Meet Kyle Kersey (VIPER '19)
How it Started…
Kyle Kersey is from Louisville, Kentucky, and graduated from Louisville Collegiate School. He plans to major in Physics and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Before coming to Penn, Kyle worked with the University of Louisville since his freshman year of high school, first with nanomaterials in the Optics department and then switching to the Chemical Engineering department to work on computation fluid dynamics and rheometry research. Kyle is extremely interested in alternative energy sources, specifically nuclear fission and fusion, which led him to come to Penn to join the VIPER community. In his free time, he enjoys rock climbing and playing the violin and saxophone.
… How It’s Going
Degrees and Majors at Penn?
BA in Chemistry and BSE in Chemical Engineering
Current Job?
PhD Candidate in Chemical Engineering at Cornell University
Awards and Achievements
- American Chemical Society Award
- ACS Division of Inorganic Chemistry Undergraduate Award
- Best poster award at the International Conference on Carbon Dioxide Utilization and the Carbon Capture
- Utilization and Storage Gordon Research Symposium
Why did you join VAB?
I think the VIPER program and the people that make it up are very special, and I wanted to help grow the alumni network and the program's outreach to stay in touch with Penn.
What part of the energy industry are you most excited about?
I am very excited to see how the nuclear energy industry grows. There are so many promising advances in the fission industry, with small reactors, new fuels/materials, etc. that I am hoping they will bring nuclear back into our portfolio of carbon-free energy. Given the amount of energy it can provide, I believe it is essential we continue to make use of nuclear.
What is something that you're interested in?
Photography, hiking/sailing/being outdoors, and music are some of my favorite hobbies! I love all these because they are ways I can destress and stay creative to express a different side of my personality.
What celebrity would you like to meet at Starbucks for a cup of coffee?
James Spader. He's my favourite actor, and I feel like we could hit it off well talking about some random/obscure experience or interest.