Time setter story: How intern Brad Mudgway came from New Zealand to innovation at TNO

Brad Mudgway’s journey from Rotorua, New Zealand, to the heart of Dutch innovation is anything but ordinary. As a master’s student in renewable energy systems and now an intern at TNO, Brad’s story is one of curiosity, perseverance, and a drive to make a real impact in the energy transition. He is motivated to improve energy and water accessibility and security for people.

From New Zealand to the Netherlands: a calculated leap

Brad’s decision to move halfway across the world wasn’t made on a whim. ‘I did a multi-criteria analysis on all the universities I liked,’ he explains. ‘I had a list of about 25, mostly in Europe, and weighed up affordability, desirability, and suitability for exchange.’ The result? Eindhoven University of Technology came out on top, closely followed by Leeds and Groningen.

For Brad, the Netherlands offered more than just academic opportunity. ‘There’s a culture here of innovation. People genuinely want to push boundaries, not just talk about it. That’s what attracted me. Of course, the Dutch communication is direct, but I am actually the same, so I find it really refreshing.’

The internship: floating solar and real-world impact

Brad first started at Team Polar as part of the energy management team. Consisting of a group of students from Eindhoven University of Technology, their objective is to support safety and sustainability of Antarctic research, while maintaining reliability, robustness and resiliency of life critical energy systems. The team developed two prototypes of autonomous vehicles running on solar panels. TNO supports the team by sharing knowlegde of technology and facilities. ‘What motivated me is: if we can show that solar panels work in the coldest, windiest, and driest continent (environmental conditions) on Earth, it could work anywhere in the world.’

After Team Polar, Brad started an internship at TNO at the SuRE project: Sustainable, Reliable, and Efficient Floating PV Power Plants. His focus? Floating solar panels or Floating Photo-Voltaics (FPV), or as Brad likes to call “Floto-Voltaics”, a technology poised to help solve the challenge of land scarcity and energy demand.

‘What I love about TNO is how practical it is. We’re not just writing reports about theoretical scenarios; we’re out on site, setting up sensors, collecting real data, and working with commercial partners. It’s about seeing research, government, and industry come together to drive the energy revolution.’

Brad’s work involves scaling up floating solar from one megawatt to five, and eventually fifty. He’s responsible for comparing real-world performance with model predictions, and tackling challenges like bio fouling, the build-up of living material on solar panels that can affect efficiency. ‘The models can’t account for everything. We want to know the real risks and improve confidence in performance over time.’

Life lessons: living in a car with a beachside view

Brad’s journey hasn’t been straightforward. Diagnosed with ADHD and autism only a few years ago, he struggled with motivation and fitting into traditional academic systems. ‘I’m intrinsically motivated. The carrot doesn’t excite me, it’s curiosity that drives me. I stopped trying to fit into a box and started following what interested me.’

Brad’s commitment to his goals has led him down unconventional paths, including living in his car as a student. ‘If I wanted the opportunity for a hands on experience at a community project, that’s what I had to do. But I did not have budget to rent an apartment so I made a bed, parked by the beach, and realised I was living a life some people work decades for.’

This mindset led him to the engineering student team Team Polar, which he describes as ‘sandbox environments’ where you’re free to experiment and learn. ‘I taught myself material science in a month, because I wanted to. You don’t get that in the private sector.’

Brad’s advice to other students? ‘Follow your curiosity. Motivation isn’t something you find, it’s something you create by pulling on the thread of what interests you. For me, it was never about a nine-to-five job or chasing money. Time is the currency of life, and I wanted to spend mine doing something meaningful.’

Looking ahead: innovation, education, but making a difference

Brad’s future is bright, with hopes of transitioning from intern to a full-time role at TNO, or perhaps pursuing a PhD focused on innovating engineering curricula. ‘I want to be involved in education, but as someone who’s achieved things first. I think that’s a better role model.’

He’s passionate about working in multidisciplinary and multicultural environments, drawing on his experiences volunteering and travelling. ‘I relate to people on a human level, and I try to support my teammates beyond just the technical work.’

Brad’s story is a testament to the power of curiosity, resilience, and the willingness to take risks. For students considering a future at TNO, his advice is clear:

‘Don’t be afraid to follow the unconventional path. Innovation happens when you step outside your comfort zone and chase what truly interests you.’