IEEE-ISA-2011

IEEE WV Section Student Awards
April 27, 2011
Charleston, WV

On Wednesday April 27, 2011, the West Virginia Section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
(IEEE, https://www.ewh.ieee.org/r2/west_virginia) held its third annual senior college student competition in engineering. All senior students in engineering or the physical sciences in the region covered by the Chapter, which includes Charleston, Huntington, Parkersburg, Bluefield, Lewisburg and Logan, among others, were invited to submit their project for evaluation. This competition was sponsored by the International Society of Automation (ISA, https://www.isa.org/~charl/) Charleston Section¹ and IEEE WV Section as a joint collaboration for the first time in the past 10 years.

From all of the applicants, three projects were selected to present their contributions at a meeting of the section. These projects covered topics from the maximum power point tracking of solar systems in West Virginia to advanced techniques for DC/AC inverters.

The first prize went to Derrick Dolson from WVU Tech in Montgomery for the project “Three Phase DC to AC Inverter” which carefully considered the criteria for driving industrial AC motors. Second place was given to Colin Hoylman who presented “Space Vector Modulation Voltage Source Inverter Variable Frequency”, describing a new, highly efficient technique to drive DC/AC inverters. Third place was awarded to Robbie Armstrong for “A Highly Efficient Maximum Power Point tracking method for Residential Solar Systems”. (Derrick presented Robbie’s project)

The meeting was chaired by Kourosh Sedghisigarchi, assistant professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at WVU Tech, and by vice-chair Asad Davari, professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at WVU Tech. The evaluation committee was organized by Tushar Shah from Eagle Research Corporation. The judges were Grayg Ralphsnyder from Taggart Global, Bruce McClung, IEEE life fellow, Ron Rogillio, Russ Safreed, and Jessica Spurlock.

The West Virginia section of the IEEE is dedicated to helping promote education and achievement in all aspects of the physical sciences with a particular emphasis in electrical engineering and all the of the section members are pleased with the quality training and opportunities available in engineering fields in West Virginia.

	IEEE WV Chair Kourosh Sedghisigarchi introducing the competition and preparing to get the evening under way.

Derrick Dolson, from WVU Tech in Montgomery, gives his presentation for the project “Three Phase DC to AC Inverter,” which carefully considered the criteria for driving industrial AC motors.
	Colin Hoylman presents “Space Vector Modulation Voltage Source Inverter Variable Frequency”, describing a new, highly efficient technique to drive DC/AC inverters.
Robbie Armstrong for “A Highly Efficient Maximum Power Point tracking method for Residential Solar Systems.” (Derrick presented Robbie’s project)
	And the difficult task of judging these fine candidates is up to our five judges, Grayg Ralphsnyder from Taggart Global, Bruce McClung, IEEE life fellow, Ron Rogillio from Kanawha Valley Community and Technical College, Russ Safreed, and ISA Directory Committee Chairperson Jessica Spurlock
ISA Directory Committee Chairperson Jessica Spurlock presents the first place prize of $500 to Derick Dolson for his presentation on the “Three Phase DC to AC Inverter.”
	ISA Directory Committee Chairperson Jessica Spurlock presents the second place prize of $300 to Colin Hoylman for his presentation on the “Space Vector Modulation Voltage Source Inverter Variable Frequency.”
Derrick Dolson accepts the third place prize of $200 from ISA Directory Committee Chairperson Jessica Spurlock on behalf of Robbie Armstrong for his presentation on “A Highly Efficient Maximum Power Point tracking method for Residential Solar Systems.”
	A time for fellowship following the awards presentation.
Kourosh Sedghisigarchi, IEEE WV Chair, and Asad Davari, IEEE WV Vice Chair, standing beside our winners in the competition, Colin Hoylman and Derrick Dolson (Robbie Armstrong not shown).