Penn State senior research associate and associate professor of aerospace engineering,听Dr. Susan Stewart is the recipient of听笔别苍苍贵耻迟耻谤别鈥檚听2019 Woman of Renewable Energy and Climate Award. She is one of eight honorees of this year鈥檚 fifth annual鈥� Celebrating Women in鈥� Conservation鈥� Awards鈥� scheduled for April 25, 2019. The Woman of Renewable Energy and Climate Award recognizes a woman who is dedicated to addressing the impacts of climate change through the development and implementation of renewable energy technology.
鈥淭he Women in Conservation 鈥疉wards 鈥痑re 鈥痯resented 鈥痚ach year by鈥�PennFuture鈥� to 鈥痠ndividuals who 鈥痑re 鈥痗hampion advocates 鈥痠n their areas 鈥痮f conservation.鈥� Recipients are selected by鈥� PennFuture鈥� from nominations 鈥痵ubmitted by 鈥痶he 鈥痗ommunity. This year we are recognizing 鈥痚ight central Pennsylvania women,鈥� said Travis鈥�DiNicola, director of development at鈥�PennFuture, a statewide 鈥痗onservation nonprofit organization. 鈥�淲e encourage friends, families and supporters of conservation to join us in applauding these鈥� accomplished awardees at鈥� the Women in Conservation Awards鈥� celebration.鈥�鈥�鈥�
Stewart joined the Penn State faculty in 2007听and has been working in her current role in the aerospace engineering department since 2011.听She has served in several different research and teaching positions at Penn State, but her efforts always听concentrate听on renewable energy鈥攑补谤迟颈肠耻濒补谤濒测听wind and solar听辫辞飞别谤.听She was the co-author of the program proposal for the听intercollege Master of Professional Studies in Renewable Energy and Sustainability Systems.听In her four-year term as听w颈苍诲听o辫迟颈辞苍听leader for the听program, she developed multiple solar and wind energy courses.听
The roots of Stewart鈥檚 work in wind energy can be traced to her time as a research engineer at听the听Georgia Institute of Technology听(Georgia Tech), where she听helped create the Strategic Energy Institute听to听address听energy-related issues.听She and her colleagues used offshore w颈苍诲听monitoring听data to provide听groundbreaking information on听the feasibility of wind energy as a significant source of power in the southeastern United States.听
The time听Stewart spent at听Georgia Tech helped guide her academic direction upon her return to Penn State, which she attended for her undergraduate degree.听As part of Pennsylvania鈥檚 Wind for Schools program, she helps elementary and middle schools integrate wind energy activities into their curriculums. Additionally, since 2009 she has been part of an interdisciplinary program that helps building-integrated wind solutions听achieve听maximum power output.
Stewart听was born and raised in State College, PA. She听attended Penn State for her听产补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚听degree and received her master鈥檚听degree听and doctorate from Georgia Tech. She served as a research engineer at Georgia Tech for four years before returning home to State College in听2007.
The six categories with鈥� 2019 鈥疻omen in Conservation awardees are lifetime achievement; environmental education; environment arts; environmental media, marketing and communications; Susquehanna River watershed; and renewable energy and climate. For a list of all eight 2019 central Pennsylvania Women in Conservation winners, visit pennfuture.org鈥�鈥�