Two Watson graduate students awarded Avangrid Scholarships, meet Spanish Royal family
Binghamton University’s Edward Cheswick and Mark Freithaler had two once-in-a-lifetime experiences this summer.
Both received scholarships from the Avangrid Foundation and Fundación Iberdrola España to pursue post-graduate research in energy, the environment and data science for the next year.
They also both met the royal family of Spain.
“I’m a kid from Long Island and I suddenly found myself in Spain getting ready to meet the king and queen and be presented with a life-changing scholarship. “Amazing” is an understatement,” Cheswick said. “The King and Queen not only personally handed us our certificates but posed for photos with us too. Just incredible.”
“At first, it was very surreal. Never in my life would I have expected the honor of meeting such kind and influential people,” Freithaler said. “They were very personable, and it was a pleasure to enjoy the beautiful weather with them and the other scholars.”
The other 11 scholars are from across the United States and Scotland and, along with Cheswick and Freithaler, received a total of $750,300 in scholarships to cover graduate school enrollment expenses, plus a stipend, for the next year. This is the first year that Binghamton University students were eligible to apply for the scholarships that are offered to just a select group of institutions.
The call for the next round of scholarships for 2017-18 will be announced soon.
Cheswick and Freithaler are in the 4+1 Combined BS/MS program in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department within the Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science. They both graduated in May with undergraduate degrees in electrical engineering and are currently working on their master’s degrees at Binghamton.
“The scholarship has allowed me to pursue my master’s in electrical engineering with a focus in power and energy,” Cheswick said. “I am taking courses such as: Power Systems, Micro-grids, Solar Cells, and Power Electronics. I’d like to develop a better understanding of how green energy can be used to supplement our growing energy needs. This scholarship is giving me the ability to focus on my academic work and not worry about a financial burden. It has also given me a connection with Iberdrola, which has a substantial amount of resources devoted to alternative energies, which I would like to pursue in my future career.”
“My graduate research has been focused in the area of micro-scaled microbial fuel cells, which use electricity-producing bacteria in an eco-friendly packaging to replace batteries. I have been furthering my understanding of physical electronics and optoelectronics,” Freithaler said. “Having the opportunity to work on meaningful research, without the burden of supporting one’s self is a great gift and will hopefully yield positive results. I hope to leverage my experiences into further research changing the world for the better, while pursuing a Ph.D.”
The Avangrid Foundation is dedicated to supporting projects and organizations that enhance the quality of life in communities served by Avangrid Inc. companies, according to the company’s website. Fundación Iberdrola España is the charitable foundation of Iberdrola, S.A., Avangrid’s corporate affiliate.
Avangrid Inc. is an energy and utility company with more than $30 billion in assets and operations in 25 states. It is the parent company of NYSEG and RG&G in New York, Central Maine Power and Maine Natural Gas in Maine, United Illuminating, Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas in Connecticut. It is also the corporate parent of Avangrid Renewables, which is headquartered in Portland, Oregon.
“Understanding and meeting the world’s energy needs, and protecting the environment, are challenges that are closely linked,” said Robert D. Kump, president of Avangrid Foundation, in a statement. Kump graduated from Binghamton in 1983 and is currently a member of the Watson School’s Advisory Board. “This scholarship program will help to ensure that some of the brightest young minds are focused on finding solutions to these issues.”
Iberdrola initially established the global scholarship program in 2010 to support graduate studies in the field of energy, with a special focus on renewable energy development, environmental protection, climate change and energy efficiency. Since the program started, Iberdrola and its charitable foundations in Spain, the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico and Brazil have awarded nearly 600 scholarships to students around the world. The foundations awarded 142 scholarships for the 2016-2017 academic year, worth more than $3.9 million.
“The first thing that went through my head [when I was awarded the scholarship] was that I must be one of the most fortunate people in the world to able to pursue my dreams with the support of others,” Freithaler said.
“My initial reaction was complete disbelief,” Cheswick said of the scholarship. “I applied for the scholarship and then interviewed with the Treasurer of the Avangrid Foundation, Darlene Beach. Later, when I saw her number show up on my caller ID I assumed they had some additional questions. I thought I heard her say “Congratulations, Ed!” but I was not 100 percent convinced. The connection was bad. I asked if I could call her back from a landline. My hands were shaking trying to dial her number. Once again I heard “Congratulations, Ed!” I tried to keep composed and simply say ‘Thank you’ as professionally as possible.”