USU Engineering Students Selected for DOE Scholarships, Fellowships

Students in Utah State University’s Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department recently received the U.S. Department of Energy’s University Nuclear Leadership Program for their achievements in the engineering research field.

Undergraduate students Katelyn Fiveash and Austin Rasmussen both received scholarships, and Aiden Meek and Austin Gardiner received fellowships. Scholarships include $10,000 for four-year institutions while the fellowships provide $169,000 over three years to pay for graduate studies and research. Fellowships also include a one-time $7,000 allowance that funds an internship at a DOE national laboratory or other approved research facility involved in nuclear energy research.

“I am very honored to be receiving this fellowship,” Gardiner said. “My research will be focused on using computer simulation to test new ways of using nuclear power to decrease the carbon emissions of industrial processes and build resilient and efficient clean energy systems.”

Rasmussen plans to use his scholarship to continue his education at USU by taking more courses in physics and mathematics. His eventual goal is to earn a graduate degree in nuclear engineering.

“I am ecstatic at the chance to receive the UNLP award from the DOE,” Rasmussen said. “It is a great honor, and the award will be incredibly beneficial for my family.”

Meek, Gardiner and Rasmussen studied under Assistant Professor Hailei Wang in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department. They study clean energy sources, including nuclear energy.

Wang’s lab, the Energy-Technology-Research and Innovation Lab, or eTRI, specializes in creating more sustainable energy through fundamental thermal transport research, process integration and component innovation, stochastic system modeling, simulations and optimization.

“I am incredibly proud of my students’ achievements and pleased to see their academic potentials were recognized by the DOE UNLP,” said Wang. “I cannot wait to see what they will do to advance the next-generation safe, efficient and carbon-free nuclear energy technologies to help nations meet their growing energy needs and climate goals.”

Since 2009, UNLP has awarded more than 1,100 scholarships and fellowships totaling more than $67 million. About 95 percent of students who complete nuclear energy-related fellowships either continue to advance their education in nuclear energy or obtain careers at a DOE national laboratory, other government agencies, academic institutions or private companies.

More information about the program and the DOE can be found at www.neup.gov.