LevelTen Energy is proud to welcome our 2024 Energy Scholars! The program is designed to address inequality in the clean energy industry by equipping students from underrepresented backgrounds with the education, mentorship, and networking they need to land jobs once they graduate.
From June 25 to August 16, our Scholars will attend educational sessions with LevelTen Energy and our partners. In addition, each Scholar will be connected with a mentor and provided with networking opportunities to meet people in the clean energy industry. During their time in the program, they’ll receive free housing through the University of Washington, as well as travel accommodations and paid internships that include real-world projects designed to boost their resume and experience.
In our Student Spotlights series, get to know this week's Scholars and be sure to add them to your LinkedIn network:
Karina Osma Perez | Connect with Karina on LinkedIn
What's your name, school, major, and graduating year?
Hello! My name is Karina Osma Perez. I study Industrial and Systems Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology and will be graduating in the fall of 2025.
Tell me about you. What's your elevator pitch in two sentences?
I'm passionate about numbers and social impact. With that in mind, my work focuses on energy and transportation systems, grid technologies, probabilities and statistics, the arts, and, most importantly, the people. I also love dancing, eating good food, and spending time with my loved ones.
Why are you passionate about sustainability and renewable energy?
As a Black Latina, I think a lot of how environmental issues disproportionately impact marginalized communities. Studies show that Black communities are more likely to be exposed to higher levels of pollution and related health problems. Similarly, Latino communities are more likely to live in areas with unhealthy levels of particulate matter. My passion for sustainability and renewable energy stems from a desire to address these disparities. By promoting clean energy and sustainable practices, we can reduce environmental hazards, combat climate change, and improve the quality of life for these vulnerable populations. My commitment to this cause is rooted in my identity and experiences; sustainability and renewable energy might be the way to address these pressing challenges.
What's your favorite project you've worked on so far as a student? How does this project demonstrate how you think and what you bring to a team?
My favorite project I have worked on is the OMED Global Research and Innovation Program: Decolonizing the Mind, which immersed me in a journey through the historical, cultural, political, and social landscapes of South Africa and Namibia and their intersection with technological innovation. Engaging directly with local communities and experts allowed me to witness firsthand the enduring effects of apartheid and the ongoing challenges of racial segregation and economic disparity in these regions. These experiences illuminated the profound resilience and determination of communities in the face of systemic oppression and underscored the critical role of infrastructure and technology in addressing these entrenched issues. The collaborative nature of the project was also a key aspect of its impact. Working closely with a diverse team of peers, local experts, and community leaders, we engaged in open dialogues, shared perspectives, and collectively brainstormed solutions. This experience demonstrated my ability to think critically and empathetically, integrating cultural understanding and community engagement into engineering practices. This project reinforced my belief that engineering is not only a tool for technological advancement but also a catalyst for policy change and equitable development. It has profoundly influenced my perspective on global engineering practices, and I bring this holistic, justice-oriented approach to every team I work with.
What food reminds you of home?
Cuban red beans and fried plantains.
What's the best advice you've heard, and what's the best advice you've given?
One of the best pieces of advice I've received is "Everything will be okay." It's a simple reminder to stay positive and trust that things will work out in the end. The best advice I've given is "What we don't have, we can make." A reminder that if we're unsure or stuck, there are always other ways, and if they don't exist yet, we can create them.
Lucas Palomino | Connect with Lucas on LinkedIn
What's your name, school, major, and graduating year?
My name is Lucas Palomino, I am studying Computer Science and Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, and I am graduating May 2025!
Tell me about you. What's your elevator pitch in two sentences?
Picture yourself in an elevator. I come inside after you, we have small talk about the weather, and then the inevitable question comes, “Tell me about yourself.”
This is what I would answer:
“I am an intern at LevelTen Energy, Community Manager for College to Climate, and a double major student at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. I am driven to tackle climate change by exploring opportunities in geospatial technologies for renewable energy and agriculture”
Why are you passionate about sustainability and renewable energy?
I’ve always had a very close connection to nature since my childhood years. As I advanced further into my studies, I came to understand that human behavior is negatively impacting the very ecosystems we depend on, but it also provides for all the advantages of a fulfilling modern life. Renewable energy is situated at an unique intersection between high decarbonization impact and continued growth, which is exciting as someone who is deeply passionate about finding the right sustainable balance.
What's your favorite project you've worked on so far as a student? How does this project demonstrate how you think and what you bring to a team?
For my software engineering class, I stepped into the role of leading a team of 10 students. I was fortunate to work with a group of smart and dedicated learners, who shared the goal of pushing each other to do our best work.
The leadership style that contributed to our team’s success, was my ability to effectively organize our tasks and schedules, voice our progress and concerns to our university clients, and be at the forefront of communication between subteams.
At the end of the project, our professor stated that our team dynamic was among the best he had ever seen in his 20 years of teaching that class.
What's the best advice you've heard, and what's the best advice you've given?
Advice I live by:
"Do the thing you fear the most, and the death of fear is certain”
Advice I give to others:
“Names carry a lifetime of meaning for a person. Remember and use them.”
Clarence Sanders Jr. | Connect with Clarence on LinkedIn
What's your name, school, major, and graduating year?
Hello! My name is Clarence Sanders Jr. I attend Morehouse College studying Philosophy and Environmental Science and graduate in 2027!
Tell me about you. What's your elevator pitch in two sentences?
I'm a people person passionate about serving, leading the only United Nations of America Atlanta University Center Chapter as a Co-founder and Co President. I plan on becoming the President of the United States leading us to a greener, more equitable America.
Why are you passionate about sustainability and renewable energy?
I am passionate about renewable energy and sustainability because the alternative is destructive. It makes the most sense to work on something that is going to build a safer world than not. Furthermore, renewables will become cheaper over time and knowing what it's like to have your lights off and to be without power is something no one should have to experience, I am passionate about solving these issues for both the world and all its inhabitants.
What's your favorite project you've worked on so far as a student? How does this project demonstrate how you think and what you bring to a team?
My favorite project that I have worked on as a student is this organization called Black AND which is a black inclusivity group that addresses the intersectionality existent in being bi-racial, or Black AND something else in regards to how you fit in, understanding oneself, and addressing the long suppressed struggles of Bi-racial people. This project demonstrates my out-side-of-the-box thinking style and my passion for inclusivity even in groups that I do not identify with. I bring this leadership and thought process to any team that I am a part of and I am not afraid to speak up for anyone if I feel that there has been wrong doing or a lack of inclusion.
What's the best advice you've heard, and what's the best advice you've given?
The best advice I have ever heard comes from my highschool football coach; he said "You are just like that tree over there, you're either growing or dying" - Coach Ramon
Wali Siddiqui | Connect with Wali on LinkedIn
What's your name, school, major, and graduating year?
Hello, my name is Wali Siddiqui and I am a student at Brown University studying chemical engineering and applied mathematics. I will be graduating in May, 2025!
Tell me about you. What's your elevator pitch in two sentences?
My name is Wali Siddiqui and I am studying chemical engineering and applied mathematics. I am interested in sustainable & electric energy, and I enjoy working on the computational side of projects and have experience with a variety of projects and research. My long term interest lies in the intersection of venture and industry work to advance some products aimed at advancing society's needs.
Why are you passionate about sustainability and renewable energy?
In my freshman year chemistry class, my professor explained hydrogen energy to us. A single hydrogen atom is split into its proton and electron using a catalyst in the anode. The electron is then carried away through an electric wire, creating electricity. He said to the class that if we could master this process on a large scale, our Earth would have an infinite reservoir of energy for millennia. The idea of providing an infinite solution to a global problem was captivating. Creating renewable energy, especially given rising global temperatures and deteriorating reservoirs of natural resources, enthralled my mind.
What's your favorite project you've worked on so far as a student? How does this project demonstrate how you think and what you bring to a team?
Before my sophomore year of college, I joined the Northeastern Computational Catalyst and Material Design Lab to study single-atom catalysts for CO2 reduction using machine learning. The learning curve was steep, but after meetings with my principal investigator and graduate students, I successfully simulated the structures of catalysts and studied their properties. It was invigorating to see my work contribute to a scientific journal. I knew what I had done was small, but it was the first time I felt like I was working on something other people haven’t solved before. It was an amazing feeling, and one that I wanted more of.
Thank you to our sponsors
The Energy Scholars program would not be possible without our partners and sponsors, which include Clearway Energy, Energy GPS, Energy and Environmental Economics, Inc., Google, GridStor, Microsoft, SB Energy, and University of Washington. We’d like to thank them for their support! If any organizations would like to support the program as a sponsor, please reach out to Kirsten.Rota@LevelTenEnergy.com.
