Science and Technology Scholarship Recipients

The PEP Science and Technology Scholarship fund was established for employees of PEP member companies and their dependents. The fund allows PEP to invest in and support educational opportunities in the engineering and environmental sciences to expose students to critical issues involving the Gulf Coast.

Read more about past recipients of this scholarship below.

2023 Recipient - Zachary Burkett, University of South Alabama

Major: Civil Engineering

Zachary Burkett is a full-time undergraduate Civil Engineering student at the University of South Alabama. He is currently a sophomore on the President’s List with a 4.0 GPA. After completing his degree, he aspires to design and construct systems that mitigate plastic waste, fostering a cleaner and more ethical society. Zachary’s father is David Burkett, an employee of Outokumpu Stainless.

2022 Recipient - Blakley Parker, Auburn University

Major: Engineering Management – Occupational Safety and Ergonomics

Blakley is employed at Performance Contractors as the Environmental Health and Safety Administrative Assistant. She is a second-year graduate student at Auburn University majoring in Engineering Management with a focus on Occupational Safety and Ergonomics. After completing her studies at Auburn, she plans to attend Tulane University to take courses to prepare for the Industrial Hygienist Certification Exam.

2021 Recipient - Riley McGlasson, Southern Methodist University

Majors: Engineering Management Science and Chemistry

Riley is currently a junior at Southern Methodist University. She is double majoring in Engineering Management Sciences and Chemistry. Based on her studies, Riley has found that as the field of biotechnology grows, science has moved from a qualitative field to a quantitative field. Riley hopes to take what she has learned to solve many of our modern-day environmental issues such as pollution after she graduates.

2019 Recipient - Patrick Burden, University of Southern Mississippi

Major: Geology

Patrick is currently a senior geology student at the University of Southern Mississippi and has been accepted into the geology program at the University of Louisiana Lafayette for the upcoming fall semester (2019). After Patrick earns his MS in geology from ULL, he plans to work with a petroleum company or environmental firm to assess the subsurface – anything from exploring undiscovered petroleum systems to monitoring flooding patterns and creating environmental maps for the public’s overall safety.

Patrick says that the most influential factor that led to him becoming a geologist was his love for the outdoors. Growing up in Mobile, Alabama, it was always easy for Patrick to find something to do outside. Patrick wants to become a geologist to gain a better and deeper understanding of Earth and take that understanding and apply it to critical issues.