Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE) works with industry leaders to support a diversified workforce at WINDPOWER 2018
Six Rudd Mayer awardees will be joined by five Wind at Our Backs Scholars and recognized during the WRISE Luncheon
Brooklyn, NY —WRISE has selected six 2018 Rudd Mayer Memorial Fellows and five 2018 Wind at Our Backs scholars and plans to recognize them at the group’s luncheon on Wednesday, May 9th during the WINDPOWER 2018 Conference and Exhibition in Chicago. The Wind Energy Foundation (WEF) created the Wind at Our Backs scholarship in 2016 to empower women working toward degrees or certifications in the wind industry.
2018 Rudd Mayer Fellows:
- Casey Fontana, University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Sarah Fischer, Ohio State University
- Elpiniki Apostolaki Iosifidou, University of California – Berkeley
- Delaney Williams, Bryn Mawr College
- Jeri Wisman, Old Dominion University
- Usgal Zandanbal, Pennsylvania State University
2018 Wind at Our Backs Scholars:
- Ashley Hobbs, High Plains Technology Center
- Amanda McAulay, Mesalands Community College
- Elaine Schalen-Hutchison, MIAT College of Technology
- Erin Vazquez, Texas State Technical College
- Desiree Walker, Mesalands Community College
“The women receiving this year’s awards are already making a positive impact in the renewable energy field,” said WRISE Executive Director, Kristen Graf. “The addition of the Wind at Our Backs Scholarship is allowing us to bring more women to this important annual event and help jumpstart their careers in the field. Both the Fellows and the Scholars continue to build on the legacy of Rudd Mayer with their passion, desire to pursue an education, and potential to make important contributions in the future. I look forward to seeing their careers grow in the years to come.”
“Wind turbine technician is one of the fastest growing jobs in the nation,” said John Kostyack, Executive Director of the Wind Energy Foundation. “This year’s Wind at Our Backs scholarships recipients are a group of bright young women that are well-positioned to put their immediately put their educations to use.”
About the Rudd Mayer Fellowship:
The Rudd Mayer Fellowship is WRISE’s way of supporting women in the academic community, college students and recent graduates, who are interested in expanding their knowledge and engaging in the renewable energy field by attending the WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition. This annual fellowship is awarded on a competitive basis and selection is based on commitment to renewable energy development, academic achievement, potential for future contributions to the U.S. renewable energy community, and financial need. The 2018 Rudd Mayer fellowship is made possible with the generous support of Siemens Gamesa, TPI Composites and Nextera Energy.
About Wind at Our Backs Scholarship:
The Wind Energy Foundation, in concert with the American Wind Energy Association and WRISE, created a scholarship to empower women working toward degrees or certifications in the wind industry. The scholarship – conceived by NextEra Energy, and sponsored by Blattner Energy, GE Renewable Energy, the NextEra Energy Foundation, and Suzlon – will allow the Wind Energy Foundation to offer $2,500 scholarships to as many as fifteen individuals over the next three years. Scholarship recipients will also receive a trip to WINDPOWER, the industry’s premier trade show and educational event, where they can attend seminars on current wind energy issues, view state-of-the-art technology, meet others in the renewable energy field, and connect with potential employers.
About Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy:
WRISE was founded in 2005 and works to promote the education, professional development, and advancement of women to achieve a strong diversified workforce and support a robust renewable energy economy. Since that time, WRISE has grown to an organization with local chapters in the US and Canada; national programming that includes activities at renewable trade shows across the country, the Leadership Forum, Take Charge Workshops, mentoring, professional development and webinar series; and a growing grassroots network of more than 5,000 women and men.
About the Wind Energy Foundation
The Wind Energy Foundation (WEF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to raising public awareness of wind as a clean, domestic energy source through communication, research, and education. WEF’s campaigns and programs are aimed at educating decision makers, the media, and general public about the economic and environmental benefits of wind energy and need for policy action to secure these benefits. We recruit, train, and mobilize leaders from the wind industry, other renewable energy sectors, and the broader community of supporters to deliver personalized messages about how renewable energy is helping to improve our economy and environment.
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