Students Awarded the 2021 FutureFuel Scholarship Award

Photo Submitted

Colby Free (left) & Spencer Simpson (right)

Two College of Engineering students have been awarded the 2021 FutureFuel Scholarship Award. Colby Free, a junior electrical engineering major, and Spencer Simpson, a senior electrical engineering major. The Terry Martin Endowed Outstanding Intern Award sponsored by FutureFuel Chemical Company is a $1,000 scholarship provided annually to an outstanding intern or interns.

Free said, "As an electrical engineering intern for FutureFuel Chemical Company in Batesville, Arkansas, I developed solutions for engineering problems when electrical instrumentation at the plant needed to be upgraded or changed for new chemical processes, environmental testing or failure of the previous device. To implement solutions, I created documents, technical drawings and instructions for the required change and released them to plant personnel and management, while documenting my work in an online database. Throughout my work, I gained a greater understanding of electrical engineering practices and the interpersonal communication required for effective collaboration. I am honored to receive the Terry Martin Endowed Outstanding Intern Award for my internship experience this summer."

Simpson stated, "This summer I worked with Midcontinent Independent System Operator, or MISO, in Eagan, Minnesota. I was part of the expansion planning group that worked to predict transmission for the expected future. My specific roles included designing Python scripts to automate certain applications used within the group. I gained experience within the energy sector as well as advanced my skills with Python."

The scholarship was established in 2014 by FutureFuel in recognition of Terry Martin, recently named interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. Martin has provided service and mentorship to students in the Electrical Engineering Department and the College of Engineering during his tenure as a faculty member, assistant department head of electrical engineering and senior associate dean for academics. The scholarship is open to students in the College of Engineering who have worked a full-time or part-time internship within the academic year. Preference is given to mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engineering and computer science majors.