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Thursday 8 August 2019 4:38pm

Emily Jiang 2019 image
Energy Management student Emily Jiang is the recipient of one of The Energy Education Trust NZ Undergraduate Scholarships.

Energy Management student Emily Jiang has been awarded a $5,000 undergraduate scholarship from Energy Education Trust NZ.

The Energy Education Trust NZ Undergraduate Scholarship – awarded annually to 15 students across the country – encourages university study with an emphasis on energy within the fields of economics, engineering, science, energy management and related fields.

“I was grinning when I read the first few lines of that email. I didn't text my parents though until after I got the official word, just in case it was a mix up!”

Emily was the only Otago student shortlisted for the scholarship and travelled to Christchurch for an interview.

“When I started at University I saw the energy programme and I thought it sounded interesting. I’m into sustainability and I really liked physics in high school,” she says.

Emily is interested to see how as a nation New Zealand will transition its transportation away from fossil fuels towards electrification with hopefully more pedestrian and cyclist-friendly infrastructure.

“I'm also keen on the idea of looking at reducing consumer demand and the potential for consumers to be their own producers of energy.”

Emily is on track to complete her Bachelor of Applied Science majoring in Energy Management and minoring in Chemistry this year.

She plans to use the scholarship to help pay for her course fees for the honours programme next year, she says.

After previously missing out on the scholarship, Emily went into this year’s interview prepared but left not feeling overly confident she had nailed the interview.

However, she was elated to find out she had been awarded the scholarship after receiving an email while in class telling her she had been selected.

“I was grinning when I read the first few lines of that email. I didn't text my parents though until after I got the official word, just in case it was a mix up!”

Dr Michael Jack, Co-director of Otago’s Energy Management programme, says Emily is academically a great student.

“She also has great people skills and has a calm, thoughtful approach to problems. I think these traits mean that she will be a great energy professional.”

Emily hopes after completing her studies she can continue on to employment in the energy sector.

However, just what avenue she journeys down is still up in the air.

“I'm hoping next year I'll be able to narrow my focus a bit more.”

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