“We’re on a solar coaster,” said Conner Rettig BA’17, an English major who is now helping to implement solar policy in Illinois. Solar power is an increasingly crucial part of the global transition to clean energy — with solar panels estimated to account for 80% of the renewable energy growth through 2030. However, changes to federal policy in the United States and global economic shifts have raised the stakes in the fight for renewable energy.
Rettig said, “Nothing is ever static. The technology's never static. The policy's never static. The politics are never static. But there's always opportunity.”
Retting is just one of the Willamette University alums who are on the front lines of the transition to renewable energy through their work in public policy, government agencies, community organizations, and in the private sector.
Building on the skills they learned at Willamette, these changemakers are working across the country to prepare the world to fight climate change and build more sustainable institutions. They are navigating the ever-changing realities of the renewable energy sector using the flexible liberal arts approach they first found on campus at Willamette.
During a recent panel discussion hosted by the Willamette University Sustainability Network, five alums discussed how their career paths have come to interact with the growing solar power industry and how their Willamette education is helping them drive change across the sector.
Harnessing a Willamette education for renewable energy solutions
While the panelists came from different areas of study and represented a variety of approaches to renewable energy, each has found ways to harness their Willamette education to make an impact.
With the Willamette motto — “Not unto ourselves alone are we born” — as a guide, these alums are making a difference in the high-stakes field of renewable energy.
Marshall Curry BA’13 has leveraged his major in Sociology and minors in Chemistry and Spanish to work in international development, sustainability education, and state government. He credits his Willamette education to giving him the ability to analyze complex systems into their component parts. Curry says that such a perspective is necessary for working on issues like solar power.
“That is something from Willamette that I learned to do that has really benefited me as a graduate,” Curry said. “I can really quickly understand all the inputs of a system, whereas someone that I'm working with might not be as quick to understand what's impacting the challenge that's currently facing us.”
Through courses in International Business, Marketing, and Finance she took as a student in Willamette’s MBA for Professionals program, Jessica Dusek MBA’13 gained a strong understanding of the complexities of the energy industry. Now, as Project Development Manager at SolAmerica Energy, Dusek is working at the intersection of renewable energy and agriculture to help farmers and landowners install solar panels on their properties.
Rettig BA’17 is helping Illinois residents access cleaner energy through policy incentives. Rettig has mastered the art of storytelling to help the public grasp the complexities of energy policy. For Rettig, learning to communicate a narrative to communities — especially those who may be skeptical of clean energy — has been an essential part of his career success.
Elizabeth Gill’s BA’17 career has taken her from the federal government to the private sector and beyond. A self-described "generalist," who has worked with several different kinds of renewable energy technologies, Gill credits Politics, Policy, Law & Ethics Professor Richard Ellis with helping her to always ask “so what?” The ability to think analytically and get to the heart of the matter has helped Gill navigate career transitions and changes within the sector.
Peter Wyrsch BA’12 approaches his work helping utilities mitigate wildfire risks with the eye of a historian. He says the biggest takeaway from his History major was an ability to look to primary sources rather than relying on interpretation or opinion. When faced with a problem, Wyrsch turns to research to answer the big questions. Now he’s helping protect communities from wildfires fueled by climate change — one primary source at a time.
Learning to ride the “solar coaster”
While solar energy continues to face headwinds, the work of these accomplished alums points to bright spots where important progress on renewable energy is continuing despite changes in policy and economic uncertainty.
The panelists pointed to the Pacific Northwest as a key region for fighting climate change, as state and local policy still provides opportunities for working on these issues.
“This region is much better positioned to keep this work going,” said Gill.
These opportunities are ripe for current Willamette students who are interested in going into fields related to renewable energy and climate change. From interdisciplinary courses that encourage students to look at complex climate challenges from every angle, to hands-on research opportunities with faculty in fields like Environmental Science and Sustainability, Willamette students graduate with the skills and approaches they need to solve problems.
“The energy space can be quite intimidating because it's a very technical world, but you don't necessarily need to be a deep technical expert,” Gill said. “I am not a deep technical expert, but a lot of the deep technical experts need graduates from places like Willamette to come in and say, ‘okay, what are you trying to do here? Let's get this project to completion.’”
