Meet a Fluid Power Scholarship Winner—Krystal Horton

Programs like the Fluid Power Scholarships are made possible in part by the generous support of industry volunteers as well as NFPA Education and Technology Foundation and Pascal Society donors. Support these efforts by making a donation.

The NFPA Education and Technology Foundation has awarded $2,000 scholarships to students pursuing fluid power technology fields of study.

Here’s one of the winners, Krystal Horton. She is attending the University of Colorado Boulder and is enrolled in the Aerospace Engineering Sciences program. We asked Krystal about winning the scholarship . . .

What does winning a Fluid Power Scholarship mean to you?
Winning the Fluid Power Scholarship is extremely exciting for me as I have developed great interest in the applications of fluid power. Being awarded this scholarship motivates me to continue looking into different technologies within the fluid power realm that will greatly contribute to my ability to design devices efficiently utilizing the exceptional linear motion technologies.

Why did you choose to learn about fluid power?
I chose to learn about fluid power because it is an important and versatile technology that could significantly improve existing and future mechanical devices. I work on a variety of mechanical projects and have begun to look towards fluid power to simplify mechanisms and improve the performance of these devices. I still have much to learn about the potential of fluid power in my own devices, but also the importance of fluid power in the engineering industry.

What are your career aspirations? What type of fluid power job do you hope to get after you graduate?
As I work towards my college degree and move into my career, I want to build satellites, space probes, and planetary rovers. Not only is there a great deal of hydraulics and pneumatics involved in launching these objects into space, but fluid power is also a great candidate for moving parts, such as extending solar panels or adjusting a space telescope to a precise location. I have not had the opportunity in my education so far to explore the wide array of fluid power applications and look forward to not only learning but implementing fluid power into my education and career. The aerospace industry is dependent upon fluid power, and I believe that it would be a very intriguing specialty within the field.

The Foundation’s goal is to help individuals enrolled in high schools, technical colleges, and engineering schools pursue their interests in fluid power. We will start accepting applications for the 2020 Fluid Power Scholarships on January 6, 2020. For further information about the Fluid Power Scholarship program, contact Amy Zignego, Workforce Program Manager, at azignego@nfpa.com.