Scholarships

ASES offers four scholarships for students and young professionals in renewable energy.

1. Don Aitken Memorial Scholarship was founded in 2022 to provide a $500 scholarship to students who wish to pursue a career in renewable energy and are ASES student members, with a preference for active student chapter members and/or ASES interns. Candidates may submit an application that demonstrates active involvement with ASES and shows a strong interest in the renewable energy fields related to solar, such as business, research, engineering, architecture, journalism, legal, financial, real estate, policy, and sustainable living. Dr. Donald Aitken (1936 – 2022) twice served as President of the American Solar Energy Society and was Vice President of the International Solar Energy Society. Dr. Aitken received many awards for his lifetime service in solar energy and for his building designs that emphasized the use of natural daylighting and passive solar. Find more info and support students in renewable energy. Apply today.
2. John and Barbara Yellott Award: A $500 scholarship is given to a graduate student concentrating on solar energy in a recognized institution of higher learning. John I. Yellott was instrumental in guiding the activities of the predecessor organization of ASES – the Association for Applied Solar Energy – in its early years during the 1950s. He was a recognized researcher in the solar energy field, a user of solar energy in his own home, and an entrepreneur participating in the growth of the solar industry. He was associated with the Department of Architecture at Arizona State University, where he taught solar energy subjects. He and his wife, Barbara Yellott, were long interested in students and made gifts to ASES for the purpose of recognizing and supporting a student working in the solar energy field. Nominate a student.
3. Justice Equity Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) Scholarships provide each recipient with a complimentary registration to our annual conference. This was founded in 2021 on the goal of increasing opportunities for building a diverse and equitable community. Funding criteria include a commitment for the inclusion of clean energy professionals and students of all genders, races, ages, sexual orientations, disabilities, nationalities, political views, geographical locations, and cross-cutting disciplinary expertise. Check for availability.
4. Gene Clark Memorial Scholarship provides a $1,000 scholarship annually to a graduate student. Dr. Eugene ‘Gene’ Clark was a recognized expert and lifetime advocate of solar energy and active and passive heating and cooling for buildings. Gene was associated with the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Trinity University, in San Antonio, TX, where he taught from 1975 to 2011, rising to the rank of Professor and serving as department chair. From 1976 – 1986, Gene was a founder and Director of the multi-disciplinary graduate program in Applied Solar Energy at Trinity University. The curriculum included courses from the Department of Engineering Sciences and Physics, including most thermal and photovoltaic applications of solar energy, with an emphasis on active and passive heating and cooling systems for buildings. Apply today.  Help support the Gene Clark Memorial Scholarship.
5. Wenger Shugar Solar + Storage Scholarship, established in 2025, supports the next generation of solar and storage innovators, scientists, and system designers through a $3,000 award. Howard Wenger has more than 35 years of experience in the solar and utility power sectors and is a recognized business leader and board executive. He has served as president of Nextpower Inc. since February 2022 and previously held senior leadership roles, including president and board member of Solaria Corporation, president and CEO of SunPower Corporation Systems, and executive vice president and board member of PowerLight Corporation. Wenger holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder. Dan Shugar, an engineer and global solar technology pioneer for 35 years, is dedicated to advancing solutions that reduce costs and accelerate the worldwide deployment of clean energy through technology innovation and domestic manufacturing partnerships. He founded Nextpower Inc., now a global market leader and one of the most successful solar technology companies. Shugar has held multiple leadership roles across the industry, delivered keynote speeches at major global business and solar technology conferences, and published more than 50 technical papers.  Apply today.