Student wins major honor for utility research

An industrial project undertaken by a Mississippi State senior and his professor has resulted in a top award from an international engineering organization.

Jeff Smith, an electrical engineering major from Long Beach, received the Best Undergraduate Entry Award in international competition sponsored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

“This is a first for the state,” said Mark Halpin, the assistant professor with whom Smith collaborated. “This award has never been won by a Mississippi student that we know of.”

Smith and Halpin researched ways to avoid the voltage flicker that sometimes plagues industries from a surge of power usage by other industrial customers.

Following graduation in December, Smith will continue graduate studies at Mississippi State.