Finding Community in New York City’s Energy Scene
I never thought the first person I would meet at an energy event would be a freelance graphic designer. But over the course of an evening, many of my preconceptions about the field and its champions were proven wrong.
When I arrived at a recent Young Professionals in Energy (YPE) networking event and board meet at a restaurant on the Midtown East, I expected to see a group of finance bros. Actual turnout was more varied and encouraging.
Photo: TEDx UniHalle/Hans-G.pass Flickr
YPE New York chapter has multiple board openings and is a Columbia University master’s student in energy policy and finance School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) After graduating to work in energy finance in NYC, I thought it was time to meet energy enthusiasts outside of the grad school bubble.
After working at Tesla for many years and being an active participant in the San Francisco Bay Area energy community, I had a lot of thoughts on how financially-focused the event would feel and the types of professionals I would meet.
At first, the venue fit these concepts. It was a strategic choice – a prime location to ensure that as many (energy) finance bros as possible could attend after hours. I was prepared to speak to attendees who were more concerned with financial returns than understanding the difference between megawatts and kilowatts.
When I walked to the back of the restaurant and spotted the YPE group, I immediately noticed that there were too many men in the room and was glad I could increase that.
There were plenty of khakis and tank tops in the room; a sure sign that potential YPE members from the financial sector were on schedule. Guys in casual jeans and hoodies took me back to my tech days in California; these were start-up engineers. Then there are the very well-dressed women and some men who adorn themselves for an outward-facing role—possibly policy leaders.
The whole event had a “simplicity” vibe; people were there to talk about energy. I went to put down my coat and bumped into Amelia, my first and most unexpected encounter of the night. Of all the potential jobs I wished to discuss that evening, freelance graphic designer didn’t cross my mind.
Amelia told me she loves using her graphic design abilities to promote social causes: it’s a great reminder that energy really does intersect with every job and issue. Amelia is a first-time YPE event attendee, which she nervously admits before expressing her interest in social justice.
I also spoke with a former board member of YPE. Although she had to leave the city and thus relinquish her board position, she returned to New York and was interested in “regaining” her position (her words, not mine).
Next, I turned to a Danish-American who works with a business team Ørsted, a well-known multinational Danish power company.we discussed ValencivaramThe clean energy expert who served in the Biden-Harris administration in the United States visited Columbia University just before the holiday and left the federal government shortly thereafter. Working for Ørsted.
The conversation was familiar and was an extension of my energy policy discussions at SIPA. I’m starting to see how YPE can be a central community in a rapidly changing industry, especially now that I’m about to graduate.
Afterwards, I met Phoebe, a fellow Columbia University student who hadn’t found an energy comrade in business school, and was truly ecstatic to learn about SIPA’s rich energy offerings and community. And then there’s Charlotte, who was a member of Con Edison’s policy team and just left the Washington, D.C., think tank — a welcome shift, I’m sure.
Meeting Metpan was one of my most memorable moments; I was especially excited to meet a woman who has been involved in the New York energy community for a long time. From her, I learned tidbits about the organization’s growth and evolution. She works with Charlotte on Con Edison’s policy team and has been a member of the YPE Executive Committee since 2016; she is like a veteran to me.
From Mei, hear chapters not only increased, but % female Increased from 40% to 60%. It was also encouraging that two of the board members I met that night also happened to be Asian women.
I went to the event that night just to see how the sample of the New York energy community compares to the Bay Area sample and whether it would be of personal interest to be involved with the organization. I learned that maybe—just maybe—the energy community here is more representative of how energy connects to different industries, from design to finance, than I have experienced in California’s tech-centric energy scene. I even considered applying to join the board.
Bhavya Jha Is a second-year MPA candidate at Columbia Business School International and Public Affairs. She has been working in the energy field since 2017, traveling from Tesla in California to Europe as a Fulbright-Schuman Research Scholar.
