student Engagement Program, she’s been able to talk with the other interns and learn about their research and projects, which has allowed her to feel more connected to the organization.
“Being the only research intern in my office, it was great getting to know the other research interns across the country,” she said. “I’ve also found the professional development workshops and career advice through the program to be very helpful.”
Ritee said she may consider returning to FSRI after she completes her master’s because of how much she’s enjoyed both the work and her colleagues.
“In this fellowship, I’m in a position where I can propose my own ideas, and make my own decisions,” she said. “I didn’t expect that type of experience as an intern. It makes me feel valuable to the research and to the organization.”
