2023 Cohort
Ethan Amaya is a third-year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a minor in Public Policy. His interests are in sustainable technology, energy policy, and law. Ethan currently conducts research as an undergraduate research assistant in the Bent Research Group, where he studies catalysis for the sustainable production of higher-alcohols. In his free time, Ethan enjoys exercise, hiking, and playing music, and is a member of the Stanford Jazz Orchestra. Ethan is excited to work in the Office of Commissioner Patty Monahan at the California Energy Commission, where he looks forward to learning about California's energy and transportation policy.
As a 3rd year PhD student in the mechanical engineering department at Stanford University, Jillian Anderson studies interfacial heat transfer and surface engineering towards improved efficiency in passive thermal management technologies. Jillian originally pursued this field with hopes that such advancements would lead to a reduction in the energy demand of various industries, but she has recently sought opportunities to broaden her perspective. Jillian would like to discover how policy can expedite the development of robust and flexible solutions for the decarbonization of energy systems because she believes these efforts may make a more immediate and substantial contribution to a net-zero emissions future. This summer, Jillian is excited to work in the Office of President Alice Reynolds at the California Public Utilities Commission.
Hugo Budd is a junior studying Civil Engineering. He is interested in power grid modernization and operations, renewable integration, and other energy infrastructure-level solutions to the climate crisis. Combined with his interest in land stewardship, environmental responsibility, and public service, he hopes to contribute to a more clean and just energy landscape and system. His previous professional experience includes conservation and firefighting positions with AmeriCorps and the United States Forest Service, as well as a research position with the Summer Undergraduate Program in Energy Research, studying methane emissions with the Jackson Lab. This summer, Hugo is excited to be working with the Western Area Power Administration.
Camden Burk is a sophomore planning on studying Earth Systems: Energy, Science and Technology with a minor in Public Policy. His primary academic focus is within the energy transition, and the deployment of clean energy technologies to help combat climate change. He is especially interested in the intersection of clean energy development with other land use considerations such as sustainable agriculture, or conservation goals. Camden has conducted research with the Bill Lane Center on the growth of electric vehicles in Bay Area municipalities, and is currently working on a project studying university climate action plans. This spring, he is interning for the House Energy and Commerce Committee Democratic Staff through the Stanford in Washington program. Outside of academics, he can most often be found playing trumpet, playing unnecessarily complex board games, or walking around lake Lagunita. This summer, Camden is excited to be working with the California Energy Commission in the Office of Noemí Gallardo.
Anna Clark is pursuing her Bachelors’ degree in Applied and Engineering Physics, with a specialization in Renewable Energy, as well as a Masters’ in Management Science and Engineering, with a specialization in Energy and Environmental Policy, both from Stanford University. Hailing from Manila, Philippines and Tokyo, Japan, she developed an interest in renewable energy and sustainable development as a result of the diverse environments in which she grew up. She is particularly interested in power systems engineering, grid-level analysis, and optimization to support electrification and greater proportions of renewable energy generation. This summer, Anna is excited to be working with the Western Area Power Administration.
Julio Contreras is a first year M.S. student in the Civil and Environmental Engineering department's Atmosphere / Energy program. Prior to pursuing his Master's, he earned a B.S. in Engineering (Atmosphere / Energy) at Stanford where he also completed significant coursework in economics and comparative literature. Julio enjoys all of these subjects on their own, but his biggest strength lies in bringing them together to create interdisciplinary solutions to environmental issues. He strongly believes that the stories we tell about the environment shape the way we construct our policy and his goal is to help realize a future where everyone has access to unpolluted air and clean, affordable energy. This summer, Julio will work with the Western Electricity Coordinating Council, Program Analysis and Administration Team analyzing the effects changing weather conditions — especially extreme weather events — have on variable generation in the West.
This summer, Kelsey Freeman is working at the Nevada Clean Energy Fund as the Community Engagement Fellow. At Stanford, Kelsey is pursuing a master’s in international policy specializing in energy, resources, and the environment as a Knight Hennessy Scholar. As an advocate, educator and writer, she has focused her career on Indigenous rights, immigration policy, climate change, and renewable energy on tribal lands. Before Stanford, Kelsey collaborated with partners from the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs to develop a culturally based college-readiness program for Native American high school students through Central Oregon Community College. She also wrote her debut book, No Option but North, which is based off of her year on a Fulbright Fellowship in Mexico interviewing Central American migrants. The book won the 2021 Colorado Book Award and was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award. She has spoken and interviewed across the US on immigration policy. Kelsey holds a BA with high honors in Government and Legal Studies from Bowdoin College.
Timmy Hall is a second-year MS student in the Atmosphere/Energy program within the Civil & Environmental Engineering department. He is most passionate about developing novel designs and techniques that facilitate the implementation of clean energy systems and energy efficiency technologies or programs. Timmy’s MS research is focused on designing and modeling energy system capacity and dispatch for flexible microgrid operations. He worked with the EDF Innovation Lab modeling the opportunities and risks of 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Procurement and the evolution of power purchase agreements in the United States. He's extremely motivated and excited to get hands-on experience working with an industry leading utility committed to decarbonization, equitable investment, and environmental justice. This summer, Timmy will intern with the City of Palo Alto Utilities Resource Management Division as the Karl Knapp Energy Fellow in City Government, where he will be working on resiliency planning for the Palo Alto community both now and in a fully electrified future.
Abhishek Kumar is a second-year MS student in the Civil and Environmental Engineering department. He is passionate about developing data-driven solutions to address the terrifying issues of air pollution and climate change. Prior to joining Stanford, Abhishek worked at Tata Steel in India to improve the sustainability key performance indicators of the Ferro-Alloys and Mineral division. He earned his B.Tech in Environmental Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad. This summer, Abhishek will be working with California Air Resources Board on assessing the existing greenhouse gas emission regulations and incorporating analytical models to simulate and evaluate compliance pathways.
Pietro Marconi is currently enrolled as a first-year master's student in Atmosphere and Energy Engineering at Stanford University. Prior to his enrollment at Stanford, he completed his undergraduate degree at UC Berkeley, where he specialized in Civil and Environmental Engineering. During his time at UC Berkeley, he also worked part-time at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory under Thomas Kirchstetter's lab, focusing on analyzing the impact of heavy road-rail traffic on localized pollution in Richmond. As a visiting student at the Carnegie Institution for Science, Pietro joined Lorenzo Rosa's lab in the Department of Global Ecology. There, he conducted research on the technical potential of biomethane as a substitute for natural gas supply and imports, as well as the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions achievable through the replacement of natural gas with biomethane. In the upcoming summer, Pietro will be working with the California Public Utilities Commission, Office of Commissioner John Reynolds, where he will contribute to the development of electricity policies aimed at reducing California's reliance on natural gas.
Fiona Mooney is a second-year undergraduate majoring in Environmental Systems Engineering with a concentration in Sustainable Energy Systems. Fiona is passionate about environmental justice and the intersections of energy technology and policy in equitable decarbonization. On campus, she has been active in the EJ team of Students for a Sustainable Stanford, Cardinal Community and a member of the Stanford Women's Rowing team. She's previously served as a Policy Fellow for The Farmlink Project and worked for a farmer involved in solar grazing. This summer, Fiona will be working with the California Energy Commission, Office of Chair David Hochschild and is excited to explore energy policy and progress toward a clean energy future.
Jack Rehnborg is a co-terminal M.S. student in Earth Systems, focusing on energy and commodity market design. Prior to pursuing a master's degree, Jack completed a B.S. in Bioengineering. Jack is one of the founding members of The Farmlink Project, a non-profit that has moved over 100 million pounds of fresh produce to food banks across the country since its inception in 2020. Jack also founded a company aimed at helping energy construction contractors optimize their pricing strategy when responding to request for proposals. Jack is excited to work at the Western Interstate Energy Board (WIEB) this summer, where he will be focused on researching how electric utilities use bilateral forward contracts.
Gabriel Reygrobellet is currently enrolled as a master's student in Atmosphere and Energy Engineering at Stanford University. Prior to pursuing a master's degree, Gabriel completed a B.S. in Engineering at CentraleSupelec, Paris. He's interested in decarbonizing the power sector and focusing especially on the electric grid. Gabriel will be working at the California ISO over the summer in load forecasting and reliability. He is also a member of Stanford Muay Thaï.
Chloé Romero is a rising junior from Montevideo, Uruguay. Chloé is majoring in Earth Systems on the Energy, Science and Technology Track. Her interests align around renewable energy, and ensuring that energy policies will be tailored to the context in which they will applied, ensuring that social and economic efficiency is achieved. Seeing how her home country was able to reach a 98% renewable electricity matrix opened her eyes to the importance of collaboration between public and private entities for a society's well being. Chloé hopes to pursue a career in energy policy aimed towards helping developing countries in Latin America secure a just transition. This summer, Chloé will be working at the California ISO in Market Analysis and Forecasting.
Luke Veit is a second year undergraduate student studying Economics. He is interested in mechanisms for reducing carbon emissions, transitioning to a green economy, and environmental science. As a Tomkat Energy Impact Fellow in 2021, he worked for a carbon credit startup trying to get projects verified under a novel agroforestry methodology. He is looking forward to analyzing utility load data to ensure long term grid reliability in the face of an increasingly uncertain climate future. This summer, he will join the Western Electricity Coordinating Council to research balancing authorities' ability to match power generation with demand.
Sierra Withers is a first-year MS student in the Atmosphere/Energy program within the Civil and Environmental Engineering department. Prior to joining Stanford, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. She is especially interested in the integration of renewable energy into microgrids, and how decarbonization can be achieved in a low-cost and just manner. Her research primarily focuses on remote renewable microgrids for rapid deployment and resilience. She is now excited to focus on the intersection of climate and energy policy, economics, and integration at the Hawai'i Public Utilities Commission. She will contribute to the development of electricity policies in the State of Hawai'i within their performance-based regulatory system. During her free time, Sierra loves backpacking, reading, and trying new food!
Alan Zenagui is a first-year MS student in the Atmosphere/Energy program within the Civil and Environmental Engineering department. Prior to joining Stanford, he earned a Master’s level degree in Energies of the 21st Century at École Polytechnique (France). As he yearns to have a lasting and strong impact in the fight against global warming and the quest for energy transition toward renewables, Alan is now excited to enhance his technical skills while expanding his views to environmental and energy policy, economics, and law, both at Stanford and through his Shultz Fellowship. This summer, Alan is thrilled to work at the Western Interstate Energy Board where he will investigate how electric utilities use forward contracting on the bilateral wholesale market.
Ye Zheng is a second-year MS student in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Stanford University, pursuing a degree in Sustainable Design and Construction with a focus on Energy. She holds a BS in Civil Engineering from McGill University, where she co-founded McGill Student Energy and McGill Engineers in Action. Her graduate studies are related to energy efficient building designs, energy system optimization, and grid decarbonization. Ye has prior experience as a Schneider Fellow at the USGBC LEED Technical Development team and is currently working on Solar and Battery Energy Storage System optimization modeling at Noria Energy. This summer, she will intern at the Power and Risk Office at the California Department of Water Resources, studying operational strategies for the State Water Project, such as the integration of battery storage and solar generation at select pumping plants.