2021-08-30: 2021 Avangrid Scholarships Awarded to Lindstrom, Love, Hamilton, Spilka, Fertig, and Siemon
PRESS RELEASE
“Avangrid Scholarships Awarded”
Scholarships Awarded for LGBTQ Students in Engineering
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Aug. 30 2021
Out To Innovate Announces Avangrid Scholarships
Out to Innovate is proud to announce the winners for the 2021 Avangrid $5000 Scholarships: Kara Lindstrom, Claire Love, Art Hamilton, Zahara Spilka, Jeremy Fertig, and Jon Siemon.
Kara Lindstrom Kara Lindstrom, recipient of a 2021 Avangrid Scholarship Kara is completing her undergraduate degree at Duke University, where she is double majoring in Mechanical Engineering and Material Science. She has a strong interest in robotics and has used her knowledge to print 3D assistive devices as well as design under-water robots as part of Duke’s RoboSubmarine Team. “I am grateful to the Out to Innovate Scholarship Committee for their commitment to supporting members of the LGBTQ+ community such as myself, and as I continue my educational journey I will strive to similarly provide support to my peers in an effort to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment within STEM fields.”
Claire Love Claire Love, recipient of a 2021 Avangrid ScholarshipClaire is a Chemical Engineering PhD student at the University of California –Los Angeles. Her graduate research focuses on the use of nanophotonics for effective luminescent solar concentrators, which combines her passions for renewable energy, programming, and machine learning. “I’m really excited to see the work Out To Innovate is doing to support queer people in STEM, and I am so proud to accept this award.”
Art Hamilton
Art Hamilton, recipient of a 2021 Avangrid Scholarship Art is majoring in Industrial Design at Western Washington University. Finding his calling earlier than most, Art was drawn to industrial design when he started learning 3D printing and CAD modeling in elementary school. “It is an honor and privilege to be recognized by Out To Innovate and Avangrid with this scholarship. I have dedicated my life to improving my community, which is something this award further empowers me to do through funding my engineering education. As someone in STEM, I recognize that the diversity of perspective can be paramount to creating solutions for problems. Therefore, the ability of an LGBTQ+ person to get an education has the possibility to change the world, which is exactly what I plan to do. ”
Zahara Spilka Zahara Spilka, recipient of a 2021 Avangrid ScholarshipZahara is an incoming Computer Science PhD student at the University of Minnesota. She is passionate about community service and has interests in design, computer science, art, and the human experience. Zahara hopes to combine these interests into a career in animation that creates accurate and realistic depictions of people ranging in different races and ethnicities, body types, religions, genders, and sexualities. “This is an amazing opportunity, and I am very happy to be one of the Out To Innovate’s scholarship recipients.”
Jeremy Fertig Jeremy Fertig, recipient of a 2021 Avangrid ScholarshipJeremy is a junior at Duke University pursuing his undergraduate degree with a major in mechanical engineering and a minor in energy engineering. As a member of Duke’s FOCUS program, Jeremy immersed himself studying past, present, and future global energy issues. This experience fueled Jeremy’s passion to accelerate innovative engineering solutions that help society. Currently, Jeremy has been working to develop an alkaline water electrolyzer and hydrogen storage system capable of providing lower cost, clean fuel for cooking and heating versus electricity from a higher cost, conventional electrochemical battery. “I am grateful for the Avangrid Scholarship which will help me pursue my engineering work designed to help others. Thank you Out To Innovate for your recognition and support.”
Jon Siemon Jon Siemon, recipient of a 2021 Avangrid Scholarship.Jon has completed an Associate in Science Program at Cape Fear Community College as a dual enrollment high school student. This fall, he is starting at the University of Texas at Austin as a Mechanical Engineering major. “I am humbled and thrilled to be recognized by Out To Innovate and excited to become a member of this community. I thank you for this honor. Knowing that organizations such as Out To Innovate support Proud engineering students like myself propels me to pursue my education and make my dreams of roller coaster design come true as I start my academic career at the University of Texas at Austin, Cockrell School of Engineering.”
About Out To Innovate
Out To Innovate (formerly NOGLSTP) was established in 1980, incorporated in the state of California in 1991, and was granted IRS 501 (c) 3 nonprofit status in 1992. Out To Innovate is a professional society that educates and advocates for LGBTQ people in STEM. Out To Innovate presents educational symposia and workshops nationwide and fosters dialog with other professional societies, academia, and industry to facilitate diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Out To Innovate is an affiliate of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, is a sustaining member of the National Postdoctoral Association, a member of the Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute Presidential Advisory Project’s Coalition, a partner with the Higher Education Recruitment Consortium, a partner of the Society for Women Engineers, and a founding member of the DiscoverE Diversity Council. For more information, visit the website at www.noglstp.org or contact scholarships@noglstp.org.
