Young energy professional lands dream job after completing Future Energy Leader's programme

 

The World Energy Council’s French Future Energy Leaders’ programme (FELS) provided Bianka Shoai-Tehrani the opportunity to land her dream job, as a researcher at the Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth in Kyoto, Japan. Thanks to connections made through the FEL programme, Bianka's successful interview during the 2013 World Energy Congress in Daegu, resulted in a job offer to join the Institute’s team working on the economics of energy and climate change. Her work mainly focuses on two issues: integration of low carbon technologies in the energy mix and analysis of climate and energy policy articulation.

The job is particularly exciting for Bianka as she is involved in international research projects working with teams across the world, and has had many opportunities to participate in high-level events such as COP21.

 

Bianka said: “To me, it is not an exaggeration to say that the FEL Program can be a life-changing experience. Beyond the excitement of exchanging paths with so many bright young professionals, it a place for concrete opportunities if you seize your chance -– when I came to Daegu in 2013, I was in the process of finishing my PhD. I was thus looking for a position abroad and especially in Japan."

“Through the Japanese FELs, I made contact with a prestigious institute in Kyoto, which got me an interview after the conference. I was hired a few months later, right after I defended my PhD in Paris, and I have been working there ever since: I literally landed my dream job thanks to FEL Program! As an engineer, I have always considered that my job was to try and contribute to the well-being of all of us, starting with our basic needs: air, water, food, shelter. Which means, aiming at widespread economic development and environment protection at the same time.”

During her student years, it became clear to Bianka that many burning questions centred on the issue of energy, as it is so closely linked with economic growth, climate change, air pollution, water and agriculture issues.

This is why she decided to enter the energy sector. But Bianka did not want to only ‘just work’ in the energy sector. She also wanted to understand the underlying technological, economic, geopolitical issues at stake, and wanted to assess what strategies and policies were worth objectively. So she chose to do a PhD to acquire in-depth knowledge and develop her own expertise and knowledge about energy.

Bianka Tehrani, completed her PhD with primary focus of research on Energy Economics at the Institute for Techno-Economics of Energy Systems of CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission), whose missions is to produce prospective studies and research focusing on a broad range of energies in an interdisciplinary context by economists and engineers.

Her research consisted of studying investment in new electricity generation capacities in Europe particularly through analysis of factors that influence investors’ choices. The aim was in order to assess possible evolutions of investment trends and build the corresponding scenarios of generation mix evolution in the next thirty years.

Bianka believes that accelerating global as well as regional integration to tackle both existing and emerging issues impacting energy is key to making sound progress.

 

“The FEL Programme was a great opportunity to take part in collective reflections and exchange with other young professionals in an international context,” said Bianka.

The FEL-100 nomination process for 2017 has already started, so we want to encourage you to nominate young professional from your members to make sure we have the brightest minds in the FEL community. The deadline for applications is Friday, 24 February.  Please send all documents to Michelle Arellano, Email Michelle Arellano