Diksha Aggarwal, a PhD candidate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, has been awarded a 2025 Commonwealth of Virginia Engineering and Science (COVES) Policy Fellowship.

Aggarwal is part of the research team in the Virginia Tech Uncrewed Systems Lab, led by Professor Kevin Kochersberger. She has been working on the 3D mapping of urban environments using a drone-mounted single RGB camera. Her expertise in aerial image processing with digital geography data has been a vital element in the projects undertaken by the lab, highlighted most recently in an interdisciplinary effort to evaluate flood damage across southwest Virginia, providing critical information to state and federal relief agencies.

Aggarwal received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Delhi Technological University and a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.

“I am excited for the opportunity to become a COVES fellow where I will get a chance to work with the policy makers and gain insight into science from their perspective,” Aggarwal said. “I have witnessed multiple instances where the government collaborates with the university labs to address emergencies. After Hurricane Helene in October 2024, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality contacted my advisor, Dr. Kevin Kochersberger, for assistance with post-disaster debris estimation. This experience taught me how we can shape research to best serve the public. Through the COVES fellowship, I aim to learn more about current policies and practices and how they can align with scientific advancements.”

The 12-week COVES Fellowship is administered by the Virginia Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine (VASEM). Graduate student and postdoctoral fellows serve as science advisors in a variety of possible placements, including legislative offices, executive agencies, or prominent companies and nonprofits in the state of Virginia. Fellows gain experience by serving their host office and performing relevant tasks such as researching, drafting, and revising relevant policies. Fellows are also paired with a VASEM member who serves as an experienced science policy mentor throughout the fellowship.