Michael Sullivan Selected for 2020 Siemens Peter Hammond Scholarship
PITTSBURGH (Feb. 27, 2020) — Michael Sullivan, a master’s student in electrical and computer engineering at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, has been selected to receive this year’s Siemens Peter Hammond Scholarship for $10,000.
The scholarship is named for Peter Hammond, inventor of the Perfect Harmony drive and long-time engineer at Siemens who is now retired. Hammond’s Perfect Harmony drive is a high-power machine that controls the speed of large motors; today, it is a key part of Siemens’ medium voltage variable frequency drive portfolio. The resulting energy savings on large pumps, fans, compressors, and other industrial equipment have had an enormous environmental impact, the carbon footprint equivalent of removing millions of cars from the road.
The annual scholarship, which is in its fourth year, was open to any student in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Swanson School. Students must complete an application, supplementing it with an essay, letters of recommendation, a resume and their transcript.
“Not only is Michael’s academic work remarkable, but he embodies the humility and good nature that Peter Hammond embodied throughout his career,” says Brandon Grainger, PhD, associate director of the Energy GRID Institute, Eaton Faculty Fellow and assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at the Swanson School. “This scholarship invests in the students who will someday be the engineers pursuing bold ideas like the Perfect Harmony drive.”
Before attending Swanson School, Sullivan worked for a decade as an electrician, where he was first introduced to the field of electrical engineering. Excited to learn of a career path so well suited to his curiosity about how things work, he pursued a bachelor’s degree at Pitt. Once he finishes earning his master’s degree in 2021, he plans to become a research engineer and work part-time toward a PhD.
Previous recipients include Jacob Friedrich, MSEE; Thomas Cook, MSEE; and Ryan Brody, MSEE.
The scholarship was presented Feb. 21, 2020, and included a presentation by Jason Hoover, director of business development at Siemens Industry.
“The pool of applicants for this year’s scholarship was diverse and impressive, and we’re proud to have Michael Sullivan as the recipient of the 2020 Siemens Peter Hammond Scholarship,” says Hoover. “Michael’s innovative spirit, humility, and passion for engineering are all virtues that reflect Pete Hammond and make Michael a very worthy recipient of this award.”
Contact: Maggie Pavlick