Summer Interns Shine at NEEP

Summer is almost over. The end of hot, humid days is close and we're readying for schools season. However, we want to take a moment for some reflection. NEEP has been fortunate to once again have a terrific group of interns this summer, thanks in part to the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s Internship Program. The interns have learned a lot about the energy efficiency field in both program and policy, and have made important contributions to our work during their time with our team. While they will soon leave us to finish degrees or enter the world of work, we hope that the insights and connections they have gained through this experience will serve them moving forward.

Michael Sciascia has been interning with the Public Policy team at NEEP. A rising senior at Union College, Michael is pursuing a major degree in Environmental Policy with minors in Political Science and Classics. He previously attended Brooks School in his hometown of North Andover, MA. Michael recently participated in a study abroad program to New Zealand focusing on electric power generation and transmission, which sparked his interest in the field of energy. At NEEP, he is working to track regulatory proceedings across the region, assisting with various research and writing projects and attending various meetings and public hearings regarding energy efficiency. He has also worked with the Buildings team researching and updating white papers on building operation and maintenance and streamlining utility data access. Michael’s recent NEEP blog, Breaking through the policy barriers to grid-scale energy storage, has been widely read and circulated. Michael is interested in pursuing a graduate degree in energy management or law.

Find Michael on LinkedIn.

Alpansh Banerjee has spent the summer interning with the DesignLights Consortium as communication and member services intern. He has worked on various projects, including completing program summaries, designing control program surveys, and supporting the DLC’s 2016 Stakeholders meeting in Denver, Colorado. Alpansh is pursuing an MBA in Business Intelligence at Suffolk University in Boston. He is an accomplished musician and also holds an MS in music technology from Purdue School of Technology. “My goal is to find work that combines the worlds of information technology and advanced lighting and controls,” said Alpansh. Alpansh has been in the U.S. for two years and is originally from Indore, India. 

Find Alpansh on LinkedIn.

Rachel Selbert just wrapped up an internship with NEEP’s EM&V Forum after graduating in May 2016 from Stonehill College in Easton, MA. Originally from Quincy, MA, she studied mathematics with a minor in business and is interested in pursuing a career where problem solving, analytical, and technical skills are used to address climate change issues. Prior to working at NEEP, Rachel interned abroad her junior year in London, UK researching renewable energy projects for financial data insight reports.

At NEEP, Rachel has helped collect, review, and conduct QA/QC on data submitted to the Regional Energy Efficiency Database (REED). She has also researched EM&V related developments relevant to advanced data collection and data analytic tools to support NEEP briefings and reports. “Interning with the EM&V team has opened my eyes to technological advancements in the space,” said Rachel. “The industry and markets are constantly reacting to change and I look forward to seeing what developments the future holds for energy efficiency!”

Her time at NEEP and participating in the mentorship program at NEEP’s 2016 Summit has made Rachel excited to start a career in the world of clean energy and energy efficiency. And she won’t have to wait long: Rachel has landed a job with ICF International, where she’ll soon work as a product and data support analyst in the Energy Efficiency Division of ICF’s Washington, D.C. office. Congrats Rachel!

Find Rachel on LinkedIn.