18 CEAT students awarded the Martin Family Scholarship

18 CEAT students awarded the Martin Family Scholarship

Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Media Contact: Kristi Wheeler | Manager, CEAT Marketing and Communications | 405-744-5831 | [email protected]

Eighteen students from the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology were awarded the Martin Family Scholarship.

The scholarship is awarded to students involved in the Cyclone Cowboys and who have gone above and beyond in the promotion of wind energy in the community and advancement of wind energy research at Oklahoma State University. The award is part of the Renewable and Innovative Sustainable Energy (RAISE) grant that was awarded to the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering as an initiative supported by the Martin Family Foundation to "raise" student's awareness of opportunities and challenges associated with renewable and green energies.

The Cyclone Cowboys, an ECE-led interdisciplinary student group advised by ECE assistant professor of practice Nate Lannan, aims to spread awareness of wind energy. The group started in 2022 as a club that any major and grade can participate in. By having a diverse team, they are able to look at a problem and have many views on how to address it. Problem solving from different perspectives means having a unique solution, more in-depth discussion and skills from a range of people. Having team members who are proficient in everything from welding to website design drives their success. OSU's rigorous curriculum means that students are equipped with skills, both theoretical and technical.

Each year the Cyclone Cowboys participate in the Collegiate Wind Competition, an annual competition held by the U.S. Department of Energy that prepares college students for jobs in the wind energy workforce through real-world project development and outreach experience. By participating in the competition, schools and students connect with wind energy experts and industry contacts, enhancing schools' curriculum offerings and strengthening students' professional networks.

Their first year at the CWC (2023), they made it to the finals, placing 11th, including a top-10 finish in turbine design. Last year in 2024, they didn't make finals but still attended the competition as a "learn along" team.

Dragan Stewart, a fourth grade student at Richmond Elementary School learns about wind energy.

"Every year, the Cyclone Cowboys amaze me with their fearless achievements," Lannan said. "Each semester, I challenge them with tasks beyond their experience, and they always deliver. In their first year, they built our first wind turbine and launched a student organization. The second year, they developed a variable pitch blade system and a 35-mph wind tunnel. This year, they're building a vertical blade system and a peak power tracking variable load - and we're already more than halfway there."

As part of engaging in outreach activities, the Cyclone Cowboys visit each elementary school in Stillwater to educate fourth and fifth graders about various methods of converting wind turbine motion into electrical output.

Lannan said these scholarship winners go beyond coursework, volunteering to educate youth, advancing wind research and leading the organization.

"My one wish is to involve more students from majors outside engineering, especially business, finance, marketing, education, environmental science, and design," he said.

Students who received the award are:

Albert Assifuah, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Senior
Kris Barton, Electrical Engineering Technology, Senior
Ethan Brown, Electrical Engineering Technology, Senior
Gavin Chenier, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Senior
Harlan Cox, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Junior
Carson Cremeens, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Senior
Elise Culp, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Senior
Gaurav Das, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Senior
Maddie Holland, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Senior
Megan Jackson, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Senior
Hunter Moeller, Electrical Engineering Technology, Senior
Andy McEvoy, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Senior
Pedro Carbajal Orellana, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Senior
Evan Quinton, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Junior
Mason Quinton, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Junior
Elva Soto, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Senior
Danny Stearman, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Senior
Adrian Toquothty, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Graduate

"There is no question that the success of the Cyclone Cowboys is, in large part, due to the fantastic leadership of Professor Lannan and the generous support of the Martin Family Foundation, who has financially partnered with ECE/CEAT for the past three years," said Dr. Jeffrey Young, ECE professor.

If students want to join, please reach out to Lannan ([email protected]) or the president of Cyclone Cowboys, Danny Stearman ([email protected]).

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