Graduate Archer Fellowship Program Alumni Profiles
Scott Vitter
Summer 2016 Archer Fellow
Internship: The Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) within the Department of Energy
Education
The University of Texas at Austin
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering; expected spring 2018
The University of Notre Dame
B.S. Mechanical Engineering; May 2010
Professional
Graduate Research Assistant at The University of Texas at Austin
Summer 2016 Archer Fellow
Internship: The Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) within the Department of Energy
Education
The University of Texas at Austin
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering; expected spring 2018
The University of Notre Dame
B.S. Mechanical Engineering; May 2010
Professional
Graduate Research Assistant at The University of Texas at Austin
“The Graduate Program in Public Policy has many merits, but the element I most enjoyed was interacting with my peers from the program during class, field trips and meetings with government professionals. Our group was eclectic, with students from a broad range of academic disciplines, hailing from nearly all UT System institutions. The Archer Center threw us all together, forging connections that would have been otherwise impossible."
Q & A with Scott
Please give us a snapshot of your current position.
My graduate research focuses on urban electricity and water systems, with an emphasis on two services that the water utility can provide to the electric distribution system: flexibility and efficiency. Water utilities can operate their network flexibly, for example, by using storage within the network to prioritize pumping during certain hours. If implemented, flexible operations can then help electric utilities manage demands on their system. Because it takes energy to treat, move, heat, and sanitize water, end-use conservation or efficiency creates opportunities for cross-cutting solutions.
What has been your general career path?
I spent over four years in the United States Army as an Engineer Officer. I was primarily stationed in Fort Bragg, North Carolina where I was a member of an airborne engineer battalion. In 2013, I deployed to Afghanistan where I served for one year. Following my return, I left active duty in the army to pursue a graduate degree with a focus on energy.
How has being an Archer Fellow influenced your professional path and goals?
The Graduate Program in Public Policy afforded me a rare opportunity to come to Washington, D.C., during grad school. The summer gave me a chance to establish contacts, find mentors and build a network of working professionals. As a result, I feel I am well prepared to apply to jobs once I finish at The University of Texas at Austin. Along my future path, I am excited to be an ambassador for the Archer Center.
What do you value the most about your experience as an Archer Fellow?
The Graduate Program in Public Policy has many merits, but the element I most enjoyed was interacting with my peers from the program during class, field trips and meetings with government professionals. Our group was eclectic, with students from a broad range of academic disciplines, hailing from nearly all UT System institutions. The Archer Center threw us all together, forging connections that would have been otherwise impossible. The diversity made for a richer experience. My classmates asked insightful questions about education, health care, and medicine I could not have formulated myself, and I tried to do the same about energy.
What was the most important thing you learned as an Archer Fellow?
My experiences as an Archer Fellow taught me that service within the Federal Government can occur throughout a professional career. Before the Graduate Program in Public Policy, I worried that starting off working for the government would limit other opportunities, and that joining a government office might be impossible midway through my career. The Archer Center dispelled me of those notions. In fact, I met a variety of professionals across several policy spheres who had bounced back and forth between government and industry. Their example is one I hope to emulate.
What do you value the most about being an Archer Alumnus?
I’ve only been an Archer Alumnus briefly, but I’ve already begun to appreciate the depth of the alumni network. I am looking forward to building further relationships with past Archer Fellows through volunteer work and special events.
What is your favorite memory from the program?
My favorite memory came on one of our first days, when the fellows were divided into teams and sent off on a scavenger hunt across the city! My team won, but not after trading a few pounds of sweat for a few feet’s worth of blisters!
Do you have advice for prospective students?
My biggest piece of advice would be to apply! Beyond that, start work on finding an internship early. I sought out many opportunities and formally applied to more than 10 offices. Even still, there were a few opportunities within the CIA and State Department that I missed because I began the process too late. I was rejected many times, but persevered and eventually found an exciting opportunity.
Please give us a snapshot of your current position.
My graduate research focuses on urban electricity and water systems, with an emphasis on two services that the water utility can provide to the electric distribution system: flexibility and efficiency. Water utilities can operate their network flexibly, for example, by using storage within the network to prioritize pumping during certain hours. If implemented, flexible operations can then help electric utilities manage demands on their system. Because it takes energy to treat, move, heat, and sanitize water, end-use conservation or efficiency creates opportunities for cross-cutting solutions.
What has been your general career path?
I spent over four years in the United States Army as an Engineer Officer. I was primarily stationed in Fort Bragg, North Carolina where I was a member of an airborne engineer battalion. In 2013, I deployed to Afghanistan where I served for one year. Following my return, I left active duty in the army to pursue a graduate degree with a focus on energy.
How has being an Archer Fellow influenced your professional path and goals?
The Graduate Program in Public Policy afforded me a rare opportunity to come to Washington, D.C., during grad school. The summer gave me a chance to establish contacts, find mentors and build a network of working professionals. As a result, I feel I am well prepared to apply to jobs once I finish at The University of Texas at Austin. Along my future path, I am excited to be an ambassador for the Archer Center.
What do you value the most about your experience as an Archer Fellow?
The Graduate Program in Public Policy has many merits, but the element I most enjoyed was interacting with my peers from the program during class, field trips and meetings with government professionals. Our group was eclectic, with students from a broad range of academic disciplines, hailing from nearly all UT System institutions. The Archer Center threw us all together, forging connections that would have been otherwise impossible. The diversity made for a richer experience. My classmates asked insightful questions about education, health care, and medicine I could not have formulated myself, and I tried to do the same about energy.
What was the most important thing you learned as an Archer Fellow?
My experiences as an Archer Fellow taught me that service within the Federal Government can occur throughout a professional career. Before the Graduate Program in Public Policy, I worried that starting off working for the government would limit other opportunities, and that joining a government office might be impossible midway through my career. The Archer Center dispelled me of those notions. In fact, I met a variety of professionals across several policy spheres who had bounced back and forth between government and industry. Their example is one I hope to emulate.
What do you value the most about being an Archer Alumnus?
I’ve only been an Archer Alumnus briefly, but I’ve already begun to appreciate the depth of the alumni network. I am looking forward to building further relationships with past Archer Fellows through volunteer work and special events.
What is your favorite memory from the program?
My favorite memory came on one of our first days, when the fellows were divided into teams and sent off on a scavenger hunt across the city! My team won, but not after trading a few pounds of sweat for a few feet’s worth of blisters!
Do you have advice for prospective students?
My biggest piece of advice would be to apply! Beyond that, start work on finding an internship early. I sought out many opportunities and formally applied to more than 10 offices. Even still, there were a few opportunities within the CIA and State Department that I missed because I began the process too late. I was rejected many times, but persevered and eventually found an exciting opportunity.
