John Gray Scholarship

Empowering the Next Generation: The John Gray Scholarships

Established at IDEA’s 100th Annual Conference in 2009, the John Gray Scholarship supports students who are interested in learning more about the energy industry, especially district energy, and encourages them to pursue educational opportunities that help build the next generation of industry leaders.

The scholarship is offered each year to students continuing their education through programs at four-year universities, two-year community colleges offering an Associate’s Degree in power engineering, accredited technical training institutes, or certification programs through accredited institutions.

Eligible applicants include children of IDEA member employees, as well as student candidates recommended by an IDEA member organization in good standing.

Each year, we honor recipients at the IDEA Annual Conference.

John Gray- A life of learning and laughter

For nearly 50 years, John attended the IDEA Annual Conference and greatly enjoyed taking the podium to offer the invocation, regaling all with his trademark wit and humility. You can watch the highlights of these amazing moments by clicking the YouTube link to the left.

John believed passionately in the importance of the IDEA community and was committed to lifelong learning. His legacy both personally and professionally is profound. While he is still missed by his immediate family and IDEA family, including the many hundreds of people he touched over the years with his deep technical expertise, genuine kindness and abundant good humor, the John Gray Scholarships ensure his mission and his message continues.

Our friend and colleague John Gray passed away on November 10, 2015.

Award Eligibility

John Gray Scholarship eligibility includes the following four candidate categories:

First-time IDEA meeting attendance for employees of member organizations or as designated by the Member to attend a conference.
Continuing education financial assistance for Members' children.
Education financial assistance for employees of member organizations who are seeking to upgrade their professional expertise and qualifications, including Bachelor or Associate Degree programs with accredited institutions.
Education financial assistance as a means of attracting people to potential careers in the district energy industry.

Meet the 2026 John Gray Scholarship Winners

Thomas Bate
University of Victoria, BC, Canada
Class of 2030

Tom Bate is originally from the UK, now living in Vancouver BC with his family. In September 2026, Tom will be attending the University of Victoria in British Columbia to study Engineering.

Tom has an active interest in the infrastructure and systems that allow cities to function and I am looking forward to attending the IDEA conference in Ottawa to learn more. In his spare time, Tom enjoys team sports, in particular soccer and ultimate frisbee, which he plans on continuing to play at University.

Conlan Ahern

Parker Douglas
University of Wisconsin-Platteville
Class of 2026 (December)

Parker Douglas, is a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, where he studies Civil Engineering with an emphasis in construction.

Over his years in school, Parker developed a strong interest in Engineering, Procurement, and Construction projects (EPC), especially ones focused on large scale infrastructure planning, coordination, and construction.

In addition to his academic and athletic commitments, Parker studied abroad in the Netherlands, gaining valuable perspectives and knowledge on engineering practices, as well as learned about differences in our infrastructure and construction processes.

Parker is also a student athlete, competing in football and track and field.

Parker is motivated to apply his education and experiences toward a career in engineering, where he can contribute to building sustainable and impactful infrastructure projects in the future.

Felix Fiifi Ekuful

Felix Ekuful
University of North Carolina, Charlotte
Class of 2028

Felix is a PhD student, originally from Ghana, where his district energy experience began through hands-on work as a Facility Engineer at Ghana Airport Company Limited, where he supported central utility systems providing chilled water and steam across multiple airport facilities. Additional experience working with mission-critical data center infrastructure further strengthened his understanding of large-scale energy systems and the opportunities to improve efficiency through innovative approaches to energy management.

Currently conducting research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Felix has contributed to U.S. Department of Energy-funded projects evaluating the life-cycle cost effectiveness of energy conservation measures implemented across federal facilities. A previous recipient of the John Gray Scholarship, he credits the program with helping him focus on his studies and research, contributing to his success as the winner of the 2026 ASHRAE HVAC&R Student Paper Competition.

Looking ahead, Felix plans to pursue a career focused on district energy systems, data centers, and the application of artificial intelligence and data-driven tools to optimize energy performance.

Grant Harrington
Oklahoma State University
Class of 2029

Grant Harrington, is a mechanical engineering student at Oklahoma State University whose interest in the energy industry was inspired by a lifelong curiosity about engineering and the example set by his father, an active IDEA member.

Grant was introduced to the district energy industry at an early age through conversations about energy systems, customer relationships, and the critical role energy infrastructure plays in everyday life. Those experiences sparked an interest that has grown into a commitment to pursuing a career in engineering and contributing to the future of the energy sector.

Beyond the classroom, he has already shown leadership through community service initiatives, including serving as a job site leader during his school's annual "Into the Streets" community service program. Grant is also a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, serving as Assistant Head of Outside Crew, a member of our external committee, and was recently selected as the 2025-2026 Gentleman of the Year.

Looking ahead, Grant hopes to build a career as a mechanical engineer working on complex systems and projects that have a tangible impact on the world around him.

Tyler Kleinsasser

Tyler Kleinsasser
South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
Class of 2027

Tyler is an outstanding engineering student whose passion for infrastructure, construction, and sustainable energy was shaped by growing up in a family of contractors and civil engineers. Through internships with organizations including the U.S. Department of the Navy, Hensel Phelps Construction, and BNSF Railway, he has gained hands-on experience supporting major infrastructure, construction, and engineering projects while developing a deep interest in district energy and sustainable urban systems.

Tyler has maintained a 4.0 GPA while leading multidisciplinary engineering teams on projects designed to address real-world challenges. As leader of an Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) team, he guided the design of a sustainable tiny home intended to help address housing challenges on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. He has also participated in international service projects, helping install solar energy systems and assess renewable energy opportunities in underserved communities abroad. These experiences have strengthened his belief that engineering can be a powerful tool for improving lives and creating more resilient communities.

Looking ahead, Tyler plans to pursue a career in construction management and engineering focused on large-scale district energy and sustainable infrastructure projects. His long-term goal is to become a licensed professional engineer and eventually establish his own consulting firm dedicated to advancing efficient, resilient energy systems.

Joshua McConnell

Miranda Xu
California Institute of Technology
Class of 2030

Miranda Xu is pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering and applied physics at the California Institute of Technology. She is deeply passionate about integrating smart infrastructure into electrical networks, sustainable energy storage and generation practices, as well as aerospace innovation. Recently, Miranda collaborated with the NASA Ames Research Center to publish a technical memorandum outlining a network of aerial vehicles to improve electrical utility maintenance and disaster response. Her research portfolio also includes solar valuation modeling and investigating innovative energy storage infrastructure.

Beyond her technical work, Miranda is a dedicated youth advocate. As the former Texas Representative and current mentor for the STEM Next Flight Crew, she partners with national organizations like DiscoverE to make STEM accessible to all. Through organizing community outreach events with grants, speaking to legislators and program leaders, and mentoring aspiring professionals, she actively supports the next generation of engineers. In her free time, Miranda enjoys traveling, playing basketball, attending concerts, hiking, and exploring astrophysics.

As a John Gray Scholarship recipient, Miranda plans to drive innovation in the district energy space, pursue advanced research, and build meaningful professional connections while continuing her STEM outreach efforts.

About John Gray

John Gray was a world-class scientist and engineer with a distinguished career as a chemist. His career began in January 1949 when he joined Dearborn Chemical as a laboratory technician. He retired as senior vice-president in 1994. John was selected in 2003 by the Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC) as an accomplished, 50-year contributor to the chemical profession. In 1994, he formed a corrosion consulting firm, John Gray & Associates, and served as senior water conditioning consultant for GE Betz in Trevose, PA.

John served as President of IDEA in 1991 and also served as a member of its Board of Directors. He was a beloved and regular attendee of IDEA conferences since 1967.

John presented many technical papers on industrial water conditioning in Canada, the U.S., Great Britain, and Australia. He was a member of the National Association of Corrosion Engineers and holds patents on his boiler sludge conditioner, a closed water corrosion inhibitor and a neutral pH, non-corrosive rust remover. He was awarded the prestigious Norman R. Taylor award by IDEA in 1994 for his distinguished achievements in district energy.

If you attend an IDEA conference, you might see (and might be given) a badge with the image of an apple on it. This is another amazing contribution from John, given to first-time attendees of any IDEA conference to let you know that, 'you are the apple of our eye' and as you can see from the photo to the left with his trusty, old-school apple peeler, John truly meant it.