Powering Up.org: Empowering Pathways Into Energy Scholarship

My name is Robert Zavala and as of now I have been accepted into a welding program at Idaho State University for a 2-year Associates Degree in Applied Sciences. As I have stated, I am an aspiring welder and after the completion of this course I aim to work as a pipeline welder or continue my education likely in the fields of mechanical engineering or nuclear engineering. Challenging STEM related activities and working with my hands has a been a constant throughout my life. I have never been afraid to dirty my hands nor have I been averse to anything science related from chemistry, paleontology, and most recently nuclear physics and chemistry. Besides my general interest in skilled labor intensive activities and science I also recognize the practical benefits of delving into these topics. The hands on experience allows me tinker and create while the more academic side allows me to understand how the world around me operates and how we as humans could potentially use or improve our ways of providing for ourselves and producing new technology. The energy sector is of particular interest as it has a monumental effect on our modern society. Everything is built around using different forms of energy from coal to the sun to power many essential systems that we rely on. And because of our deep seated need for the production and use of these energy sources is paramount to success and sustainability there needs to be ways that it can be improved. So what does me being a welder have to do with the energy sector? Welders play a critical and essential role in the initial production and maintenance of infrastructure relating to energy production. Oil, gas, and coal all need machinery to extract these resources and welders are a key player in the manufacturing of these pieces of equipment as well as their upkeep. Transporting these resources also requires many forms of machinery and permanent infrastructure often constructed of steel in which their assembly cannot be accomplished in factories. Pipelines are the poster child of this form of infrastructure as they are extraordinarily massive and even remote and without the crews installing them, namely welders, the efficient transportation of fluid fuels will be relegated to the whims of railroads and trucks. Additional parts to the energy equation involve refineries, boilers, turbines, piping, buildings, pressure vessels, reactor cores, and containment shields upon numerous other parts. But without welders, the harnessing of the Earth's mineral wealth for our energy production would be a heck of a lot harder and significantly more inefficient. But another thing to consider is our impact on the environment. Sure we can harness all the stored energy in the hydrocarbons we burn but that comes at the cost of air pollution by soot and heavy metals as well as anthropogenic climate change. An estimated 8.3 million people die and a multitude more suffer chronic respiratory illnesses each year as a result of our use of fossil fuels to power our world. They might be cheap, proven, and relatively efficient at the moment but should we continue to beat the price of millions of lives each year? I think not. To this I suggest our future lies in nuclear energy from both fission and fusion. The sheer amount of power they can produce at the low amount of waste that is produced plus a proven safety record are all pointing in the direction of nuclear power. Don't let the fear mongering and propaganda tell you otherwise. Humanities' source of power lies not with carbon, but the atom itself.

Hello, I am Jacob Julian. I am very interested in becoming a professional welder. This will be my first year at TSTC (Texas State Tech). I am very excited to start the program on September 3rd of this year. I just completed the Texas Youth Challenge Program, ran by the Texas Military department.It was a sort of military high school. Texas Challenge Academy was a difficult program, but I graduated the program on June 15th of this year, and while I was there I also completed my GED certificate and am starting trade school in the fall for my welding certificate. My dad was an oilfield employee for 15 years (until he couldn't work anymore) and my Uncle currently also works in the oilfield. As I grew up I watched them, and saw the pride he put into his job everyday.I know it is a dangerous job, and requires great sacrifice from the men and women who work in the industry. That makes them heroes to the world, but they very seldom are seen that way. However, I believe the energy sector is very important, because it keeps the world moving. Without energy; our homes would be cold, our cars wouldn't run, and we would starve. Civilization as we know it would cease to exist. The energy sector powers the entire world, so maybe that makes it the most important industry of all. My dream is to work as a pipe welder in the oilfield. I love welding, I find welding very satisfying, and to have that as a career would be amazing. I would love to be considered for your award.It would help me insure I have a job I love, and a decent salary to provide for myself and my future,so I can become an asset to society and a hero to the world. By helping provide energy for the people of the world, I would be a part of something very special. I have financial need,as my mother is the only one who is currently able to work in our home, I am looking for work, but I haven't found a regular job yet. I would prefer not to take out so many student loans to pay for my tuition and the tools required to complete the welding program, but I will do whatever I have to do to succeed in my plans. I would like to thank you for your consideration for this award, and thank you for your time reading my application.