PITTSBURGH (March 4, 2020) — David Skrovanek (ECE’19), a University
of Pittsburgh alumnus, electrical engineer, accomplished musician, and
polyglot, is adding Fulbright Scholar to his list of accomplishments. One of
the 14 Pitt students and alumni to receive a Fulbright in 2019, Skrovanek is currently
earning his master’s in electrical engineering with a concentration in optical
and radio telecommunications at the Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft, in Dresden,
Germany.
“When I started college, if you'd asked me
if I’d end up in Germany as a Fulbright Scholar, I'd say, “No way!” says
Skrovanek. “But sticking to my true self and what interests me and pursuing
things I’m passionate about has worked out for me.”
A double major in electrical engineering
and German while at Pitt, Skrovanek participated in a Maymester study abroad program in Munich. Upon returning, Lesha Greene, scholar
mentor in the Pitt Honors College, encouraged him to pursue a Fulbright to
study in Germany after graduation.
Though it wasn’t necessarily an easy
transition at first, Skrovanek is proud of his progress so far.
“In the first week of classes, I found
out I was the only non-German student in the class. I was confident in my
German-speaking abilities, but lectures were challenging to follow, and with
dialects and technical vocabulary, I was lucky if I understood half of what
they were saying,” he recalls. “But comparing that with the last week of
classes, now I can understand all of it and feel comfortable talking about
electrical engineering in German. I’ve definitely come a long way, and I’m
proud of that.”
Among those encouraging him to pursue a
degree abroad was William Stanchina, professor of electrical and computer
engineering who retired from the Swanson School last year.
“I worked with Dr. Stanchina during my
junior year, and even though I ended up going into a different area of
electrical engineering, he remained kind of a mentor for me and encouraged me
to get outside of my comfort zone,” says Skrovanek. “He told me that there is a
lot of top-notch research being conducted in other parts of the world, and how
important it was to recognize that.”
In addition to his coursework, Skrovanek is engaging in research
that will help electrical grid operators more efficiently distribute
electricity and plan networks more effectively. The research uses fiber optic
sensors to measure air temperature, wind speed, and transmission lines’ real-time
thermal expansion. He will use that information along with the grid operator’s
distribution data to mathematically predict the lines’ expected thermal
expansion as it relates to current weather conditions, which will help avoid the
dangerous sagging power lines that result from overheating.
After graduation, Skrovanek plans to return to the U.S. and
pursue a doctorate in electrical engineering. For now, he’s enjoying his
studies and learning from his new friends.
“I always enjoyed studying a foreign
language and a foreign culture. I find I learn more about myself as well as my
own culture through that,” he says. “I always had that interest, and I stuck
with it. It’s interesting to see the twists and turns that has led to in my
professional life.”
Maggie Pavlick, 3/4/2020
Contact: Maggie Pavlick