Meet the UEILC Bridge-Builder Fellows

Powering the Future of Energy Collaboration:

The Inaugural Cohort of UEILC Bridge-Builder Fellows

The UEILC Bridge-Builder Fellows Program is designed to empower professional staff at UEILC-affiliated energy institutes to lead projects that benefit both their home institutions and the broader collaborative. By tapping into the expertise of existing energy institute leaders, the program aims to strengthen the national network of energy institutes, ensuring they are well-positioned to address complex policy, research, and educational challenges.

Each fellow receives a one-year appointment, which may be renewed for a second year based on performance. To ensure these leaders have the capacity to drive national impact, the program provides salary relief to offset each Fellow’s time dedicated to UEILC initiatives and flexible travel funds to attend the annual UEILC summit and other in-person meetings to support and grow the UEILC’s activities.

Our six new Fellows have proposed a robust slate of activities aimed at expanding the reach and sustainability of the UEILC. Collectively, they will focus on:

  • Digital Engagement: Producing original UEILC podcasts and webinars to share research and leadership insights.

  • Network Growth: Expanding the UEILC network with a focus on Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) and maintaining a comprehensive membership database.

  • Educational Resources: Creating and sharing energy curriculum resources to support student development.

  • Regional Expansion: Cultivating increased engagement from energy institutes in the Western United States.

  • Leadership Summits: Identifying a host university for the 2027 UEILC Leadership Summit and leading the organization of the event.

  • Financial sustainability: Developing strategies to diversify UEILC funding and ensure long-term growth beyond initial foundation support.

Jordann Britt

Strategic Energy Institute, Georgia Institute of Technology

I’m excited about the UEILC Bridge-Builder Fellowship because it creates intentional opportunities to connect people and ideas across the energy community. I’m particularly looking forward to working with partner institutions across the UEILC network on efforts that embody the collaborative nature of UEILC. The opportunity to help grow the network and expand the reach of energy research across institutions is especially meaningful to me.

 I am deeply invested in the power of collaboration and am excited to leverage the UEILC’s expansive network to diversify our funding model. By establishing and maintaining formal, consistent pathways for our 150+ institutes to partner, we can accelerate the innovation and implementation needed to meet our most urgent energy challenges. Collaboration is a powerful catalyst for change and the infrastructure that supports it requires strategic investment. I look forward to playing a role in securing the support necessary to sustain and enrich this vital network!

Ben Finkelor

Energy and Efficiency Institute, University of California – Davis

Excited to join as a (half-)fellow with Ruth in the UEILC Bridge-Builder Fellows Program! I’ve been fortunate enough to attend several of the Annual Summits and have made some great connections over the years. Serving as a Fellow formalizes my participation in these meetings and the network and will make it easier for me to learn from and share best practices with my peers at other fine institutions across the country. During my time as part of this inaugural cohort of Fellows, I hope to help recruit additional university institutes and programs in the West to participate in the Summit, both for the upcoming one at Georgia Tech this Fall, and also in 2027, which will hopefully be hosted out on the West Coast. Cheers!

Ruth Musonda

Institute for Energy Studies, Western Washington University

I’m very excited to be part of the inaugural UEILC Bridge Builders Fellowship! This financial support, and the professional network that comes with it, represents a significant opportunity for me to broaden my connections with other members and to further my own professional growth and knowledge in the energy space. I’m thrilled that I’ll be working with Ben Finkelor at UC Davis to elevate Western regional participation in the UEILC. Again, I’m truly grateful for this empowering opportunity!

Jared Starr

Energy Transition Institute, University of Massachusetts-Amherst

I see a critical need for our energy institutes to build community, share knowledge, market the UEILC to new members or funders, and to communicate the value of our work to the broader public. Podcasts are a popular and effective medium that could accomplish these goals by telling compelling stories about why academic energy research matters. I am really excited to use this fellowship to develop a UEILC podcast. Each episode would tackle a facet of energy (e.g. how do we make energy affordable, what role might nuclear play in a decarbonized economy, how does climate change impact the grid, where should we site battery storage, etc…) and would feature relevant researchers from different UEILC member institutes. I see numerous concrete benefits to the UEILC, members, and the public. These Include: (1) fostering connections between UEILC members year round; (2) sharing knowledge across our network; (3) creating value for our institutes and research affiliates (Deans like good press); (4) marketing us to new members, industry, and donors; and (5) educating non-academic audiences about why research matters. I look forward to being in touch with you and soliciting ideas and stories from your institute!  I am also excited to help develop more academic-focused webinars and to help us expand our network, by recruiting more university energy institutes into the UEILC.

Cressica Brazier

Sen. George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions, University of Maine

I am grateful for this opportunity to work with the UEILC Bridge Builder cohort to help strengthen the UEILC network, both through developing the UEILC membership and through collaboratively gathering energy-related curriculum resources to share across the network. I am excited to be part of both of these activities that have the potential to advance energy equity and justice through our institutions, by increasing inclusivity and access to resources for energy education and research.

Charis Egland-Smith

Great Lakes Energy Institute, Case Western Reserve University