The Great Lakes Energy Institute recently announced the 2022–23 Distinguished Fellows. Named after key supporters of the Great Lakes Energy Institute and the ThinkEnergy Fellows program, these honorary designations acknowledge students who are embracing their time in ThinkEnergy to open doors and have a lasting impact, with potential to disrupt the energy space and continue energy innovation far beyond the boundaries of the ThinkEnergy program.
Walt and Sylvia Culver Distinguished Fellow: Natasha Rouse
Rouse is finishing her research in the biologically inspired robotics laboratory in the mechanical engineering department. Rouse led the E-Gora team, focusing on the community solar market and creating a platform for adoption, and plans to continue her team’s ThinkEnergy project this summer via the “Universities for Goal 13” Competition sponsored by Siemens Gamesa and in collaboration with the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Rouse plans to defend her PhD dissertation in August and enter the robotics industry.
Sheldon Greene Distinguished Fellow – Aderinola (Derin) Fasipe
Fasipe is pursuing a master’s in entrepreneurial biotechnology and was part of the E-Gora team. In addition to his ThinkEnergy involvement, Fasipe’s research focuses on the genetic engineering of aquatic organisms to increase rates of carbon capture for emissions-intensive plastics recycling and developing plants capable of nitrogen fixation to reduce the need for chemical fertilizers in agriculture and bioenergy. Fasipe is leveraging his research to create a company supporting this goal and is participating in the BRITE Energy Innovators network, as well as receiving an invitation to participate in the “Universities for Goal 13” Competition sponsored by Siemens Gamesa and in collaboration with the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
Peter Ranney Distinguished Fellow – Cameron Goodwin-Schoen
Goodwin-Schoen worked with the E-Gora team and worked with Fasipe to focus on the development of biotechnology for sustainable aviation fuel. Goodwin-Schoen is a rising senior double majoring in systems and control engineering and electrical engineering with a minor in business management. Goodwin-Schoen is spending a second year interning with BP and plans to continue his involvement in the energy industry through the corporate and public sector, where his interests lie in the design of green energy systems, the sustainable development of industrial infrastructure, and transitioning to a smart implementation of energy in urban landscapes. Goodwin-Schoen would like to ultimately harness his broad energy experience for use in revitalizing communities and combating climate change.