Nicole Parker will cross the stage at UCF’s Fall 2024 commencement ceremony poised to make the world a better place by developing more efficient renewable energy sources, integrating renewable energy into the grid and making existing power systems more efficient and reliable.

Parker graduates this semester with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and will be working for global energy technology leader Siemens. As a power protection and automation engineer she will have the opportunity to design and implement innovative power protection and automation solutions for evolving power systems, paving the way for the integration of clean energy and smart technologies.

“I am very excited to … work at a company that I feel is making a positive impact,” she says.

Parker says she was inspired to enter the field by her passion for protecting the environment and motivated by the promising growth in the renewable energy industry.

“I want to contribute to the creation of more sustainable, reliable and efficient power systems,” she says. “I love being outside and contributing to environmental advocacy, so I decided that I would combine my passions and focus on electric power systems.”

Gaining Skills Through Hands-on Experiences

Parker says UCF has been instrumental in preparing her for her career, sharing that her internships and jobs offered at the Society of Women Engineers conferences were made possible with support from UCF. In addition, an introduction from her academic advisor connected her to a recruiter at Siemens to help her land her future job.

“My professors and advisors have set me up for success through their continual support,” Parker says. “I have learned important skills in my classes and have had teachers that were eager to help me achieve my goals.”

“My professors and advisors have set me up for success through their continual support.”

At UCF, she was able to gain hands-on experience with technology used in the industry as a member of the Siemens Digital Grid Lab, led by Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Associate Professor Wei Sun.

The lab, an in-kind gift from Siemens in 2017, is used as part of the curriculum in upper-level electrical engineering classes and serves as an active research lab. The facility gives students and researchers the opportunity to use real-time digital simulations of power grids and prototype microgrid systems. The lab also enables users to incorporate renewable energy sources and design and operate self-healing grids that are less vulnerable to cyberattacks and natural disasters, including damage from hurricanes.

Winning Top Honors

Parker recently demonstrated her skills as a future electrical engineer through her senior design project, Cyber Smart Home Integrated Environment for Learning and Defense (CYBER SHIELD). Complete with a mini replica that emulated a real smart home powered by solar, she and her teammates developed a novel educational tool that provided an engaging, interactive experience in demonstrating how smart power systems work. The project also featured a cyberattack detection algorithm to help show vulnerabilities in the power grid and potential ways to mitigate these risks.

CYBER SHIELD won the coveted Best in Show award of the Fall 2024 Senior Design Showcase, awarded to the top overall project among all engineering disciplines.

“I am beyond thankful that I was a part of such an impactful project with the most amazing team,” Parker says. “CYBER SHIELD turned out even better than I could have ever imagined thanks to the hard work and dedication of each team member. It is amazing to think that this project will continue to educate students in the lab long after we have graduated. We made sure to hang a picture of the team, or our CYBER SHIELD family, in the house to preserve the great memories.”

Making the Most of Her College Journey

Outside the classroom, Parker showed her commitment to the energy sector through her involvement with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Power and Energy Society (IEEE PES), serving as its vice president. She has been recognized for her service and stellar academic record by being awarded two scholarships from the IEEE PES Scholarship Plus Initiative.

When it came time to choose a college, UCF’s highly rated electrical engineering program was a key factor in her decision.

“I chose to attend UCF because it is a leader in STEM education.”

“I chose to attend UCF because it is a leader in STEM education,” says Parker. “I have wanted to be an engineer since I was in fifth grade, and I saw that UCF had one of the best electrical engineering programs in the state.”

As she looks back on her time at UCF, her fondest memories involve enjoying UCF’s beautiful campus, underscoring her appreciation for nature and her drive to create sustainable solutions by working in the power industry.

“I have so many fond memories walking with my friends in the UCF Arboretum, playing guitar by Lake Claire, and watching the beautiful Florida sunsets through the trees on the trails,” she says.

Finding Success After Graduation

Parker will have the opportunity to share her environmental advocacy well beyond Florida as she embarks on an international adventure after commencement, sharing her expertise halfway around the world before starting her position with Siemens in North Carolina next June.

“I will be volunteering in the Philippines, Thailand and Spain,” she says. “In each place, I will be working on projects focused on environmental initiatives and conservation.”

“I would like to say thank you to all of the amazing professors at UCF who have gone above and beyond to help students succeed.”

Although her new adventures will take her many miles away from UCF, her heart will forever remain with Knight Nation.

“I would like to say thank you to all of the amazing professors at UCF who have gone above and beyond to help students succeed,” Parker says. “I have had some of the best teachers of my life here at UCF. I will never forget the time and effort my professors spent on helping me learn and accomplish my dreams. I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Wei Sun, Dr. [Arthur] Weeks, Dr. Qun Zhou Sun and Dr. Justin Phelps for being incredible sources of inspiration. Also, thank you to my research team in the Digital Grid Lab for their constant support and collaboration, as well as to Dr. [Reza] Abdolvand for fostering an environment where students are inspired to aim for greatness.”