Degree pursued, advisor, and areas of interest:

I’m pursuing a Master of Arts in Energy and Earth Resources. Michael Webber will be my thesis advisor. I’m interested in the intersection of energy, water and public policy.

Other degrees:

Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, 2004.

What is your master’s thesis about?

The thesis topic has to do with the water intensity of the electricity generation mix in the U.S. and how it’s going to change under a carbon cap and trade program that seems likely to pass Congress. That will make electricity generated from coal fired power plants less competitive compared to nuclear energy and renewables. Yet nuclear is more water intensive than coal in general. So I’m going to look at how legislation could affect the generation mix and then back step it and look at how that projected mix will change the water use and consumption of those different generation processes.

What sparked your interest in geology, energy, and the environment?

It happened while I was getting my undergraduate degree. I thought I would major in business or economics, but then I took one environmental science course and something clicked. Environmental science allowed me to answer most of the questions I was very curious about, how life works, how the world works, how things interact with each other. I had a couple of professors who had their fingers on the pulse of energy issues as well when I took some upper level courses that had to do with policy and environmental disruption, as well as power generation. So I started to get an interest in energy toward the end of my undergraduate time as well.

Why did you choose UT for your studies?

I was looking for a program that would bridge science and public policy. There were a few programs out there, but Texas seemed to be the best fit. Other programs focus on energy policy, but they are heavy on analysis, without providing any geological, engineering or technical context. So students don’t quite understand how the technologies and ideas they’re grappling with work. So ultimately, their work is incomplete because they don’t have a full understanding. I feel that EER provides a holistic understanding of energy which is entirely necessary if you want to have a balanced and realistic perspective.

What do you enjoy the most about your studies or research? About working at UT?

I feel like being in EER keeps me on the cutting edge. We’re learning the newest technologies and business models that are coming out. When I read about a bill going through Congress, I can understand what they did or didn’t include. I have a very good context about some of the policy decisions that are being made. I’m also very happy with the faculty in the geosciences, law and business. They’re some of the best in the world and they provide a great benefit to us students.

What one research tool could you not live without?

Considering I’m interested in power generation and some of the larger numbers, I don’t think I could do much of my work without the Energy Information Administration website. They have annual energy reviews and outlooks. Some of those reports are fantastic, they’re the only ones with the information available and there are some really great minds putting together all the data.

What are your career goals?

Ultimately, in the long run I’m interested in urban design and utility planning. Utilities have to make some very difficult decisions and strategic decisions on the future of the electricity generation mix. Because it’s such a massive scale, when you decide to build an extra power plant here or you decide to commit to so many megawatts of renewable energy there, it’s huge capital and they are very big decisions. I’m interested in all the work that goes into making those decisions.

Where are you from?

Cumberland, Rhode Island.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I love backpacking. I’m also obsessed with tennis. I had played baseball and football, but had injuries. So I looked for lower impact sports and dove into tennis. It turns out there’s a lot of tennis in this town.

What fun activity would you recommend to an incoming UT student?

There is so much to do in Austin, I can’t imagine a type of person who couldn’t find their niche. From music to athletics to hobbies, you’d be hard pressed to find a student who wouldn’t find this town stimulating. There’s almost too much to do.

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