The global energy crisis has proven to be one of the world’s greatest challenges. Around the world, energy prices are climbing to record highs, as nations suffer fuel shortages, rising poverty, and slowing economics. For Allison Pham, a third year student at University of Texas at Dallas and the IEEE UTD president, the crisis became a call to action, and ignited her passion to make the world a better place. Allison chose to dedicate her career to helping provide renewable energy that could benefit both the population and the planet we live on.
Allison is an undergraduate research assistant in the Renewable Energy Vehicular Technology Lab at UTD, where she is actively involved in a project for the International Future Energy Competition as a finalist. For the competition, Allison’s team is developing a 400 W class D audio amplifier. This summer, she will be starting an internship at Toyota HQ, where she is excited to gain insights from various departments, including the Battery Management System and Electric Vehicle Division.
“These two experiences will enhance my knowledge and skills in the field of power and energy”, Allison noted while talking about the upcoming opportunities.
Allison is grateful for the many benefits that becoming a PES Scholar provides. She particularly appreciates the PES Mentoring program, which all recipients of the IEEE PES Scholarship Plus have access to. Allison was able to meet bi-weekly with her mentor, Ian McIlrath, who offered her his advice and guidance. Allison found this helpful as she begins to transition from academia to the corporate world.
“This experience allowed me to network and establish connections within the power industry, which has been both inspiring and beneficial for my career development”, said Allison when describing the impact that the IEEE PES Scholarship Plus has had on her professional development.
Allison was selected as a Hoveida Scholar when she received the IEEE PES Scholarship Plus. This fund is made possible thanks to the generosity of Hoveida family and their commitment to supporting the next generation of power and energy engineers. The Hoveida Family Foundation’s belief in making renewable energy sources cost effective aligns with Allison’s career goals, making her a perfect candidate to be given funding from the foundation.