Laura Novoa

I was born in the beautiful coastal city of Santos, in Brazil. I started my undergraduate studies at Universidade Federal do ABC (Brazil), where I completed my B.S. in Science and Technology, an interdisciplinary program that provided me with the skills to identify links and interactions between different subjects in science.

 

Later in my academic life I decided to pursue a B.S. in Energy Engineering, mainly because this major covers three fields that I am deeply interested in: Power Systems, Thermodynamic Processes and Energy Efficiency. My interest in these areas arises from my belief that a clean, cheap, and sustainable energy supply will be a major challenge to our community in the near future; therefore, a society able to consume and manage their energy resources with sense and insight will always be one step ahead. 

 

In 2012 I was granted the Brazil Science Without Borders Undergraduate Program Scholarship to study one year abroad as an Electrical Engineering major at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo, CA. At Cal Poly SLO I had the chance to experience the learn-by-doing approach and meet illustrious faculty in both the Electric and Mechanical Engineering Departments. This whole experience has solidified my desire to continue my studies through a Ph.D. program on the effects of Renewable Energy integration on a Microgrid Topology.

 

Currently, I am a graduate student researcher at the Advanced Power and Energy Program (APEP) at University of California, Irvine, which has been the most exciting and valuable experience in my academic life due to the excellence of this institution, and also the support of great people, professors and friends who welcomed me so well.