By JOANNE IVANCIC, Advanced Biofuels USA

Over lunch and during the event engineering professionals and students took advantage of the opportunity to exchange ideas, to share perspectives on current events and to discuss how they are shaping the larger world and each individuals’ career and life choices.

Leaders in Energy’s Janine Finnell (right) introduces (from right) Advanced Biofuels USA’s Joanne Ivancic, Dr. Gail Marcus (Consultant for Nuclear Technology and Policy); and Dr. Elaine Ulrich (Team Lead, Soft Costs, SunShot Initiative, U.S. Department of Energy) as they discussed “Making an Impact In Your Clean Energy and Sustainability Career.”
The panel represented not only a wide variety of aspects of “clean energy” from renewable transportation fuels to nuclear to solar; it also included a range of ages and the attendant variety of experiences of women in science and policy.

With Marcus, the first woman to earn a doctorate in nuclear engineering in the United States, and a prolific leader in nuclear energy in the later stages of her career; Ulrich in mid-career at the Department of Energy; and Ivancic at an internationally respected nonprofit, one thing common to all their stories was that at some time they worked at jobs that appeared to be detours from plans or expectations; however, all agreed that skills and knowledge gained on these deviations proved valuable and beneficial in ways they would not have imagined.

Showcase presenters included:
–Jennifer Sklarew, Ph.D., Center for Energy Science and Policy–Paul Houser, Ph.D, Center for Energy Science and Policy
–Roger LeBlanc, Sustainability Living Learning Community Center
–Colin Reagle, Ph.D., Colgenau School of Engineering
–Dann Sklarew, Ph.D., Sustainability Coordinator; Potomac Environmental Research & Education Center, & Applied Ecology & Sustainability Science
–Alexander Brodsky, Ph.D, Volgenau School of Engineering
–Roberto Levy, Ph.D., Student, Volgenau School of Engineering
–Tyler Jenkins, Student, President AEE NCC Student Chapter
–Krishnamurthy Vemuru, Ph.D, Physics Department
–Todd M. LaPorte, Ph.D., Government and International Affairs
–Frank Manheim, School of Government, Policy, and International Affairs READ MORE

Photos courtesy of Agustín N. Cruz – ArlingtonGreen – augie.cruz@gmail.com

Click Here for Showcase Presentation Available via George Mason University Website