research awards program

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What Students Say about the Program

"Prior to the HRF award, I was working as an engineer and in school part-time.  The award allowed me to be a full-time student and work on my master's thesis this past year.  Being able to concentrate on my school work greatly improved my learning. The input and advice from those I met at HydroVision, on your board and within the hydropower community was essential for progression of my small hydropower related thesis project. I can't thank you enough for your investment in my education and future. I look forward to completing my degree and returning to the work world able to contribute to the hydro and power generation field."
 -Kelly Kozdras, 2014 Researcher

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About the Research Awards Program

The Hydro Research Foundation, Inc. (Foundation) is leading the Hydro Research Awards Program that is designed to stimulate new student research and academic interest in research and careers in conventional or pumped storage hydropower. The awards are made possible by a grant from the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Program of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

The awards are designed to allow outstanding early-career researchers to facilitate research related to hydropower. Research undertaken by the Foundation and the researchers seeks to advance knowledge about hydroelectric technology, including efficiency improvements and environmental mitigation. Through this program the Foundation is promoting educational opportunities and information development related to hydropower. Innovation, creativity and forward-thinking research are encouraged.

The Foundation awarded 27 awards between 2014-2016 to students throughout the United States. Students are selected based on research vision, innovation, academic performance, potential for leadership and overall strength of their research proposal. Each award includes the following:

• A living stipend of up to $18,000
• A tuition, fees and university-provided health insurance allowance of up to $10,000
• Travel costs to attend the Annual Hydro Fellows Roundtable each year the student is in the program.
• The student’s academic advisor for the research will be awarded $2,000 annually into a University discretionary account, for aiding in, and supervising the research. The advisor may also have the opportunity to attend HydroVision International held annually July.
• Each student may have the opportunity to participate in an internship with an industry partner. These internships may result in employment for the researcher. The potential topics eligible for an internships are listed in the 2016 Topics of Interest document.

Grant Partners

FOUNDATION PARTNERS

FRIENDS OF THE FOUNDATION 

HOST UNIVERSITIES

Research Advisors

Each student in the Research Awards Program is supported by an academic research adviser and an industry mentor. Thanks to these supporting mentors, each researcher has critical links to hydropower information, research, data and support.

David Ahlfield                                                     Dr. Brian Alford                                         Dr. Amit Bandyopadhyay
University of Massachusetts-Amherst                               University of Tennessee                                             Washington State University

Dr. Carl Bauer                                                    Dr. Jonathan Bird                                       Dr. Ted Brekken
University of Arizona                                                            University of North Carolina- Charlotte                   Oregon State University

Dr. Raúl Bayoán Cal                                          Duncan Calloway                                        Hope Corsair
Portland State University                                                    University of California- Berkeley                              Oregon Institute of Technology

Dr. John Cimbala                                               Dr. Martin Doyle                                         Roy Haggerty
The Pennsylvania State University                                     Duke University                                                            Oregon State University

Slav Hermanowicz                                            Gabriela Hug                                               Dr. Erkan Istanbulluoglu
University of California-Berkeley                                       Carnegie Mellon University                                        University of Washington

Dr. Shih-Chieh Kao                                           Dr. Daniel Kirschen                                   Dr. Bruce Krogh
University of Tennessee- Knoxville                                    University of Washington                                           Carnegie Mellon University

Dr. Eugene Lebouef                                           Dr. Pierre Lermusiaux                              Dr. Mike Mooney
Vanderbilt University                                                            Massachusetts Institute of Technology                    Colorado School of Mines

Dr. Peter Nelson                                                Dr. Alparsian Oztekin                               Roderic Parnell
Colorado State University                                                   Lehigh University                                                         Northern Arizona University

Dr. John Steele                                                  Dr. Daniele Tonina                                     Dr. Kripa Varanasi
Colorado School of Mines                                                   University of Idaho                                                       Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Dr. Richard Vogel                                              Dr. Aaron Wolf                                           Dr. Elowyn Yager
Tufts University                                                                    Oregon State University                                             University of Idaho

Dr. K. Max Zhang
Cornell University

Mentors

Steve Amaral                                          Jay Anders                                     Celeste Fay
Alden Laboratory                                                    Black and Veatch                                        Alden Laboratory

Suzanne Grassell.                                  Tim Magee                                    Mark Morehead
Chelan County PUD                                               CADSWES                                                    Idaho Power

Gerry Russell                                         Lee Sheldon                                  Allen Skaja
Weir American Hydro                                            Oregon Institute of Technology              United States Bureau of Reclamation

Brad Spangler                                      Yetta Yager                                      Edie Zagona
Snohomish County PUD                                    Oak Ridge National Laboratory                   CADSWES