The world has committed to transitioning away from fossil fuels to avoid the most severe threats of climate change.[1] Communities across the United States rely on fossil fuel...
Rising electricity demand. Heightened geopolitical tension. Fragility in energy markets. These are some of the big stories shaping the energy transition outlined in the International Energy Agency’s newest...
Gender disparities in entrepreneurship are stark. Only one in every three businesses is owned by a woman.
Event
• Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
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We are the premier hub and policy institution for global energy thought leadership. Energy impacts every element of our lives, and our trusted fact-based research informs the decisions that affect all of us.
The Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia SIPA is hosting a series of energy and climate-focused events during Climate Week NYC from September 22-29, 2024. These events will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, scholars, and students to discuss innovative solutions, share research, and promote policies for a sustainable and equitable energy future. Topics include global renewable energy, geopolitical dynamics, critical minerals supply chains, financing, trade, and energy access. Be sure to see all our activities during the week.
Climate Week NYC is one of the largest annual climate events of its kind. It brings together leaders and stakeholders from throughout the international community to discuss the most pressing issues related to climate change and accelerating the energy transition. On the heels of the first-ever Global Renewables Summit, please join the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia SIPA’s Women in Energy (WIE) initiative and the Global Renewables Alliance for a Careers in Renewable Energy Networking Reception to facilitate connections between organizations working at the nexus of these issues who are looking to connect with talented individuals that are passionate about pursuing or advancing their careers in renewable energy.
The event program includes both informal and structured networking sessions, as well as a fireside chat with a renewable energy-industry human resources expert discussing the renewable energy hiring landscape globally and best practices for early and mid career professionals interested in pursuing opportunities or building a career in the sector.
The fireside chat will feature a conversation between Michelle Sim, Director of Corporate Sustainability at Sempra and Patrick McAlpine, Chief Administrative Officer of MN8 Energy. The conversation will be moderated by Columbia University MBA candidate, Chhavi Maggu. Their bios are included below.
Michelle Sim is the Director of Corporate Sustainability at Sempra. Prior to joining Sempra, Michelle worked at a global A&E firm, primarily on global department of defense contracts related to facility and energy management, renewable technologies, and net-zero energy strategies. She has served as an expert in various industry/government agency partnerships such as the California Fuel Cell Partnership and the Department of Energy’s Appliance Standards and Rulemaking Federal Advisory Committee, appointed by the then-U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz. She is actively engaged with various industry leading committees and dialogues to advance sustainable business practices. Based in San Diego, California, she is at the forefront of leading Sempra’s commitment to the global energy transition with the organization’s mission to be North America’s premier energy infrastructure company, Sempra serves more than 40 million consumers daily across California, Texas, and Mexico.
Patrick McAlpine joined Goldman Sachs in 2006 as an analyst in the legal department. After serving as a product implementation specialist focused on Alternative Investments at Goldman for several years, he joined the Goldman Sachs Renewable Power Group in 2018, where he served as the team’s Business Unit Manager. In this role, Patrick was responsible for ensuring that Goldman Sachs Renewable Power’s (GSRP) business operations were integrated into the broader Goldman Sachs organization (policies, procedures, etc.). In 2022, Patrick led the effort to spin out GSRP from Goldman and form MN8, ensuring continuity in the functional areas that Goldman Sachs corporate had previously supported, namely HR, IT, Real Estate and Communications. As MN8’s Chief Administrative Officer, Patrick continues to have oversight responsibility for these areas, as well as management of MN8’s board of directors.
Chhavi Maggu is an MBA candidate at Columbia Business School specializing in climate and sustainability, and a Women in Energy Fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia. She is currently serving as President of the International Society of Sustainability Professionals, a leading global sustainability non-profit. Chhavi holds 8+ years of sustainability strategy experience, having worked with private sector and international organizations across various industries globally during her recent tenure as Sustainability Strategy Manager at consultancy firm Accenture. In 2023 she was seconded to the Climate Champions team supporting the UN Climate Change High Level Champions for COP28, where she led engagement on critical minerals for the energy transition. Chhavi is a Sustainability Excellence Professional (SEP) credential-holder and an MEng Chemical Engineering graduate of University College London including a masters year at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
The WIE initiative envisions a world with equal gender representation at every level within the energy sector. Our mission is to elevate women and enhance inclusion within the energy workforce by developing and sharing research, expanding entry into the sector, and supporting professionals.
To expand entry into the sector, WIE hosts events to provide opportunities to connect energy organizations recruiting new talent with those interested in pursuing a career. Our events also feature women who have thrived in specific energy sub-sectors sharing their experiences and career journeys. Join us to learn more about our work or contact us at [email protected].
CGEP hosted a virtual roundtable with Cathy Schreiber, founder and principal of Cathy Schreiber & Associates, a firm that supports climate and clean energy advocacy organizations, foundations, and...
This roundtable is open only to currently enrolled Columbia University students. Japan is a country with substantial energy demand but limited energy resources. After the March 2011 tsunami...
Event
• CGEP Large Conference Room
1255 Amsterdam Ave Floor 1, New York, NY 10027
The Columbia Global Energy Summit 2024 is an annual event dedicated to thought-provoking discussions around the critical energy and climate challenges facing the global community.
The Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs Women in Energy initiative in collaboration with the Global Wind Energy Council and...
The Gulf Renewable Power Tracker is an interactive and visual database of Gulf state-owned and state-related renewable power investments and developments on a global scale.
Saudi Arabia is experiencing a significant economic transformation under its Vision 2030 plan to reduce the country’s dependence on oil revenues by diversifying its economy. The Saudi government’s...
