Tuesday November 12, 2024 • Brian Lopez:
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Shreyya Nair, a master’s student in electrical engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington, credits her internship this semester to UTA’s Advanced Power & Energy Lab-to-Job-Training for Underserved Students (APLUS) program.

Nair interned at Megger, an electrical testing equipment company, where she gained hands-on experience before graduating. Through the APLUS program, she met professionals in the energy sector and discovered the skills she needed to secure an internship and, one day, a full-time job.

“Without the APLUS program, I would not have been able to practice and implement my fundamental knowledge of electrical systems,” Nair said. “This allowed me to gain the experience required for my internship.”

The APLUS program, led by Liwei Zhou, assistant professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, was launched in April with funding from a $200,000 U.S. Department of Energy grant. Dr. Zhou’s program teaches electrical engineering students skills that translate directly to work in industry, such as how to build circuit boards for electric vehicle chargers and other power supplies.

To support this effort, he invited 10 energy-based companies to campus to provide student seminars on how to apply these skills to internships and job opportunities.

Zhou says the program aims to bridge the gap between theory and industry for engineering students, especially those who do not gain practical experience.

Our goals as professors are not only to explain theory, but also to connect our students with industry and give them the experience they need to graduate and go job hunting. “, he said.

UTA is at the forefront of the energy sector, exploring ways to better meet the electricity needs of Texans. Last spring, the Department of Electrical Engineering rreceived a $1.6 million federal grant improve wholesale electricity markets regionally and nationally. This fall, the University also fully launched its resource and energy engineering degree program equip students with the skills to address local, national and global energy challenges.

About the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)

Located in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, The University of Texas at Arlington is a comprehensive institution of education, research, and public service dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through scholarship and creative work. With a staff of approximately 41,000 students, UT Arlington is the second largest institution in the UT system. UTA’s combination of outstanding academics and innovative research contributes to its designation as a “very high research activity” Carnegie R-1 institution, a milestone in excellence. The University is designated as Hispanic Serving Institution and a Institution Serving Asian American Indian Pacific Islanders by the U.S. Department of Education and received the Seal of Excellency for his commitment to accelerating the success of Latino students. The University ranks as the #1 national public university in the United States for veterans (Military times2024), No. 4 in Texas for advancing social mobility (US News and World Report2025), and #6 in the United States for its undergraduate ethnic diversity (US News and World Report2025). UT Arlington’s approximately 270,000 alumni hold leadership positions in many of the 21 Fortune 500 companies headquartered in North Texas and contribute to the state’s $28.8 billion annual economic impact. University of Texas.