ASPIRE Student Highlight: Daniel Ashby

Introducing Daniel Ashby, a recent USU graduate working on wireless charging at ASPIRE.

As electric vehicles are becoming more common, innovative strategies are being deployed to improve and accelerate charging infrastructure, including the development of the first 1-MW wireless vehicle chargers. Over the past two years, Ashby has been one of several student engineers at ASPIRE who are collaborating with the Kenworth Truck Company to make these static 1-MW wireless chargers a reality. 

Through this work experience, Ashby has learned what it’s actually like to be an engineer — debunking his initial belief that it primarily revolved around solving formulas and equations. 

“As anyone that’s been any engineering work or research knows, that is hardly ever the case at all,” he explained. “It takes lots of revisions, trials, and testing to know how exactly everything works.”  

Solving an Engineering Puzzle

As a part of this project, he has worked on the T-type converters, designing the cooling plates and electrical installation of the mechanical system. Through a series of revisions, trials, and testing, he has helped solve this engineering problem. 

“It’s kind of like a fun puzzle,” Ashby said. “You have some of the pieces already made, but you’re like, ‘Well, they fit together this way. How can we make the other pieces fit into the puzzle as well?’” 

Discovering how those pieces all fit together requires a cross-disciplinary approach, solving real-world problems under the guidance of faculty mentors. 

“We learn how to do things differently from how I would have originally thought,” Ashby explained. “Technology has a lot of nuances that I wouldn’t have known before working here, as well as unique engineering problems that come up that all of the head engineers know about.” 

Learning Beyond the Lab

An exciting component of working at ASPIRE is the wide range of learning opportunities available. In addition to learning through work within the lab, ASPIRE also works with industry partners to provide networking opportunities for students. 

“One of my favorite things about working here is the tours and trips to industry members — seeing what they do and how it connects to our vision and goal,” Ashby shared. “I really like seeing what other industry members are doing, networking with them, and hopefully seeing how the work I do can help benefit them, whether indirectly or through direct employment.” 

Further expanding on the skills gained at ASPIRE, Ashby has taken on an administrative role as the founder of the Aggie Solar Racing Team at Utah State University. 

“With both here (at ASPIRE) and at the solar car team, there’s a lot of self-learning,” he said. “There’s a task that has to be done, and there’s not much really known about the task or what is the solution for it, so you have to figure it out on your own.” 

The solar project — like his work at ASPIRE — requires a cross-disciplinary approach, requiring the application of skills that he has learned through collaborating with electrical engineers at ASPIRE. 

“Something that helped me here on the Solar Car Team was all of the electrical knowledge I’ve learned while working here,” Ashby said. “It’s been very beneficial to apply it for the solar car team because they are both electrical-heavy projects. I’m not an electrical engineer, I’m mechanical, but for both projects there is a lot of electrical engineering that goes on.” 

Ashby hopes to continue to apply the skills and knowledge he has gained at ASPIRE as he prepares to enter the workforce in a full-time engineering position. 

For the latest news, publications, and research highlights from ASPIRE, visit aspire.usu.edu. 

About ASPIRE & Utah Electrification:  

Headquartered at Utah State University, ASPIRE is a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center. ASPIRE has demonstrated expertise in developing, implementing, and managing a range of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure projects and fostering strong partnerships across the EV charging ecosystem. The center integrates multidisciplinary expertise across electrical, civil, and mechanical engineering, as well as economics, social sciences, and policy. In 2023, ASPIRE was designated the lead institution in building Utah’s Intelligent Electrified Transportation Plan. More information on the center can be found at aspire.usu.edu, and more on Utah’s electrification efforts can be found at utahelectrification.com. 

Contacts: 

Kat Webb 
Content Director
ASPIRE ERC 

Writer: 

Kayleigh Kearsley
Marketing and Communications Intern
ASPIRE ERC