The Women in Energy initiative at the Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University SIPA, hosted a student roundtable on April 1 featuring Ann-Kathrin Merz, Industry and Strategy Lead at First Ammonia, with a focus on alternative fuels. The discussion, moderated by Columbia University student Julia Soncini Trevisan, covered the evolving market for hydrogen and ammonia technologies, career pathways in clean energy, and the realities of working at a startup.

Key takeaways from Ann-Kathrin Merz’s reflections on her career journey include the following:

• Career paths are shaped by timing, initiative, and strategic skill development. Merz transitioned from consulting at Boston Consulting Group to SIPA after recognizing the need to build technical credibility in the energy sector. Her academic experience, particularly her collaborative hydrogen research at the Center for Global Energy Policy, played a pivotal role in opening doors and ultimately connecting her with First Ammonia in its early stages.
• Relationships–and especially mentorship–play a critical role in career development. Building strong connections with professors, scholars, and industry professionals deepens one’s subject matter expertise and can directly lead to job opportunities, as their work reflects real-world priorities.
• Working at a startup offers breadth and accelerated learning. At First Ammonia, Merz’s role spans market intelligence, regulatory strategy, and power procurement, underscoring the need for adaptability and the ability to operate across multiple functions in startup environments.

Key takeaways from Merz’s remarks on industry dynamics and professional development include the following:

• Startups are both high-risk and high-reward environments. Success depends heavily on leadership’s ability to secure capital and strategically position the company within a broader ecosystem of established players.
• Gender dynamics remain a challenge, particularly in traditional energy sectors, where women often face higher expectations to prove technical credibility. However, the energy transition is creating new opportunities for greater inclusion, particularly in renewable and emerging technology spaces.
• In fast-evolving industries, initiative, adaptability, and curiosity are key to standing out. Having the perfect background is less important than a demonstrated willingness to learn, ask questions, and engage deeply with complex problems, as well as choosing supportive leadership and a work environment that champions your growth.

Key takeaways from Merz’s discussion of the hydrogen and ammonia sector and energy transition include the following:

• The hydrogen market is maturing rapidly, with fewer but more serious players. Early excitement has given way to a more disciplined focus on costs, engineering feasibility, and project execution, as investors evaluate projects using the strict financial and risk criteria typical of r large-scale infrastructure projects.
• Demand certainty is the central challenge to scaling clean fuels. Long-term offtake agreements are essential for project financing, but are difficult to secure if the policy landscape that supports them appears unstable and likely to change in the near term. The sector demonstrates the importance of policy continuity.
• Offtake opportunities are available in sectors that are brand-conscious and able to pay a premium, as well as in sectors driven by national security priorities such as food security (e.g., domestic fertilizer production in a country like India, which has strong renewable sources but a persistent and potentially risky dependency on foreign natural gas). 
• While technological innovation is advancing, scaling these solutions depends on aligning policy, financing, and market demand. These factors–each dependent on a stable policy environment–are the bottleneck, not innovation.  Many promising innovations exist, but only a limited number will reach commercial deployment.

The Women in Energy initiative at the Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University SIPA, hosted an event on February 25 titled “Energy Markets and the Future of Energy.” It featured Dr. Amrita Sen, co-founder and director of research at Energy Aspects, one of the world’s leading independent energy research firms. The conversation was moderated by Sneha Singha, a SIPA student concentrating in Climate, Energy, and Environment and International Security Policy. Sen spoke candidly about her career journey, the macroeconomic forces reshaping global energy markets, and the sector’s critical challenges in the years ahead.

Some key takeaways from Amrita Sen’s career journey include the following:

• Career paths are rarely linear. Sen’s trajectory, from economics student to commodity analyst to co-founder, was shaped by intellectual curiosity and a willingness to follow the data wherever it led. She spent roughly six years working in the commodities sector before co-founding Energy Aspects, which was built on a gap she identified in energy market research: the need for rigorous, micro-level analysis in a rapidly changing landscape.
• Identifying a gap in the market is a powerful foundation for entrepreneurship. Professional relationships forged at her university were also instrumental to building the firm, Sen noted.
• Human judgment remains essential even in a data-driven field. Energy Aspects trains models with analyst support specifically to override extrapolations when the data demands a different interpretation, because models follow trends, whereas the energy market rarely does.

Some key takeaways from the discussion on the state of global energy markets include the following:

• Investment across the entire energy spectrum, from upstream oil and gas to renewables and grid infrastructure, is the most pressing challenge. Grid investment, in particular, should be triple what it is today, but is hampered by fragmented coordination of government efforts at the local, state, and federal levels.
• Monitoring and transparency of the energy market and energy demand are essential in such a dynamic market. The rapid rise of AI has made energy demand harder than ever to anticipate, but also more critical to understand.
• Talent gaps in the energy sector loom large, particularly in engineering and among women. Sen called directly on this generation of students to consider careers in the oil and gas industry, where significant opportunities exist.
• Political volatility is the market’s biggest structural risk. Sen believes the pendulum has swung from overcorrecting toward green energy to now overcorrecting away from it; neither extreme supports the investment stability that energy security requires. Security of supply depends on security of demand, which depends on political stability.
• China’s dominance in battery technology and critical minerals, 90% of supply growth in key battery minerals like cobalt, graphite, and rare earths comes from China, presents a fundamental tension for the energy transition. Costs must come down for batteries to scale, but whether geopolitics will allow international markets to access those cost reductions remains uncertain.
• Nuclear is not optional. Sen was direct: If the world is serious about the energy transition, nuclear must be part of the answer. The challenge is cost and speed, not the technology itself.
• The US faces a serious mismatch in timing between energy demand and supply. Sen was candid that she does not know how the US meets its rising electricity demand, driven heavily by AI infrastructure, given the lag between when capacity is needed and when it can realistically come online. Natural gas, of which the US has no shortage, will become increasingly central to bridging that power gap.

The Women in Energy initiative at the Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University SIPA, hosted an event titled “Student Roundtable with Career Coach Pam Brown” on Oct. 24, 2025. The event provided Columbia students the opportunity to engage directly with Pam, a seasoned career coach and leadership expert, for a conversation on searching and planning your career in today’s evolving professional landscape.

The main questions and takeaways from the event are as follows:

1. How should international students frame their career search strategy?

The career path should be conceptualized as a “jungle gym,” not a ladder. The goal is to secure the best possible role given current circumstances, including the economy, life stage, and location. Play the long game by identifying career goals and acquiring the necessary skills to achieve them. Consider taking a “side gig” to make money while awaiting more desirable opportunities. Spend your time building and growing a network of contacts.

2. What are the tactical steps for identifying and engaging companies that may sponsor?

Look for job postings that explicitly mention STEM OPT, H-1B, or “visa sponsorship available.” A recruiter who proactively asks about your work authorization type (instead of dismissing the profile) is often a good sign. Companies that participate in university career fairs with a diverse talent focus (e.g., international student mixers) suggest a willingness to hire international talent. Focus on huge companies or very small companies, as these extremes are most likely to sponsor.

Students can use resources like myvisajobs.com to see where people have been hired via CPT/OPT. (Curricular Practice Training/Optional Practical Training) Avoid any posting that specifies “Must be U.S. citizen or permanent resident” or “We do not sponsor work authorization now or in the future” or phrases like “No OPT/CPT, no H-1B transfers.” Ask directly to save time: “Can you share whether your company supports employment-based visa sponsorship for international students on F-1 OPT/STEM OPT?” Unless otherwise stated, it is recommended to assume the company does sponsor visas and proceed.

3. How can students build meaningful connections through networking?

Networking is centered on building relationships, not on immediately acquiring something. Start with warm leads, such as classmates, friends of friends, family, professors, or alumni. Use sincere flattery and genuine interest to initiate conversations, such as: “Your career is so impressive! I would love to ask you questions, see how you did what you did, etc.” If you meet someone briefly, send an immediate follow-up message (e.g., on LinkedIn) stating that you’d love to connect further and requesting 15 minutes to learn more about their background. Nurture the relationship by sending articles or notes about something that reminds you of them, such as sending an article about golden retrievers if they mentioned having one. Make use of university career offices (since students pay for them) and network with international student alumni.

4. How should candidates market themselves when pivoting to a new role?

Be authentic and be yourself, as this attracts people who will appreciate you. If applying to a role unrelated to your study field, you must “bridge the gap” for the recruiter. The recruiter is often looking for the most efficient way to make an appropriate hire, so you must make the connection for them. Use the specific “language” of the job description in your resume and, crucially, your cover letter. Clearly articulate your transferable skills.

5. What common mistakes should international students avoid in the job search?

Try to avoid the following: not engaging or speaking up due to concerns with language skills, being dishonest about citizenship, having too narrow a focus in the job search, and being “overzealous” or repetitive in professional interactions.

CGEP’s Women in Energy initiative hosted a virtual information session focused on career pathways at the United Nations, one of the world’s leading international organizations dedicated to promoting peace, human rights, and sustainable development. This event is presented in partnership with the DMUN Foundation and features a DMUN representative, Alexa Dominique Pascual, alongside a Human Resources specialist from the United Nations, Mahmoud Almasri. Together, they provided an overview of the UN’s mission, structure, and recruitment process, with a particular emphasis on current and upcoming employment opportunities. Attendees gained insights into the skills and qualifications the UN seeks in candidates, strategies for navigating the application process, and what it’s like to build a career in international affairs and global development.

The Women in Energy initiative at the Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University SIPA, hosted an event titled “Financing the Energy Transition”. The event was intended to facilitate a deeper understanding of energy finance, the professional opportunities available in that space, and how to access those opportunities. 

The main questions and takeaways from the event are as follows:

How do you prepare for the recruitment process?

• Reach out to former employees of the organization, who can provide insights on the interview process, the company’s culture, and expectations around the hiring process.  
• The recruitment process often involves a series of stages designed to assess both technical and interpersonal skills:
  • Personality Interview: Focused on understanding motivations, work style, and cultural fit.
  • Modeling Test: Designed to assess financial modeling skills.
  • Case Study: Designed to assess problem-solving, analytical, and presentation skills through a real-world financial scenario.
  • Interviews with Senior Professionals:  Intended to assess deeper knowledge of energy finance as well as strategic and long-term thinking.

What are the key skills that early professionals in the energy finance space should focus on?

Hard Skills:

• Financial Modeling: building and evaluating financial models, especially in relation to risk-return assessments in energy projects.
• Quantitative Analysis: Strong analytical skills to assess data and trends that impact investment and project decisions in the energy space.
• Risk Management: Assessing, mitigating, and managing risks associated with energy finance.
• Risk and Return Analysis: Ability to analyze investments from a risk-return perspective.
• Industry Knowledge: Staying updated with the latest trends, technologies, and policies in energy finance by reading industry publications and newsletters, as well as attending relevant events.

Soft Skills:

• Open-Mindedness: Approaching problems from different angles and considering a variety of perspectives.
• Humility: Acknowledging what you don’t know and being open to learning is essential.
• Willingness to Learn: Openness to learning and adapting to new trends, technologies, and regulations in a fast-moving field.
• Growth Mindset: Willingness to adapt to new challenges, such as changes in the market or new regulations affecting the energy industry.

Advice for people transitioning into energy finance from different sectors

For individuals without financial experience, the key is to:

• Leverage Transferable Skills: Many skills from other sectors (e.g., policy, law, or engineering) can be applied in energy finance, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and project management.
• Demonstrate Adaptability: Showing potential employers that you can quickly learn new concepts and apply them to the specific needs of the energy sector.
• Ask Questions and Be Curious: eProactively seeking knowledge and demonstrating a willingness to learn.

What makes recruiting in the energy finance space unique?

• Multidisciplinary Nature: Roles often require a blend of skills, such as private capital, investment, fundraising, capital markets, and an understanding of energy systems.
• Diverse Roles: The energy sector encompasses many different roles, so understanding where your skills fit best is crucial.
• Stakeholder Management: It’s essential to understand how different stakeholders (investors, governments, regulators, companies) interact with each other and how those dynamics influence investment decisions.

What are the best ways to ensure a recruiter sees your profile?

• Tailor Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile: These should reflect the specific role and be easy to read and keyword-optimized.
• Leverage Networking: Most job placements in the energy sector come through referrals. Build strong relationships with professionals in the field.
• Stand Out with Initiative: Going the extra mile to connect with recruiters (e.g., reaching out proactively or networking through events).

How should early professionals explore and choose different roles in the energy finance space?

• Apply Widely: Don’t be afraid to apply for a variety of roles across different companies and sectors within energy finance.  Job postings can be found through LinkedIn, Indeed, and company websites. 
• Use Networking: Networking can help uncover opportunities that may not be publicly posted. Engage in coffee chats and seek informational interviews with professionals already working in the field.
• Ask the Right Questions: When networking or interviewing, ask about what the company’s culture is like and whether the role will provide the kind of experience you need for career growth.

The Center on Global Energy Policy’s Women in Energy initiative hosted an event at the Pillsbury law firm on November 21, 2024, featuring two panels: women who funded sustainable startups and women founders or early employees of sustainable startups. The event also featured a presentation by three partners at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman (contact Women in Energy at womeninenergy@columbia.edu for a copy of this presentation). 

This first panel featured Sunaina Ocalan, senior director of corporate strategy and climate change at Hess, and Naomi Zimmermann, venture capital analyst at Creadev. Columbia University graduate student Neeti Sabnani served as the moderator.

Some key takeaways from this panel include the following:

• Startups should frame their pitch in terms of the problem they are trying to solve, how their solution is the best, and why they are best poised to solve the problem.
• Pitches should be short and punchy. Your pitch will likely be reviewed by an analyst first, and it should be as easy as possible for the analyst to explain the elevator-style pitch, especially because sustainable startups can be very technical.
• The CEO or founder plays an outsized role in the success of an organization. Founders who are extremely passionate and obsessed with what they do, with conviction behind their ability to produce value, tend to perform better.
• To maximize investors’ potential investment, startups can communicate extensively with investors to share updates and build relationships. Getting an investor involved in your success beyond financial metrics can help them advocate for you.
• Some untapped opportunities in sustainable startups are cold chain management, food waste, sustainable protein, and the decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors.

The second panel featured women who founded or were early employees at sustainable startups. The panelists were Kristy Drutman, co-founder of the Green Jobs Board; Katharine Greco, director of technology at Still Bright; and Alex Goldstein, co-founder and CEO of Bison Fuels. Columbia University PhD candidate Daniela Bushiri served as the moderator.

Some key takeaways from this panel include the following:

• Passion and proof of concept are key to the success of a sustainable startup. 
• A well-aligned and highly skilled team can make or break a startup. Bespoke skill sets, especially those related to project management and data analysis, are an asset.
• A clear narrative articulating the startup’s technical aspects while explaining how the project is a great investment is key.
• While policy can be a bonus for a business, it is important not to depend on policy because it often changes with the political winds. 
• Focus on pain points in an industry when designing your pitch. 
• Adjust your pitch to appeal to different audiences, especially as political and economic climates shift. 
• Work to find mission-aligned investors and build trust with your team and the investors.

The Center on Global Energy Policy’s Women in Energy initiative co-hosted an event with the New York City Economic Development Corporation’s Women NYC program on April 24, 2024, to inform people interested in entering the sustainability field in New York City. The event began with a networking roundtable, where attendees met with sustainability professionals in small groups. Following networking, the New York City Economic Development Corporation presented highlights from New York City’s Green Jobs Action Plan. The program concluded with a panel discussion by sustainability professionals, including Monica Medina, former president and CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Society; Miquela Craytor, vice president at Kearns & West; and Jully Merino Carela, program manager of sustainability and social innovation at IBM. The panel was moderated by Columbia University graduate student Anjaly Ariyanayagam.

Green Jobs Action Plan highlights include the following: 

• Only 2% of venture capital funding goes to women-led firms.
• Despite women comprising 57% of the life sciences workforce, they only receive 2.6% funding. 
• The “green economy” in New York City is already significant, with 133,000 jobs. 
• New York City aims to have 400,000 jobs in the green economy by 2040.
• About 70% of job growth is in occupations that will transition to the green economy. 

Panel highlights include the following: 

• Career changers who want to transition into sustainability are encouraged to emphasize their transferable skills.
  • Transferable skills are skills that can be applied across industry. These skills vary, but examples include communication, problem-solving, and teamwork. 
• Achieving success in sustainability often relies on relationship-building and making connections.
• When people interview for a new job, they are also interviewing the company and should feel confident asking questions to ensure it is a good fit.
• A job can often be a stepping stone to another goal, and certain jobs can serve as strategic career moves. Even if the opportunity is not what is sought right now, it can lead to better things. 
• Candidates should always negotiate salary and benefits. 
• Building relationships with other women in the field and leveraging female-led sectors for resources is essential.
• Many free resources, like IBM SkillsBuild, can help career changers build their skills for career growth or pivot to new industries.  

On Tuesday, April 29th, Women in Energy hosted Claire Steichen, founder of Clear Strategy Coaching,
 for a virtual roundtable. The session discussed how the fast-evolving energy sector can feel like the ground is shifting beneath you, and how to stabilize your career and reclaim control despite the evolving nature of the industry. 

The Center on Global Energy Policy’s Women in Energy initiative hosted a salary negotiation workshop at Columbia University on January 28, 2025. The presentation offered an overview of salary negotiation and included best practices. For more information or advice on salary negotiation, please contact the Women in Energy team at Womeninenergy@columbia.edu.

Resources

• AAUW
• Forbes
• Baldwin Wallace University
• The Muse: How to Negotiate
• How to gracefully leverage an outside job offer
• Schedule time to meet with Jessica

On Tuesday, October 8th, Women in Energy hosted Cathy Schreiber, founder and principal of Cathy Schreiber & Associates, a firm that supports climate and clean energy advocacy organizations, foundations, and climate tech startups with strategy, human capacity, and executive searches.

Cathy discussed strategies for getting recruited into energy and shared tips on what organizations are looking for and how to stand out. She shared best practices based on her experience in her consulting firm and more than 20 years of supporting leaders and teams in achieving ambitious goals.

Cathy Schreiber founded her consulting firm in 2017 after more than 20 years of success in the social sector – developing and executing plans that follow a clear North Star of justice and equity; raising money to power those plans; and supporting leaders and teams working to achieve ambitious goals. Her firm helps clients elevate their approaches and operations to be more impactful and leave this world better than we found it. The goal of their work is transformation – of strategies, structures, and systems.

Cathy has overseen every functional area of nonprofit businesses – governance, development, communications, programs, finance, and administration/operations. During her 15+ years with the Women’s Foundation of California, she led strategic planning, budgeting, evaluation and learning, business model analyses, and team restructures for this statewide public foundation, while serving as a primary liaison for high-profile strategic partnerships. She played a key role in raising more than $100 million and drove the evolution of donor-driven giving circles to become global models of inclusive feminist philanthropy.

Today, as a multi-faceted consultant with expertise in equity-centered approaches, Cathy’s work focuses on business strategy and human capacity, including executive search and coaching. Her clients include climate and clean energy advocacy organizations, foundations, and climate tech startups.