Graduating PRA Spotlight: Riley Beckham, Dec. ’24

Picture of OUR Peer Research Ambassador Riley Beckham with text: "Riley - PRA Grad Reflections" and link - https://ugradresearch.uconn.edu/2025/01/10/graduating-pra-riley-beckham/.Riley Beckham, Dec. ’24
Major: Electrical Engineering
OUR Peer Research Ambassador 

My Journey:

I first came to UConn in the Fall of 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. For my first year or so of school, I felt isolated and alone, and as a result, my academic performance started to suffer. I started to question what I was doing here and if this was the right path for me to take. I didn’t have a lot of self-confidence and worried that even if I were to graduate, I would struggle to find a job or build any kind of meaningful career.

But my fortunes started to turn as I started exploring opportunities in undergraduate research. I had a few friends who told me about their positive experiences getting involved with research, and with very few other options open to me, I decided to jump in. Eventually, I met Professor Zongjie Wang, and after a few meetings, she offered me a summer job as one of her research assistants at the Eversource Energy Center. In this role, I worked closely with Professor Wang and conducted an informal literature review on power system resilience and strategies for resilience enhancement. After working that summer, and then taking Professor Wang’s power systems analysis course, I decided to return to research, working on an independent study project with two other UConn students under Professor Wang’s supervision. From January to August of 2023, we developed, wrote, and published a research paper in which we conceived a novel strategy for enhancing the resiliency of electrical networks in the presence of high-impact weather events. Upon completion of our paper, I was chosen to represent my group by presenting our work at the North American Power Symposium in Asheville, North Carolina in October 2023.

In just a year and a half, my entire outlook on my degree and engineering changed radically, all because of my involvement with research. I suddenly felt like I had a purpose for being in school, and I was more able understand how classes translated to real-world knowledge and experience. I became a capable public speaker, and my confidence continued to grow. I became more comfortable asking questions and grappling with my own gaps of knowledge. Most importantly, I was able to meet people who inspired me to be a better engineer and a better person.

Next Steps:

After finishing my degree in December 2024, I am actively searching for work as an electrical engineer in the industry. I’m excited to gain some more real-world knowledge and experience while getting a sense of all the kinds of jobs that are out there. After working for a few years, I hope to be able to return to school one day a pursue a master’s degree in electrical engineering, though I certainly plan on enjoying some time away from academia for a little while.

My Advice:

The most important thing I’ve learned over the course of my research journey is that it’s important to be patient with yourself. You’re going to make mistakes; you’re going to miss opportunities that you wish you had taken. This is all part of the journey, and the journey really is the most important part of the whole experience. If you show a genuine willingness to learn and grow, you will always have a chance to find a new way forward. So, embrace the challenges that are before you, trust in your instincts, and be confident that no matter what path you take, you’ll always be able to find a way to the place you want to be.

Click here to learn more about Riley.