By: Andrew Wilson
Columbia alumni Jing Chu and William Jaffray spoke with current sustainable development students about their work as energy engineers with Associated Renewable, an energy consulting firm focusing on carbon management, training and education, energy and supply, and project financing. Associated Renewable is a small, but growing firm, that helps private and public organizations to set energy benchmarks, audit their energy systems, and perform retrofits of facilities through the installation of solar lighting and small-scale wind power. The firm’s twenty employees work with clients in New York City and Long Island, focusing primarily on helping commercial and multi-family homes to improve their energy efficiency while following the guidelines of local laws and regulations.
It was promising for students to hear that both Jing and William found their jobs during their senior year on Lionshare, the Columbia site for job and internship positions. Both work in the Energy Solutions division and William specializes in solar technologies and fluid modeling. What is his favorite aspect of the job? The ability to balance the time in the office with site visits and face-to-face meetings with clients. Jing’s background is in mechanical engineering and her work focuses on programing and electrical engineering. She became passionate about energy issues after witnessing the energy challenges in her home country, China.
Associated Renewable is a small but growing company that is always looking for interns and students interested in the energy industry and sustainable energy solutions. Students can contact Associated Renewable at jobs@associatedrenewable.com. The company is looking to expand the workforce due to the rising needs of organizations and the large projects that the firm has acquired. The firm is also looking to expand to other cities with regulations similar to New York City and Long Island.
This event was part of the Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development brownbag series. These experiences allow our students to consider career paths, to engage challenging and multifaceted sustainable development problems and solutions, and to foster an excitement for science and discovery that augments their classroom experiences. This semester’s schedule can be found here.
Andrew Wilson is a Masters in Public Administration in Development Practice candidate at Columbia University and will graduate in 2014.
