From lasers to tanks

Kathryn Clay explains how a love of energy policy led her to the top of ILTA

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DR KATHRYN CLAY is the president of the International Liquid Terminals Association (ILTA), which aims to provide a voice for the liquid terminal industry. Its terminal members come from worldwide, and includes those storing crude oil, petroleum products, asphalt, chemicals, ethanol, biodiesel, vegetable oils, molasses and fertilisers. Companies supplying the industry can also join the association. Clay joined ILTA in 2018, having applied for the position of president in 2017, seeing it as a good opportunity to take a leadership role in an organisation. She runs the organisation, helps to identify the needs of its members and works with the board of directors to set ILTA’s strategic direction. ‘A lot of my time is spent learning what the trends and issues are facing the terminal industry and learning how we can serve our members better. I also spend a lot of time interfacing with government officials on behalf of the terminal industry, letting them know what our priorities are. I am very pleased that we have been able to deliver some real policy successes over the last year. We have been engaged in meaningful discussions with officials at the US Coast Guard and the Environmental Protection Agency to help them understand the perspectives of our member companies and achieve good policy outcomes,’ Clay says. Her favourite part of her job is the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to energy policy.

A SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND

Clay has a PhD in physics and an MS in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan. ‘Science is about understanding the world and engineering is about solving the world’s problems. I enjoyed studying science and engineering because I thought it would be great to be a part of those things,’ she says. She was certainly part of ‘those things’ during her masters programme, when she studies optronics, or optical engineering, under Professor (then Dr) Gérard Mourou. Mourou was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics in 2018, alongside Professor Donna Strickland and Dr Arthur Ashkin, for their ‘groundbreaking inventions in the field of laser physics’. Mourou and Strickland jointly developed a method of generating high-intensity, ultra-short optical pulses, and Clay was involved in the laboratory research. ‘At the time, there were no commercial applications for our research, but today ultrafast laser pulses are used for all kinds of precise high-tech manufacturing that would not be possible otherwise. It is a great example of how science and engineering can bring new innovations and make all of our lives better,’ she says.

MOVING INTO POLICY

After completing her master’s degree, Clay realised that she wanted to work at the intersection of science and public policy, and began to study advanced battery technologies, which then led her to a position working with the Ford Motor Company. ‘Later, I was selected for a fellowship to work in a congressional office for a year as a science advisor. I enjoyed that work and decided to stay in Washington to continue serving as a kind of translator between science, engineering, and politics,’ she says. ‘I found I really enjoyed being a translator between the science and engineering perspective and the policy perspective.’ Having that combination of a science and political background has certainly helped Clay as she leads ILTA, due to the technical nature of many of the issues facing the industry. ‘It is often challenging for regulators to understand the technical operations and constraints involved. I think one of my best contributions I am making in my current role is being able to understand both sides, the technical and the political. I know this skill has made a real difference on a number of our issues, ranging from air emissions permitting to process safety management to a transition away from PFAS containing firefighting foams,’ she says.

THE NEXT GENERATION

The terminals industry is not static, with new developments and technologies coming in all the time. ‘In a carbon neutral future, we can expect exciting developments in hydrogen storage and transport, including utilising carrier liquids such as ammonia. Biofuels will also likely play an important role. And liquified natural gas, while not carbon neutral, will continue to play an important role in allowing countries around the world to displace their reliance on coal and reduce their carbon footprint,’ says Clay. New technologies are already poised to ‘revolutionise’ many aspects of the industry, she believes, including drone usage, innovative detection techniques, increased automation, and the use of blockchain for inventory management. Environmental management and compliance will become ever-more important. One major change already taking place, and one that ILTA is particularly supportive of, is the transition away from PFAS based firefighting foams to fluorine-free alternatives. Key to the future of any industry is, of course, attracting new talent. ‘I think that for any new graduate, it is important to convey that the tank and terminal industry is growing and dynamic. No matter what the energy future holds, we can be sure that bulk liquids will play a major role,’ says Clay. ‘Anyone who wants to be a part of these important developments over the course of a career would be smart to consider a professional role contributing to the tank and terminals industry.’

For more information:

www.ilta.org

01 Dr Kathryn Clay