Dayton Engineer
Electrical Engineering Student Wins Prestigious Scholarship for Second Time
By Natalie O'Brien '19
The University of Dayton School of Engineering has a student chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). James Ryan Kronk, class of 2019 electrical engineering major, has taken advantage of the opportunities within UD’s chapter and throughout his time here it won him not one, but two scholarships.
Kronk was among the 230 recipients selected by IEEE’s Power and Energy Society (PES) for recognition. Undergraduate students must major in electrical engineering, be high achievers with strong GPAs and distinctive extracurricular activities, and demonstrate a commitment to exploring the power and energy field.
The IEEE PES purpose is to foster technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity and offers events for students such as technical workshops, professional presentations, industry presentations and student study and social events. It has been instrumental in shaping Kronk’s educational and career goals.
For Kronk, receiving this scholarship for the second time has given him a great deal of confidence.
“I feel as if I have been confirmed in my calling to work with energy systems for my career. It is exciting to be able to have the IEEE Power and Energy Society be a resource for my entire career path as well. I have a renewed confidence in myself that I can help make the world a better place through more efficient and sustainable energy. It's a tall order, but if IEEE PES believes they can invest in me, then I believe I can achieve my goals too,” said Kronk.
Kronk has made the most of his time at UD, both inside and outside of the classroom.
In addition to Kronk’s involvement in IEEE, he has actively participated in the Sustainability Club and the ETHOS Club. This summer, he will travel to Bangalore, India, on a 10-week ETHOS immersion to assist with solar installations. Kronk is a resident assistant in Virginia W. Kettering residence hall and is a division one athlete for the men’s cross country team here at UD.
His interest in electrical grids and sustainability was shaped early on. A high school teacher who knew of his interest in engineering introduced him to a friend of his working at American Electric Power (AEP).
A job shadowing experience led to a co-op at AEP working as a transmissions field services intern. At AEP, Kronk had the chance to learn all about electrical grids right on the front lines while gaining corporate experience.
In his sophomore year, Kronk was accepted as an intern to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, on a project integrating home energy management systems with different home appliances.
While in Colorado, Kronk applied to go to Iceland through the School of International Training, (SIT). SIT focuses on humanitarian issues around the world including food security, refugees and electronic media. Kronk applied to learn more about renewable energy systems and was accepted into the program, Iceland: Renewable Energy Engineering, Policy, and Economics.
After his second work rotation with AEP in transmission operations, Kronk flew to Iceland to continue his studies in renewable energy through the program. He took three classes at three credits each: Renewable energy seminar, renewable energy research, and Icelandic language.
Kronk is grateful for the opportunities he has had at UD both in and out of the classroom through hands-on coursework and great co-op experiences.
“The University of Dayton School of Engineering has helped me in many ways. First off, the school has supported me financially and educationally over the last three years. The school's co-op program helped me get the positions at AEP, and several faculty and staff members have been generous with their time and advice,” Kronk said.
He heaped special praise on his first year adviser Penny Timmer and faculty members Malcolm Daniels and Guru Subramanyam for their support.
After graduation, Kronk plans to obtain a master’s degree related to energy systems engineering. After graduate school, Kronk hopes to work with implementing solar and wind energies into smart grids.