Grainger Power Engineering Awards

2024 Grainger Awards Program

Rationale: Electric power and energy systems are of great importance to the economic well being and competitiveness of the United States. The power engineering area at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is one of the leading programs in the nation, with extensive education and research activities. These awards were created through a gift from the Grainger Foundation to recognize the importance of the field and the performance of the graduates of the Grainger College of Engineering.

Purpose: To reward highly qualified and well-motivated undergraduate and graduate students who have chosen to pursue a field of study in electric power engineering.

Undergraduate awards: A student completing a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree is eligible for consideration if all the following criteria are met:

  • U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident (as defined by the U.S. DHS)
  • enrolled in the Urbana-Champaign campus of the University of Illinois for at least two years
  • submitted an application by the designated deadline
  • successfully completed all of the BS degree requirements in any engineering program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a field of specialization in electric power engineering

To meet the requirements of a field of specialization in electric power engineering, the graduating senior must have successfully completed ECE 330 and a minimum of either all three courses in list A below, or two courses from list A and one course from list B below. Students who have additional involvement in electric power engineering activities such as independent research or student team projects will be given special consideration in the selection of awardees.

List A: ECE 431, ECE 464, ECE 476
List B: ECE 333, ECE 432, ECE 469, ECE 486, ECE 398/498

Graduate student awards: A student completing a Master of Science (MS) degree is eligible for consideration if all the following criteria are met:

  • U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident (as defined by the U.S. DHS)
  • submitted an application by the designated deadline
  • successfully completed all requirements in the Graduate College for the Master of Science degree in any program, with a field of specialization in electric power engineering and a minimum of one (1) year of study at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • is acquainted with several of the power engineering faculty, has a power engineering faculty member as thesis advisor, and has completed a thesis on a topic in power engineering

To meet the requirements of a field of specialization in electric power engineering, an MS student must have either successfully completed a minimum of two of the courses in list C below, plus a thesis on a power engineering topic, or one in List C below and one in List D below plus a thesis on a power engineering topic

List C: ECE 530, ECE 554, ECE 568
List D: ECE 540, 552, 573, 576, 598 (Power Area)

A student completing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree is eligible for consideration if all the following criteria are met:

  • U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident (as defined by the U.S. DHS)
  • submitted an application by the designated deadline
  • successfully completed all requirements in the Graduate College for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in any program with a field of specialization in electric power engineering, with a minimum of three (3) years of study at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • is acquainted with several of the power engineering faculty, has a power engineering faculty member as thesis advisor, and has completed a thesis on a topic in power engineering

To meet the requirements of a field of specialization in electric power engineering, a PhD student must have successfully completed at least four courses from the combined Lists C plus D above plus a thesis on a power engineering topic. 

Application, Selection and Award: Graduating students who meet the eligibility requirements should complete an application, which can be obtained in Room 4060 ECEB or on the power and energy systems web site.  The selection process will begin in the Fall.  All applications for one award cycle will be due by January 20.  All selections will be made by February 1.  Selected students who will be graduating in December will receive the entire award stipend upon selection.  These awardees will be asked to return in the following Spring for the awards recognition banquet.  Awardees will be selected by the members of the Power Engineering faculty.  The Committee will give major consideration to the quality and significance of the each student’s performance in their academic work including projects and theses.  The presentation of awards will take place at an April meeting which will include technical presentations by selected awardees.  Approximately 25 awards of $6,000 each will be given during each annual cycle.  It is anticipated that at least three fourths of the awards will be made to undergraduate students.

Power Engineering Faculty Members: Arijit Banerjee, Subhonmesh Bose, Alejandro Dominguez-Garcia, George Gross, Kiruba Haran, Philip T. Krein, Andrew Stillwell and Richard Zhang.

APPLICATION FORMS:

2024 Grainger Awards Program

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