ONE ON ONE leaders who express their commitment to addressing the crisis and to pay attention to such political races as the Public Service Commission (PSC).
3 Tips to Solve Energy Problems
“These are the bodies that play such a major role in what our clean energy future is going to look like,” he said recalling one PSC race that aroused considerable attention and had people in its jurisdiction talking and tweeting about the candidates, attending PSC meetings, and asking questions. “That’s one place where we, average citizens, can engage a lot more through these bodies that are either elected or appointed to make decisions about our energy.”
The fields of energy and climate change will need energetic and dedicated fresh thinkers to tackle the many complex challenges of today and for the future. Tony Reames, senior advisor to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Economic Impact and Diversity, offered the following advice to young people interested in having successful careers in these fields: 1.
Asked about opportunities at the DOE for young people interested in energy issues, Reames shared that
“At the DOE, we are leading the effort in addressing climate change.”
2. Become a multi-disciplinarian. The climate and environmental challenges we face are multi-faceted and our solutions must be also. Work to bridge your technical skills and knowledge with an understanding of policy and social sciences. 3. Be innovative and think creatively. The climate and energy space offers many career opportunities to create new roles or positions, companies, organizations, and collaborations that can link your passion, skills, and knowledge to solve the urgent needs of society.
the agency has a minority education program through which internships are offered at the DOE and the 17 national laboratories. These summer internships are open to students at historically Black colleges and universities as well as tribal colleges, other minority-serving institutions, and other schools. These internships serve as a foundation and pipeline to bring diverse people into the DOE. He said many of these students go on to additional DOE internships and fellowships. More information can be found on the website hosted by the Minority Educational Institution Student Partnership Program (MEISPP) Internships | Department of Energy. There’s also the new Clean Energy Corps that launched as part of the bipartisan infrastructure law that’s expected to create 1,000 new jobs to address all the programs that are part of the bill, he added. “If we don’t set the right path now, the clean energy future is going to happen, but if it’s not centered on the people who need it the most, it will happen and 12
Think about what problem you want to solve. What issues do you want to tackle? Are there specific communities, populations, or technologies that you are interested in? Also ask yourself if you have a preference for a particular sector, whether public, private, or nonprofit.
Watch USBE’s Interview with Mr. Tony Reames here: (link to come)
we will have a new energy system, but it will look very similar to the old one with Black and brown and indigenous communities and low-income communities left out,” said Reames. S
USBE & Information Technology | ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE 2022
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