Press Releases
08/11/2016
Avangrid Foundation Announces Recipients of Scholarships Supporting Energy, Data Science and Environmental Research
Avangrid Foundation Announces Recipients of Scholarships Supporting Energy, Data Science and Environmental Research
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW GLOUCESTER, Maine — August 11, 2016 — Scholarships from the Avangrid Foundation and Fundación Iberdrola España will help 13 students conduct post-graduate research into energy, the environment and data science.
The recipients will receive grants totaling $750,300 that cover the students’ enrollment, plus a stipend, as they pursue research at universities in Connecticut, Maine, New York, Oregon, and Edinburgh, Scotland.
“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. “This scholarship program will help to ensure that some of the brightest young minds are focused on finding solutions to these issues.”
The Avangrid Foundation is dedicated to supporting projects and organizations that enhance the quality of life in communities served by AVANGRID companies. Fundación Iberdrola España is the charitable foundation of Iberdrola, S.A., AVANGRID’s corporate affiliate.
“I am thankful to the Avangrid Foundation for enabling me to pursue my graduate studies and research on offshore renewable energy,” said Caitlyn Elizabeth Clark, who is pursuing her studies at Oregon State University. “Through my research and the Avangrid Foundation’s support, I plan to advance computational tools that will enable industry members, policy makers and the public to make more informed, responsible decisions as the U.S. and the world move towards greater offshore renewable energy development.”
Global energy leader 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 from around the world. In 2016, the foundations awarded 142 scholarships for the 2016-2017 academic year, worth more than $3.9 million. That’s four times more scholarships than the program’s inaugural year, 2010, and six times the value.
This year’s recipients include:
Binghamton University, New York, USA
- Edward Cheswick of Kings Park, New York
- Mark A. Freithaler of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Oregon State University, Oregon, USA
- Caitlyn Elizabeth Clark of Lake Oswego, Oregon
Rochester Institute of Technology, New York, USA
- Jamie Sánchez-Ferragut Ardura of Madrid, Spain (funded by Fundación Iberdrola España)
- Marta De Guzman of Málaga, Spain (funded by Fundación Iberdrola España)
- Sergio Mendez Delegido of Torre Pacheco, Spain (funded by Fundación Iberdrola España)
University of Connecticut, USA
- Alexandra Longacre of Griswold, Connecticut
University of Edinburgh, Scotland
- Anna Guasco of Ventura, California
University of Maine, USA
- Gregory McDonald of North Syracuse, New York
- Michael Choiniere of Garland, Maine
University of Rochester, New York, USA
- David Villarreal Sardina of Guardo, Spain (funded by Fundación Iberdrola España)
- Javier Yuguero Nadal of Madrid, Spain (funded by Fundación Iberdrola España)
- Ulrik Soderstrom of Rochester, New York
AVANGRID is the parent company of NYSEG and RG&G in New York; Central Maine Power and Maine Natural Gas in Maine; and United Illuminating, Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas in Connecticut. It is also the corporate parent of Avangrid Renewables, with headquarters in Portland, Oregon.
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About Avangrid Foundation:
Avangrid Foundation coordinates and funds energy sustainability, environmental, social responsibility and educational programs in areas where AVANGRID and its subsidiaries operate. For more information, please visit our website: www.avangrid.com.
About AVANGRID
AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) is a diversified energy and utility company with more than $30 billion in assets and operations in 25 states. The company operates regulated utilities and electricity generation through two primary lines of business. Avangrid Networks includes eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving 3.1 million customers in New York and New England. Avangrid Renewables operates 6.3 gigawatts of electricity capacity, primarily through wind power, in states across the United States. AVANGRID employs 7,000 people. The company was formed by a merger between Iberdrola USA and UIL Holdings Corporation in 2015. IBERDROLA S.A. (Madrid: IBE), a worldwide leader in the energy industry, owns 81.5% of AVANGRID. For more information, visitwww.avangrid.com.
Media Contact:
Michael A. West, Jr.
Michael.West@avangrid.com
203.499.3858
About Avangrid: Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $44 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, Avangrid has two primary lines of business: networks and renewables. Through its networks business, Avangrid owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Through its renewables business, Avangrid owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. Avangrid employs approximately 8,000 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens. In 2024, Avangrid ranked first among utilities and 12 overall. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2024 for the sixth consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. Avangrid is a member of the group of companies controlled by Iberdrola, S.A. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com.
About Iberdrola: Iberdrola is one of the world's biggest energy companies and a leader in renewables, spearheading the energy transition to a low carbon economy. The group supplies energy to almost 100 million people in dozens of countries. With a focus on renewable energy, smart networks and smart solutions for customers, Iberdrola’s main markets include Europe (Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, France, Germany, Italy and Greece), the United States, Brazil, Mexico and Australia. The company is also present in growth markets such as Japan, Taiwan, Ireland, Sweden and Poland, among others.
With a workforce of nearly 40,000 and assets in excess of €141.7 billion, across the world, Iberdrola helps to support 400,000 jobs across its supply chain, with annual procurement of €12.2 billion. A benchmark in the fight against climate change, Iberdrola has invested more than €130 billion over the past two decades to help build a sustainable energy model, based on sound environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles.
