We are pleased to announce the winner of the Energies 2023 Travel Award—Ms. Monika Sandelic.

Name: Ms. Monika Sandelic

Affiliation: AAU Energy, Aalborg University, Aalborg 9220, Denmark

Research Interests: batteries; power electronic control; reliability and system optimization

We would like to thank the award committee for selecting two winners from a large number of exceptional candidates, with Ms. Monika Sandelic being one of them. We will continue to reward scholars with the Travel Award to express our acknowledgment of their support for our journal. We wish them every success in their careers.

The following is a short interview with Ms. Monika Sandelic:

1. Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a little bit about your fields of interest?
   I am Monika Sandelic, a Ph.D. Fellow at AAU Energy at Aalborg University. I received a B.Sc. degree in electrical engineering and information technology from the University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia, in 2016, and an MS.c degree in energy engineering in 2018 from Aalborg University, Aalborg. I was a Visiting Researcher at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado, USA, from August to October 2022. My research interests include power-electronics-based power systems, with a focus on reliability and forecasting as well as the lifetime of battery systems and residential photovoltaic systems.

2. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?
   I believe it would be working towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. To assure those goals, the power grid still needs to undergo a massive change. The research community, the industry and the political bodies need to make a great joint effort to enforce changes. I believe there are many innovations and technology developments in the research community that we will see in the future while working towards achieving goals for a sustainable energy future.

3. Can you briefly describe the key to a happy laboratory life?
   I feel that the vision and the motivation behind doing research are so important. Everything seems easier when I know I am working towards something that I am passionate about in an environment which enables me to follow this passion. This is for sure a big part of having a happy research life. Another thing is having a work–life balance, which is also an important aspect for me. So, in that regard, I am happy to live in a country like Denmark which encourages such balance.

4. What is your opinion of the open access model of publishing?
   It is a great way to make one’s research more visible. It also helps our community to share the research and take it forward. This view is also something that is seen in Denmark as the future of publishing. In fact, it is a mission for Danish research institutions that every published output must be open access by 2025. I am happy to work at AAU Energy at Aalborg University which supports publishing in open-source journals and generally supports open access to publicly funded research for all citizens.

5. As the winner of this award, is there something you would like to express?
   I would like to thank the Energies Editorial Office and the Award Committee for choosing me for the Energies 2023 Travel Award. Furthermore, I would like to thank Villum Foundation for supporting the Reliable Power Electronics Based Power System (REPEPS) project, which my Ph.D. is a part of. I would also like to express my gratitude to my supervisor, Professor Frede Blaabjerg, for numerous opportunities and the encouragement to work on my ideas during my Ph.D. Finally, I would also like to seize this opportunity to promote the importance of women in science and engineering, as well as to encourage young women who think of research careers to take this step forward.