PNNL

Jessica Collier, a systems engineer at PNNL, took home two awards from the 8^th Professional Lighting Design Convention (PLDC), an international gathering held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in October 2019.

She was named the overall winner of “The Challenge,” an 18-month competition intended to improve public speaking skills. Collier also was recognized as “Best Newcomer” to the convention, an award that acknowledges an individual who is new to the scene and whose recently completed work deserves recognition for its innovations and solutions.

Taking “The Challenge”

Like all participants in The Challenge, Collier was coached by an experienced lighting designer. The competition started with more than 50 international masters students, and involved three separate rounds over the 18-month period. The field of competitors was narrowed to six, with each finalist giving presentations at the PLDC. Collier was announced as the overall winner at the convention’s awards ceremony.

“The Challenge was a great series of events to connect with my peers, be inspired by their work, and learn about what’s important to other recent graduates entering their careers,“ Collier explains.

In a new light

The Best Newcomer award stemmed from Collier’s presentation of her thesis, titled Perception of Metrics: The Intersection of Color Characteristics and Qualities Guided by Preference. Her research attempted to resolve a disconnect between consumer education and the expanding palette of lighting products. She sought to translate the performance metrics of a source into a description of the qualities and attributes desired for a specific application. The ultimate goal is to help industry and consumers discuss lighting in a similar, approachable, and comfortable way.

“Being recognized for my research and contribution to the lighting industry was very rewarding, but knowing my point-of-view as a ’newcomer’ is valued, and having the opportunity to share work I truly enjoyed pouring hours into, was the greater accomplishment for me,” Collier says.

According to its website, the PLDC was created for the global lighting design market. Lighting designers, architects, researchers, universities, industry, and clients use the convention as a platform to meet, learn about the latest developments in lighting design, and discuss the future of the lighting profession.