Sunday, April 22, 2012

My Undergraduate Years Come to a Close

On Monday, March 12, 2012, I defended my ASU Barrett Honors College Senior Thesis, a research report based upon the findings of my summer 2011 circumnavigation of the globe in which I studied the development and deployment of solar energy technology and its relationships to differing national energy policies and levels of economic development. The report is entitled "Solar Energy Technologies: a Comparative Study of Commercial Applications and Government Policies" and is available for download here: http://www.mediafire.com/?ktsvwr98z66yuyp The presentation based upon this report which I put together for my thesis defense contains additional information about the state of PV-related policy in the United States and is available for download here: http://www.mediafire.com/view/?uitdjfqqwfl6cy2 A condensed, poster-formatted version of this information which I presented at the ASU/UoA Student Renewable Energy Science Conference on April 19th and 20th of 2012 can be downloaded here: http://www.mediafire.com/?2a6z8fasc7ca6sz A paper based upon my research findings in Bangladesh has been accepted for publication and poster presentation at the 38th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference in Austin, TX this summer and I look forward to posting it after the completion of the conference.

On Tuesday, March 27, 2012, I learned that I had been selected as the recipient of the 2012 US Fulbright Climate Change and Clean Energy Scholarship. With this scholarship, I intend to study and conduct photovoltaic research in Australia at the University of New South Wales School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering during the 2013 Australian academic year. There is no doubt in my mind that the learning experiences which I had and the professional connection which I made as a Circumnavigators Club Foundation Scholar were integral to the success that I have had in my Fulbright application. Once again, I would like to extend my gratitude to the Circumnavigators Club for enabling my summer of travel and research, and providing me the opportunities which are shaping my academic and career path.