SE Valley Times

The U.S. Department of Energy-led Clean Energy Education and Empowerment Initiative has announced that Arizona State University (ASU) is now a partnering university.

The Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at ASU joins the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Energy Initiative and the Stanford Precourt Institute for Energy as the third university to collaborate with DOE to increase the participation, leadership, and success of women in clean energy.

A DOE-led initiative since 2011, Clean Energy Education and Empowerment (C3E) works to highlight, recognize, and empower women in clean energy. More than 100 mid-career professionals have been recognized by C3E for their outstanding leadership and achievements across eight categories: business, education, entrepreneurship and commercialization, finance and investment, fundamental and applied research, government, international, and policy and advocacy.

The C3E community connects those working in clean energy with opportunities to engage with peers and mentors via social media platforms, webinars, and other events.

“DOE is excited to bring ASU on board as we continue our commitment to enrich the talent pool and help shape a robust and sustainable clean energy future,” said Maria T. Vargas, lead C3E ambassador and senior program advisor. “Our collaboration with ASU will further broaden the reach and representation of the C3E initiative and help further promote women’s leadership in the energy sector.”

Kelly Barr, associate vice president and chief alliance officer at the Global Futures Laboratory, also serves as a C3E ambassador. This role is given to distinguished senior executives, academics, government officials, and thought leaders who serve as role models and advocates for women in clean energy.

“Women are underrepresented in the clean energy sector, especially in leadership positions,” Barr said. “A future built on clean energy has the potential to reach everyone—it only makes sense that the leaders in clean energy would reflect the communities they serve. This partnership with the DOE is an important step in the right direction.”

As a partnering university, ASU will work with DOE to manage the C3E Initiative, including holding annual meetings and opportunities to promote women’s leadership. The Global Futures Laboratory at ASU provides key engagement spaces for scientists, scholars, innovators, and leaders to address pressing societal challenges.

“We are thrilled that the Global Futures Laboratory at ASU is partnering with the Department of Energy’s C3E Initiative,” said Sally C. Morton, executive vice president at ASU’s Knowledge Enterprise. “Recognizing the outstanding leadership of women in the clean energy sector is vital for fostering innovation and advancing the industry.”

ASU will collaborate with MIT's Energy Initiative, Stanford University’s Precourt Institute for Energy (Stanford),and DOE on planning C3E’s annual awards symposiums. The 13th annual symposium will be held at Stanford University in November 2024 while ASU will host it in 2025.

"We are honored to join this prestigious initiative,” said Ellen B. Stechel co-director of LightWorks at Global Futures Laboratory & executive director for Center for an Arizona Carbon-Neutral Economy.“At ASU fostering inclusion isn’t just essential mandate but strategic necessity."

Stechel also a senior global futures scientist & professor practice School Molecular Sciences serves as ASU lead partnership promoting women sector harness wider range perspectives talents driving innovation impactful change

“This partnership reflects our commitment creating equitable opportunities advancing solutions” Stechel added."Together accelerate transition sustainable future ensuring inclusive representative voices"