Cody Bond (left) and Dr. Halil Berberoglu (right) in front a parabolic mirror used in their research.
He is the only mechanical engineering student this year awarded. NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees in fields within NSF's mission. It provides three years of support for the graduate education of individuals who have demonstrated their potential for significant achievements in science and engineering research. The fellowship includes a $32,000 stipend and a cost-of-education allowance of $12,000 to the degree-granting institution.
Military service, college and a Sandia Labs internship
Marine Sergeant Cody Bond in Okinawa, Japan.
Bond, an Oregon native, began his graduate work here in the fall of 2013 and joined the Solar Energy and Renewable Fuels Group led by Assistant Professor Halil Berberoglu. Before pursuing an engineering degree, he served for four and a half years as a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. After his service he earned his BSME degree from the University of New Mexico in 2013 with hopes of working in the renewable energy industry. During his time in Albuquerque, he worked at Sandia National Laboratories as a student intern in the Wind Energy Technologies Department, which served to ignite his interest in renewable energy and motivated him to pursue a graduate degree. This led him to the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Texas at Austin.
Research interests
Currently, he is researching the utility of using concentrated solar thermal radiation for use in various thermo-chemical reactors for converting a number of biomass feedstock into fungible biofuels.
Military Leadership
Bond was selected for the award, in part, because of his leadership skills gleaned from his military service, as well as his experience interacting with people of other cultures. This is his first competitive scholarship award. The Post 9/11 GI Bill and two semesters as a teaching assistant have allowed him to finance his masters degree to date.
Advising professor, Halil Berberoglu
He chose The University of Texas at Austin mainly due to his interest in solar and renewable energy, and the opportunity to work with Dr. Berberoglu, a rising star in the biofuel sector. He writes:
Future plans
Upon completion of his education, Bond would like to pursue a career in the energy sector. He plans to focus on the integration of renewable energies into existing infrastructures or to develop and implement new renewable technologies that decrease society's dependence on finite energy sources.
