EAP Program awards esteemed graduate students with international scholarship

November 29, 2018 | by EMMA HUBLER

The Energy Analysis and Policy Program (EAP) at the University of Wisconsin - Madison is awarding five international graduate students with scholarships recognizing academic and professional excellence.

EAP is a graduate-level certificate that can be added to nearly any graduate program at UW.

EAP trains students in energy policy and problem-solving in the energy sector. Over nearly 40 years, graduates of the EAP program have gone on to become leaders in the energy field, through industry, government, and nonprofit work. EAP students draw from M.S. and Ph.D. programs across campus, as well as the Law School, Business School, and other programs. EAP can be added to these degrees, often with no additional time or cost. In fact, EAP students are eligible for scholarships, travel awards, and other opportunities.

As a gift from Wes and Ankie Foell, EAP is announcing a new graduate scholarship for international students completing or applying to the EAP program. Each student will be awarded $5,000 over a period of four semesters.

Among the recipients are Anke Keuser and Dorothy Lsoto, who are both pursuing a Ph.D. in Environment and Resources, David Nielsen-Franco, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in Environmental Chemistry and Technology, Antara Khadria, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, and Eri Amezcua Cuellar, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering.

All recipients of the scholarship come from a wide variety of graduate programs, diverse backgrounds, and from countries across the globe. These students showcase outstanding work in their personal and professional life and were chosen for their ability to become leaders in the complicated and multifaceted energy field.

Scholarship recipients have expressed the importance of this opportunity to expand their knowledge and understanding of the field, stating that the EAP program has given them a holistic perspective of the energy sector. According to Nielsen-Franco, Ph.D. student studying Environmental Chemistry and Technology, “ [EAP] gives me insights into a more realistic application of environmental science; not only from a scientific standpoint but also its social relevance and economic value.”

This feeling is shared among the other EAP scholarship recipients. “The introductory courses I have taken so far have significantly transformed my outlook on global energy challenges. I have learnt, and am still learning, about what the availability and feasibility of different energy resources looks like, how trade-offs between cheap, clean, and reliable fuel sources affect energy policies, and how the energy situation in every country is an outcome of its own history, development and relations with the rest of the world,” said Khadria, second-year Electrical Engineering Ph.D. student.

The students receiving the International Student Scholarship are thankful for the opportunity EAP has provided them.  “I hope to leverage this valuable opportunity provided by the program to be able to positively contribute towards the field of energy analysis and policy,” expressed Khadria.

Alumni of the EAP program have gone on to make significant advances in the energy field. The EAP International Student Scholarship is continually shaping the next generation of leaders by providing them with the educational resources and networks necessary to make a difference in their chosen fields.