Maria Abreu-Sepulveda, a second year Ph.D. student in materials science, has been awarded a $25,000 fellowship by Iberdrola USA Foundation and the Fundación Iberdrola Scholarship Program.
Abreu-Sepulveda, a native of Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, plans to work as an industrial researcher, and also hopes to collaborate with the University of Puerto Rico to support students who are pursuing careers in science.
Abreu-Sepulveda is currently researching oxygen reactions that occur at the air cathode in metal-air batteries in an effort to improve their efficiency.
"Winning the Iberdrola USA Foundation Fellowship was a boost for my enthusiasm and confidence," said Abreu-Sepulveda. "It makes me feel very welcome to the community of researchers who are currently looking for new ways to improve our quality of life through the smart use of energy and renewable energy sources."
Iberdrola USA and its parent, Iberdrola S.A., a global energy company based in Madrid, established the scholarships to support graduate studies in renewable energy, environmental protection, climate change, and energy efficiency. Last year the foundations awarded scholarships to 59 students around the world.