THE SMART CHARGE TEAM
Financial Manager
|
Barak AlbegBarak Albeg is a master's student specializing in Energy and Climate at the Bren School. He graduated from Tel-Aviv University with a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and the Human Environment. Post college he was hired as a coordinator for the Israel Electricity Company. There he mapped the national electrical grid, coordinated communication between the GIS and IT departments, and converted the existing electric grid database to the ARCVIEW platform. He moved to California to pursue his goal to become an environmental authority, understand the economic and social costs and benefits of renewable energy, and develop the skills to effectively implement solutions, strategies, techniques, and policies for improving energy efficiency in large-scale operations.
|
Editor
|
Sandy CarterSandy Carter received her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and Political Science from the University of Chicago in 2013. As a student community organizer, she worked on a successful environmental justice campaign in Chicago and developed a passion for working at the nexus of energy, climate, and equity. After college, she spent four years working on conservation policy and projects. Sandy is currently pursuing a Master's in Environmental Science & Management at the Bren School while specializing in Energy and Climate. Sandy is primarily interested in finding ways to use renewable energy to address climate change, as well as social and economic inequality, particularly in urban settings.
|
Project Manager
|
Danny EttelsonDanny Ettelson is studying Energy and Climate at the Bren School. He studied environmental science in Denver as an undergraduate. Growing up in San Diego, he is glad to be back living in California and working toward environmental solutions. His experience ranges from working in energy efficiency to experience in education as an 8th-grade math teacher. While studying abroad in Copenhagen for a semester, Danny was able to see how Denmark has implemented a large amount of wind energy in their grid mix, and the creative solutions they have employed to keep a stable grid. To Danny, this project is an interesting nexus of two important solutions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions: renewable energy and electric vehicles. Separately, the two have great potential, but together they can be greater than the sum of their parts.
|
Data Manager
|
Maddie JulianIn 2017, Maddie Julian received her Bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley in Conservation and Resource Studies with an emphasis in Political Ecology. The interdisciplinary major allowed her to study the intersection of politics, economics, and sociology as they relate to the environment. After being involved in several political advocacy and community outreach organizations on campus, as well as the California Solar and Storage Association, she realized her passion for alleviating climate change through the energy industry. At Bren, she specializing in Energy and Climate to gain the technical skills and knowledge to help accelerate the transition to renewable energy. She sees the project with Southern California Edison as a unique opportunity to understand and address the challenges utilities face incorporating intermittent resources into the grid.
|
Communications Manager
|
Tom PaschosTom Paschos graduated from Quinnipiac University in 2007 with a Bachelor’s degree in History. Moving out west after school, he spent several years working in the outdoor and ski industry, where he saw climate change and drought severely affect the mountain communities of the Sierra. Before coming to the Bren School, Tom served with AmeriCorps, installing photovoltaic systems for low-income families in northern California. Tom is specializing in Energy and Climate and came to the Bren School to address the challenge of climate change and learn the tools and strategies to advance the opportunities that come with a clean energy economy.
|
ADVISORY TEAM
Chris Costello
Faculty Advisor
Chris is a professor of Environmental and Resource Economics at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UC Santa Barbara.
Jordan Sager
External Advisor
Jordan Sager is the Campus Energy Manager
for the University of California, Santa Barbara. |
Mahnoosh Alizadeh
External Advisor
Mahnoosh Alizadeh is an Assistant Professor
of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara. |
Our Project Client
Southern California Edison (SCE) is one of the country’s largest electric utilities, serving over 15 million people, and has been providing Southern and Central California electricity for over 130 years. SCE is committed to modernizing the grid and is planning for the integration of zero-emission vehicles to help California achieve zero-emission goals. SCE recently created the Charge Ready Program, where they provided rebates and installation assistance for over 1000 electric charging stations over the course of two years. They’re currently planning for a Phase 2 of the program in which they aim to install nearly 10 times that amount. Visit the Charge Ready website to learn more about the program and what SCE is doing to prepare for the integration of electric vehicles.
Our Project Donor
Thank you to our sponsor Yardi Systems, who in 2009, generously donated to the Bren School with funding to support Master's Group Projects that address building energy use and resource conservation and efficiency within a technical and regulatory context. Yardi is a leading property management software company based in Santa Barbara, California and has offices worldwide. To learn more about Yardi's products, services, and their community involvement visit their website.
