2026 Cohort
Aarush Garg is a first-year undergraduate studying Computer Science with an interest in Maths and Energy Science and Engineering. On Stanford's Campus, Aarush is heavily engaged with the Stanford Sustainable Investment Group, Stanford Climate Week and Stanford Energy Club teams, working hard towards his dream: electrifying energy across domains, with a focus on the heavy consumption in data centers. Having worked on Stanford's food waste and resilience problem with the app TreeBites, Aarush also heavily cares about sustainable development.
This summer, Aarush is really excited to work with CAISO and the Transmission Planning and Infrastructure Development fellowship under the guidance of brilliant mentors, helping to develop transmission line optimization solutions and models for improving California grid scale projects and long-distance and short distance transmission lines.
Outside of class, Aarush is a passionate cricket player who represented Hong Kong in the Under 19 Cricket World Cup Qualifiers and loves spending time playing logical puzzles such as sudokus and crosswords.
Adarsh Senthilnathan is a first-year undergraduate at Stanford University studying Mechanical Engineering with a focus on Environmental Systems. He is passionate about applying engineering and data-driven approaches to large-scale energy challenges, with a particular interest in grid reliability, renewable integration, and energy infrastructure. Previously, Adarsh patented a mechanical microplastics removal system and has also worked at a climate technology startup, Sunscreen Inc, where he designed and iterated on sensor and aeration systems using CAD. This summer, Adarsh will be working with the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC), where he will support efforts to analyze and improve the reliability of the Western Interconnection. His work will involve studying grid performance, evaluating energy system data, and contributing to projects that ensure stable and efficient integration of renewable energy sources.
Alexandre Bonnet is a Master's student in the Atmosphere/Energy program. Prior to Stanford, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics from Ecole Polytechnique in France. At Stanford, he has conducted research in energy systems modeling through both the Woods Institute and the CEE department, with work spanning power systems, energy transition modeling, and distributed energy resources. His interests focus on applying quantitative methods, optimization, and market analysis to energy system planning and operations. He is excited to spend the summer at the New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD), where he will be supporting the state's energy transition strategy.
Alice Zhao is a master's student studying Civil and Environmental Engineering in the Sustainable Design and Construction program, with a focus on energy. Prior to Stanford, Alice worked as an electrical engineer and project manager at Jacobs, where she worked on energy efficient building design, utility infrastructure upgrades, and transportation decarbonization projects. She holds a BS in Engineering Science from Vanderbilt University. At Stanford, her studies focus on grid modernization, infrastructure development, and financing the energy transition. This summer, Alice is excited to join the Nevada Clean Energy Fund as the Clean Energy Investments Fellow.
Bryan Arturo Kendall is set on fostering a thriving biosphere through the deployment of equitable clean energy solutions. He was born, raised, and educated in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he received his first degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Sustainability Studies. Now studying in the Atmosphere and Energy Program at Stanford University, he is ready to graduate with a Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering in Spring of 2026. Bryan has interned at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and gravity energy storage startup Renewell, and is ecstatic to join the Nevada Clean Energy Fund in the summer of 2026 as the Clean Energy Leadership Fellow. He is the author of two conference papers, an advocate for transparency and accountability in the nuclear domain, and an attentive son, brother, and partner. Most of all, he hopes to steward the more than human world for the enjoyment of future generations.
Chad Serrao is a fourth-year PhD candidate in Materials Science and Engineering at Stanford University and a member of the Cui and Sinclair Groups. His research sits at the intersection of transmission electron microscopy and battery science, where he uses advanced cryogenic characterization techniques to study degradation pathways in sodium-ion batteries. At Stanford, Chad has been an active member of the Stanford Graduate Workers Union, serving first on the constitution-writing committee, then as an elected member of the local executive board, and later as the first chair of the community partnerships committee. Beyond his work in the Union, he has participated in high school and community college outreach through teaching and speaking opportunities. He is also a recipient of the Rising Environmental Leaders Program (RELP) Fellowship, through which he has had the opportunity to engage with stakeholders working at the intersection of science and policy.
Before Stanford, Chad earned a bachelor’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of California, Davis, where he conducted computational research on materials for extreme environments. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a focus on ethics and political philosophy. He hopes to continue building a career that bridges science and policy in service of the public good.
Clara Conatser is a first-year masters student in Civil and Environmental Engineering with a specialization in Atmosphere and Energy. Prior to her studies at Stanford, she received her Bachelors degree in Geosciences (with a specialization in Oceans, Atmosphere, and Climate) from Princeton. She is passionate about improving grid reliability during severe weather events, analyzing the economic efficiency of different types of electricity markets, reducing interconnection wait times for renewable projects, and modeling the downstream effect of supply chain disruptions on transmission line expansion. She is very excited for the opportunity to evaluate the economic efficiency of CAISO's new Extended Day Ahead Market (EDAM) through her role on the Market Analysis and Forecasting team.
Dennis Kao is a first-year master’s student in the Atmosphere/Energy program at Stanford University. Before Stanford, he studied Civil Engineering at National Taiwan University, where his research focused on air pollution, emissions policy, and public health impacts. This summer, he is excited to work with the California Air Resources Board on building-sector emissions and policy analysis related to California’s proposed Zero-Emission Space and Water Heater Standard.
Doug Leonard is a PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science. His research focuses on how political institutions and incentives shape climate change adaptation and mitigation, including disaster insurance and preparedness in the U.S., climate migration, and global land conservation. Prior to beginning his graduate studies, Doug worked as an economic research assistant at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York studying financial regulation. He is from Pennsylvania and holds a B.A. in Economics and Mathematics from Swarthmore College.
Elli Rowley is a senior at Stanford University studying Earth Systems with a concentration in Human Environmental Systems. She is passionate about the intersection of energy, environmental policy, and community resilience. She has previously worked on projects related to the clean energy transition, groundwater contamination, and environmental governance. This summer, Elli is excited to work with the Western Interstate Energy Board to examine how policy, planning, and collaboration across sectors can strengthen wildfire resilience and support more sustainable approaches to managing wildfire risk in the western United States.
Hannah Thadani is pursuing a master’s degree in International Policy with a specialization in Energy and Natural Resources as a Knight-Hennessy Scholar. She is passionate about improving food and energy security in under-resourced communities and fragile states. Prior to Stanford, Hannah spent six years working for the U.S. federal government on a variety of foreign policy and national security issues focused on the Middle East, most recently serving as the senior policy advisor to the U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen. Hannah earned her bachelor’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from UC Berkeley. She is excited to join the Office of Commissioner Noemí Gallardo this summer, where she will support efforts to evaluate and improve California’s clean energy permitting processes and assess the potential for scaling in-state geothermal development while maintaining environmental and community protections.
Isaac Strehlow is a current undergraduate freshman going on sophomore at Stanford University. They are not entirely sure what they want to major in yet, but they know that they want to double major and very likely, will do Earth Systems for one of them. Outside of classes, they take part in the Stanford Shakespeare Company, the Stanford Decarceration Collective, and as a volunteer tutor with Barrio Assistance. Stanford Shakespeare Company is the place on campus that they think of as a family. For other hobbies, they enjoy board games, music, Minecraft, and exercising.
Jasmine Blust is a first-year Master’s student in Energy Science and Engineering. Prior to Stanford, she worked as a project manager for a community solar owner/operator, where she oversaw each stage of the solar project lifecycle from permitting to interconnection and operation. She also worked as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Energy, where she supported the development of appliance energy efficiency standards and regulations. She holds a B.S. in environmental engineering from Johns Hopkins University. This summer, Jasmine is excited to join the California Public Utilities Commission’s Energy Division. She will contribute to the Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) process, helping to model and shape the future resource mix of California’s electricity grid.
José Romo-Vázquez is a second-year undergraduate student studying mechanical engineering. His academic and extracurricular work focuses on renewable energy and climate technology. He is currently a research assistant in the Aerosols and Nanotechnology for Energy and the Environment Lab under Dr. Adam Boies, where he works on the synthesis and application of metal nanoparticles in atmospheric science. He is also involved in several student organizations, including the Stanford Energy Club and the Stanford Solar Car Project.
This summer, José is excited to join the Western Electricity Coordinating Council, where he will work with Senior Reliability Assessment Analyst Layne Brown to study how current natural gas pipeline infrastructure supports gas-fired power generation across the Western Interconnection through the oncoming renewable energy transition. Outside of the classroom, José is passionate about sports science, conservation, and culinary arts.
Kitan Lanre-Phillips is a junior studying Chemical Engineering and minoring in Materials Science & Engineering and Creative Writing with a passion for sustainable engineering. At Stanford, she worked on a Bio-X cross-department wastewater nitrogen recovery project, and on research towards making iron-aqueous batteries a reality. Kitan is excited to explore a people-forward approach to the energy transition with the CPUC, where she will focus on analyzing how metering infrastructure affects California's rate payers.
Martín Amaya is a sophomore at Stanford University studying Mechanical Engineering with a strong passion for energy systems, sustainability, and climate-focused technologies. He is especially interested in problems where engineering, physics, and real-world constraints intersect, whether in renewable energy systems, robotics, manufacturing, product design, or sustainable infrastructure. His experiences have ranged from hands-on technical work to broader evaluations of how and where technologies create meaningful impact, shaping his interest in building solutions that are both technically effective and socially valuable.
Martín is particularly motivated by work that combines engineering with an understanding of economic and societal constraints, and he enjoys collaborating across disciplines to tackle complex sustainability challenges. This summer, he will be joining California Independent System Operator as a Transmission Planning and Infrastructure Development Fellow through the Shultz Energy Fellowships, where he'll work on resource adequacy and reliability planning, including modeling how solar, storage, and paired systems contribute to grid reliability and a more sustainable energy future.
Mathis Heyer is pursuing a Ph.D. in Energy Science & Engineering at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in process systems engineering from RWTH Aachen University, Germany, as well as a master’s degree in management science and engineering from Tsinghua University in Beijing.
His research at Stanford focuses on advancing the understanding of complex energy and process systems through mathematical modeling and optimization. In the Environmental Assessment & Optimization Group he co-develops the BRIDGES macro-energy system model with an emphasis on flexible load shifting, industrial decarbonization, and transportation and aiming to support policy design and technological innovation. Mathis' work builds on his previous research experiences at the Climate Policy Lab at ETH Zurich and the Sustainable Reaction Engineering Group at Cambridge University. Outside of his academic pursuits, Mathis volunteered with organizations such as "Engineers Without Borders" and "Europe Meets School" both involved in promoting intercultural exchange.
Miguel Borrero is a PhD student in economics studying renewable energy procurement mechanisms and how these shape developer location choices and market efficiency. Prior to Stanford he completed his undergraduate studies in theoretical physicist in the UK and transitioned to economics research as a Fulbright fellow at Columbia University working on the interaction between regulation and the energy transition. This summer he will be interning at the department of market monitoring at CAISO, analyzing the economic efficiency gains of the recently launched extended day-ahead market.
Nino (Nini) Giorgadze - bio coming soon!
Richard (Cole) Ford - bio coming soon!
Shamit D'Souza is a first-year undergraduate at Stanford studying Public Policy and Computer Science, with strong interests in energy systems. This summer, he is helping the California Department of Water Resources, working with the Power Operations Management team to analyze how CAISO's Day-Ahead Market Enhancements (DAME) reshape energy market dynamics and developing recommendations for how the State Water Project can adapt its strategy to maintain cost-effective water delivery.
Siyi (Julie) Zhu - bio coming soon!
Sophie Molins is a master’s student in Public Policy at Stanford University, where she also earned her bachelor’s degree in Economics. She has spent summers as a research assistant at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research and the Bill Lane Center for the American West. Her love of travel has taken her abroad, from studying in Santiago, Chile, to joining a global seminar on technology and society in Argentina. Attending Stanford alongside both of her sisters has been especially meaningful, giving her the chance to share classes and campus life with family. This summer, Sophie is looking forward to working at the Western Interstate Energy Board on a project focused on community wildfire risk and resilience strategies in the West.
Victoria Dinov is a Masters student in the Energy Science and Engineering Department. Her research focuses on power system resilience and reliability. She works with capacity expansion and risk models to measure power system resilience under various extreme events. Victoria is also interested in understanding the applications of LDES for system planning.
Prior to Stanford, Victoria was a Science and Technology Fellow at the U.S. Department of Energy. She worked in the Solar Energy Technologies Office and focused on work from national labs and startups. She received her B.S. in Economics and Data Science from UC Berkeley, where she was first introduced to energy work in the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory.
Zhaohong (Harry) Li is an M.S. candidate in Atmosphere and Energy at Stanford University, where he focuses on the optimizing the complex systems that power the clean energy transition. Building on a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from UC San Diego, Harry specializes in using optimization and data analytics to solve energy challenges. As a Karl Knapp Energy Fellow with the City of Palo Alto Utilities (CPAU), Harry is eager to apply his technical toolkit to municipal resource management and hourly supply modeling. He is passionate about translating data-driven insights into actionable policies that support a resilient, carbon-neutral transition.