Empowering future engineers through clean energy scholarships - meet Elizabeth

Photo caption: Elizabeth (fourth from right) with other Teesside University students and staff during a visit to the CATS terminal on Teesside.

Scholarships can significantly transform a student's educational journey by opening doors to opportunities and removing financial barriers to academic progress.

Kellas has partnered with Teesside University for several years offering scholarships to undergraduate and postgraduate students across a range of clean energy engineering courses. These scholarships are a key part of our corporate social responsibility commitment to education, and they help students gain the critical knowledge and skills needed to deliver the transition to net zero.

Elizabeth Smith, a second-year BEng (Hons) Energy Engineering student and one of our current scholars, shares her experience as a scholarship recipient and her future ambitions:

Why did you choose to study energy engineering at Teesside?

I always wanted to be an engineer and showed a real aptitude for physics, chemistry and maths at school. But I was uncertain about which engineering discipline I wanted to focus on and spent a few years in a career as a web developer before figuring out the right engineering path for me. I became increasingly interested in the emerging renewable energy sector, and Teesside is one of only a few universities offering dedicated courses, and of course it offers the significant advantage of being able to apply for a Kellas clean energy scholarship.

What are you most enjoying about your course?

I love the mix of subjects that the course offers. It teaches more traditional engineering disciplines like electrical, mechanical and civil, alongside modules focused on renewable energy processes, such as wind. The university itself has some fantastic facilities, with access to lots of support to assist my studies, and really helpful research resources.

In what ways is the scholarship enhancing your educational experience?

The Kellas scholarship has made a huge difference financially, allowing me to focus on my coursework rather than having to juggle studying with employment, and I am in a much more financially-secure position thanks to the funding. On top of that, Kellas has also been hugely supportive when it comes to offering hands-on experience, and I have had the opportunity twice to visit their CATS gas terminal on Teesside. It was amazing to see the energy infrastructure up close and find out about the critical role CATS plays in the UK’s energy security.

What are your future career goals?

Thanks to the Kellas scholarship, my energy engineering studies are off to a great start and I look forward to learning more throughout the remainder of my course. Teesside is an industrial area with lots of exciting work going on to support the energy transition which will hopefully provide opportunities for internships and employment for future engineers like myself.