Cleantech program students help plan summit
Three of the 15 Institute for the Environment interns share what excites them about clean technology.
One way the UNC Institute for the Environment’s 15 cleantech program interns immerse themselves in sustainability and green technology issues is through helping to plan the UNC Cleantech Summit. The 10th annual event, expected to have record participation, will be held March 21-22 at the Friday Center.
More than 1,000 attendees convene each year for workshops and networking at the largest university-hosted event of its kind in the United States, designed to foster growth in the Southeast’s cleantech economy.
The Carolina cleantech interns who helped put the summit together have a variety of backgrounds and interests. Below, three of them share what areas of sustainability and clean technology excite them and what they hope to do with their Carolina degrees.
Stella Ervin
Economics major, minoring in sustainability
During my first semester at UNC, I took ENEC 201: Introduction to Environment and Society with Greg Gangi, a teaching professor in the environment, ecology and energy program. I learned about sustainable finance for the first time. Hearing about the lack of funding to fight the climate crisis made me eager to explore sustainable finance. I began taking classes related to sustainability, including sustainable finance at Kenan-Flagler Business School and classes on U.S. energy policy.
Since then, I’ve interned with the Cleantech Summit, where I researched green banks and interviewed leading green bank professionals. I also interned with the Ackerman Center for Excellence in Sustainability and researched ways to create UNC’s own student-run impact investing fund.
After I graduate, I hope to use the skills and passions I’ve gained to work in sustainable finance.
Josie Harper
Business and sustainability double major
I’ve had a long-term interest in the environment, as my dad has always taught me to respect the Earth and protect its longevity. My interest in sustainability started at Carolina when taking classes and I began thinking about how to use my environmental passion to create a difference in how we consume the planet’s resources. I am learning how the business world can be at the forefront of the sustainability movement. Whether that is funding for cleantech startups or impact investing, the intersections between sustainability and business are endless.
After graduation, I hope to pursue a business career in which I can make a positive impact on the environment. I’m still exploring what this could be, but I know that I want to be a part of the growing effort within the business world to promote environmental sustainability and responsible consumption.
Paul Hollis
Environmental science major, minoring in statistics
Clean technology’s potential for shaping a better world captivates me. Witnessing the innovative solutions emerging in the cleantech sector, from renewable energy advancements to sustainable transportation initiatives, inspires a sense of hope and purpose.
I’ve gained practical insights into addressing environmental challenges as well as familiarity of the industry through coursework in energy modeling, battery storage, and renewable technology supply chains and through my internship with the Cleantech Summit and involvement in Epsilon Eta honors environmental fraternity.
I aspire to leverage this knowledge and experience to pursue a career in renewable energy development. Whether it’s in a specific discipline, such as offshore wind, or more general over multiple renewable solutions, I want to help advance existing renewable technologies or help produce new ones.
