MSES Student Profile: Jennifer Coronel
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MS in Energy and Sustainability (MSES) student shifts from path to become environmental science lab technician after studying abroad in Sydney during bushfire season
MSES Student Profile: Ryan Dooley
Engineering Renewable Solutions
November 3, 2021
Ryan Dooley, an MS in Energy and Sustainability (MSES) student, has been increasingly aware of environmental issues since experiencing heatwaves and air pollution warnings while growing up in Dallas.
He studied Biological and Agricultural Engineering at Texas A&M University, and then worked as an environmental engineer for three years, mostly in remediation and environmental compliance work, often mitigating leaks from oil and gas. Dooley started the MSES program because he wanted to do something more proactive and impactful: to focus on renewables and work with corporations with ambitious net zero sustainability goals. “Something where my work can be part of the solution to climate change.”
“At the moment,” Dooley says, “I think what I would like to do is work for a relatively large company that maybe doesn't have as well of a developed sustainability arm.” By specializing in Energy Technology within the MSES program, Dooley will develop the skills and tools to cover energy transitions, as well as the systems pertaining to production, transmission, and distribution of energy, including grid management, electrified transportation, energy storage, and carbon capture and utilization. With this, Dooley wants to lead the charge to develop and transform companies into leaders in sustainability. “I already have a mindset of needing to be more ambitious with our sustainability goals. I want to work on a team to help a company achieve their goal of net-zero… That would be my ideal job.”
For now, Dooley is immersed in the MSES curriculum and peer-learning. “I’m looking forward to not only learning from professors that are from industry and have real-world experience, but also learning from my classmates. It's just cool to be in an environment where everyone's very interested in the same thing. We're constantly sharing news articles and conferences with one another… I'm just excited to be in this environment where I can grow intellectually and challenge myself at the same time.”
One aspect of the program that drew Dooley’s attention is the ability to develop practical experience through the capstone project. “Classroom learning is kind of more for just learning, and I guess theory, but the capstone is more applied, which is what I prefer. Actually, physically doing something. Getting to apply some of that knowledge that I'm gaining right now.”
The drive for applied learning makes sense for Dooley, who wants to be part of the team doing better. It is all part of the drive to do “something in my life to help people and have meaningful work, something that I personally enjoy.”