Georgia Institute of Technology fourth-year electrical engineering student Denitsa Dimitrova was selected as a 2023-2024 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Power and Energy Society (PES) Scholar.

The initiative provides scholarships and real-world experience to undergraduates who are interested in power and energy engineering careers. Dimitrova was one of 82 undergraduate students to receive the honor this year.

She was inspired to apply for the scholarship by School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) research engineer Zhiyang Jin during her Fall 2023 ECE 3072 class.

“I recommend all students going into power to apply for this program,” Dimitrova said. “I think it's a great initiative to continue inspiring and highlighting a path for students in this field where we will have to meet the increasing energy demands of the future.”

Dimitrova plans on using the scholarship to continue her studies and research, focusing on electric energy systems and circuit technology threads.

She’s conducted research in ECE Professor Deepakraj Divan’s Center for Distributed Energy, focusing on modular battery storage systems for energy access in emerging markets.

Outside of the classroom, she’s had several internships in power generation and storage, is an ECE Ambassador, a Benchtop MPI volunteer at the Hive Makerspace, and a sea kayaking staff member for Outdoor Recreation Georgia Tech (ORGT).

These experiences have had a profound effect on her academic journey and career development, as a recent expedition to Antarctica with ORGT inspired her to shift the applications of her research to assist in the maintenance of the extreme environments on Earth and aid in creating a more sustainable industry.

The 2024 PES Scholar application opens in March.