Mines Scholar Headverts Throughout the World to Research in Tokyo

John Wonka’s path to nuclear engineering was not a linear one.

It went from highschool science lessons to aggressive swimming pools in Wyoming and North
Carolina to cutting-edge analysis labs at South Dakota Mines and now exploring fusion
vitality in Japan.

Wonka, a Mines senior mechanical engineering main, has been accepted into the nuclear
engineering graduate program on the University of Tokyo. His acceptance follows his
participation final summer season within the University of Tokyo’s Research Internship Program
(UTRIP), a extremely aggressive program by which he was considered one of 14 college students worldwide
chosen from greater than 1,100 candidates.

Originally from Buffalo, Wyo., Wonka initially had a special profession path in thoughts.
After graduating highschool, he pursued aggressive swimming on scholarship at a
non-public faculty in North Carolina and deliberate to check theatre arts. After a semester,
he realized his long-term pursuits lay elsewhere, and he returned residence to a neighborhood
faculty earlier than discovering a house at Mines.

“I prepped all by way of highschool to do engineering however had a last-minute choice
that I needed to swim,” Wonka mentioned.

It didn’t take lengthy earlier than the pull introduced him again to engineering.

He checked out many faculties; nevertheless, Mines checked all his packing containers.

“I am so glad I took the opportunity to come to Mines. It has been such a great decision,”
Wonka mentioned. “My mechanical program and faculty have been amazing.”

At Mines, Wonka immersed himself in analysis and internships specializing in plasma physics
and nuclear applied sciences beneath the steering of Sonya Dick, Ph.D., assistant professor
within the Leslie A. Rose Department of Mechanical Engineering. His undergraduate analysis examines hydrodynamic instabilities in high-energy density
plasmas, work instantly tied to inertial confinement fusion, a promising pathway towards
carbon-free vitality and long-term vitality safety.

That analysis expertise helped open the door to Tokyo. During his summer season internship,
Wonka carried out astrophysics-related plasma analysis alongside main Japanese scientists,
gaining worldwide analysis expertise that solidified his need to pursue graduate
examine overseas.

“John’s path really reflects what we hope students gain from doing research at Mines,”
Dick mentioned. “He developed robust technical abilities, real curiosity and the arrogance
to pursue alternatives on a worldwide scale. His acceptance into the University of Tokyo
speaks to each his drive and the preparation he acquired right here.”

Wonka will graduate from Mines in May and start his graduate program in Tokyo in October.
Right now, his long-term purpose is to work in nuclear vitality applied sciences, a discipline he
believes shall be game-changing within the close to future.

“I hope I can positively be a part of that area of interest group of engineers that convey this
know-how into modern-day society,” he mentioned. “It shall be such a cool factor to be
part of.”

Wonka credit the Mines college and the emphasis on exploration because the catalyst for
him to look past the borders of the United States to increase his training. “One
of the massive driving issues was the push for internships,” he mentioned. “I cherished going to
profession gala’s and assembly with individuals, studying engineering within the business and profession
settings. The internships and dealing with firms actually opened my eyes to the
alternatives that come up from a college that pushes you to do stuff like that.”