Electrical & Computer Engineering Undergrads Excel in Power Engineering
Three undergraduates studying electrical and computer engineering at Boise State have been chosen as IEEE Power and Energy Society (PES) Scholars for the 2017-2018 academic year. Christopher Calderwood (‘18), Robert Martin (‘19), and Nathan King (‘20) were chosen for their high-achieving academic performance and demonstrated commitment to the power and energy field. The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department is proud to have these outstanding students representing Boise State.
This is Robert Martin’s third year as a PES scholar, and he’s humbled by the recognition. Martin says he has enjoyed his undergraduate studies and is glad to be earning a degree that lets him do what he loves. His interest emerged, he recalls, while working on aircraft electrical and environmental systems for the Air Force. Martin notes he was drawn to electrical engineering based on that experience, and he is looking forward to the professional opportunities waiting for him after graduation next year.
Martin is currently interning under the US Bureau of Reclamation’s (BOR) Pathways program. The Pathways Program provides Federal internship opportunities, and it’s given Martin the opportunity to serve as a hydropower field engineer in the BOR’s Middle Snake region.
Christopher Calderwood has been named as a PES scholar four times now. He’s also receiving the 2017 IEEE PES G. Ray Ekenstam Memorial Scholarship, an award which recognizes him as an honorably discharged US Veteran seeking an electrical engineering degree in the field of power and energy systems. The Ekenstam scholarship provides Calderwood with an additional $5,000 towards educational expenses, an annual IEEE membership, and a $500 travel stipend.
Calderwood says what he loves best about power engineering is that it is an evolving field. “I am interested in finding ways to meet the ever-increasing need for renewable sources of power and being able to integrate them into our existing infrastructures.” Calderwood’s passion for the field is one reason he says he is grateful to have been selected for these scholarships because they allow him to keep his focus on his studies and not on the cost of school.
Nathan King, also a repeat PES scholar says it was his dad’s influence that developed his interest in engineering and he’s grateful for his positive influence. King notes that the continued support of the IEEE PES has also made a real difference to him as an undergrad. Currently working at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, King is looking forward to graduating soon and taking on new challenges as an application engineer.
This year, 201 electrical engineering students representing accredited universities in the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada were selected as PES scholars this year. Each will receive up to $3000 to help defray educational costs as they pursue their interest in power and energy systems.
The IEEE PES is a nonprofit organization comprised of over 26,000 engineers and scientists worldwide. It is the world’s largest forum for sharing technological developments in the electric power industry. The PES Scholarship Plus Initiative supports the most promising future engineers in power and energy.