Jisong Ryu, Jhanavi Hegde and Chance Krueger are winners of the 2024 Bright Future in Energy Scholarship Competition. Ryu, Hegde and Krueger impressed the judges with standout research and presentations, which focused on how nuclear energy and carbon capture technologies could move the nation closer to net-zero emissions.
Ryu, a junior at Timberline High School in Boise, Idaho, earned the top scholar award and a grand prize scholarship of $12,000. Hegde, a junior at Mountain View High School in Mountain View, California, and Krueger, a senior at Atoka High School in Atoka, Oklahoma, were each recognized as runners-up and earned scholarships of $6,500.
The Bright Future in Energy Scholarship Competition is an annual competition open to 11th- and 12th-grade students interested in a postsecondary education and career focused on science, technology, engineering or math. Battelle Energy Alliance provides funding for these scholarships.
“This is a highly competitive scholarship program with impressive submissions from all over the country. Jisong, Jhanavi and Chance rose to the top with their outstanding research projects and presentations,” said Jennifer Jackson, INL’s STEM Education Program director. “They are exceptional, bright students, and we are excited to help them pursue a STEM education.”
Students were invited to consider and research a question from one of three science-related prompts and prepare a virtual presentation for an expert panel of INL judges. The prompts focused on nuclear energy, the environment, and protecting our nation’s critical infrastructure from cyberattacks.
Grand prize winner: Jisong Ryu – Timberline High School, Boise, Idaho
Ryu studied the question, “How do we develop a truly sustainable recycling method that is economically feasible, environmentally responsible and socially justifiable? What role can such a program play in helping the world achieve a future with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions?” She earned the grand prize for her project, “Nature’s Recyclers: Harnessing Microbe Capabilities to Achieve a Net-Zero Future,” studying how microbial inoculation could enable sustainable recycling practices and how this technology could be scaled up to commercial and industrial uses.
Ryu expects to graduate in 2025. While she has not settled on a university yet, she plans to pursue a degree that matches her interest in climate science and policy.
Jhanavi Hegde – Mountain View High School, Mountain View, California
Hegde studied the question, “Consider your nearest major city. What are the cybersecurity concerns associated with operating this city’s government, energy and transportation infrastructure? How can these concerns be communicated in a way that creates greater cybersecurity awareness in schools, communities and industry?” She earned a scholarship for her project, “Confronting Cybersecurity Concerns,” studying how improved cybersecurity awareness could reduce human error and reduce the effects of cyberattacks on government infrastructure and transportation networks.
Hegde expects to graduate in 2025. While she has not settled on a university yet, she plans to pursue a degree in data science with a possible minor in environmental science.
Chance Krueger – Atoka High School, Atoka, Oklahoma
Krueger studied the question, “What role does nuclear energy play in helping the world achieve a future with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions? How do the benefits and risks of nuclear energy compare with other existing energy technologies?” He earned a scholarship for his project, “Nuclear Energy: The Future of America’s Industry,” studying how nuclear energy plays a role in varied commercial sectors like medicine, transportation and industry – in addition to energy.
Krueger graduated in 2024. He attends East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma, where he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in medical physics.
To learn more about the Bright Future in Energy Scholarship, visit inl.gov/bright-future.
