Diverse thinking and innovation can solve energy problems, says Liesl Clark, principal and co-founder of 5 Lakes Energy, a public policy consulting firm for clean energy and sustainability.
Clark talks with Kirk Heinze on Greening of the Great Lakes about an upcoming celebration of energy innovators and her work supporting careers for women in the energy sector.
As a principal consultant, president of the Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council (MiEIBC) and board member of Advancing Women in Energy (AWE), Clark has seen how an interdisciplinary approach with a variety of perspectives can be useful to problem-solving.
“There’s a lot going on in this country, and the more that we have different voices and a diversity of voices, the more that we get better outcomes,” she explains.
Through the nonprofit organization, Advancing Women in Energy, females are encouraged to seek more career opportunities in the energy industry and ultimately, help generate creative, positive results across organizations.
For now, AWE is putting its resources toward helping women in the energy sector who are interested being on boards, getting board-ready and finding positions in energy.
“We know that there are already a lot of active women in this industry, but our thought was to create opportunities for mentorship, networking and professional development,” Clark explains.
And there’s an aim to also draw young professionals into starting careers in energy-related feilds.
“Sometimes I think that our energy sector can look a little stale, and I really wanted to figure out a way to communicate with younger women the exciting and innovative parts of the energy industry,” she adds.
The MiEIBC, comprised of 100 small and large companies in the energy, service and manufacturing industry, will also be instrumental in creating technology for the next generation of utility, says Clark.
Companies interested in promoting advanced energy will meet November 10 for the MiEIBC’s fourth annual energy gala and awards fundraiser at the Kellogg Center on the MSU campus. John Viera, the director of sustainability at Ford Motor Company, will speak about the interaction between mobility and electricity.
Greening of the Great Lakes airs inside MSU Today Sunday afternoons at 4:00 on AM 870.