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Giselle De Grandis, Senior Policy Advisor at Ontario Ministry of Transportation

Giselle De Grandis

"We're only halfway through the year, but I'm already completely satisfied that I’ve made a smart investment in myself and my ability to help accelerate the clean energy transition."

What has been unexpected during this program?

I expected the high-caliber teaching we're receiving from Yale faculty and industry leaders. What surprised me, though, is just how much learning I'm also doing directly from my classmates in our weekly discussion assignments and informal group chats. They bring expertise and insights from different corners of the clean energy industry, and this has really enriched the learning experience for me.

How has the program built your knowledge of and/or skills in clean energy?

The program is well organized to balance the big-picture issues of decarbonizing economies with more focused learning about specific technologies, how they work, and how to finance and deploy them.

As someone working in transportation policy, I especially loved the lectures and live sessions with Robert Klee and Narasimha Rao on the future of mobility, ZEV mandates, transportation electrification, and potential roles for regional governments and utilities. Electric buses may, in fact, be my favorite topic right now because electric mobility can both leverage and support clean grids, and shared transportation modes like transit are a key application of energy efficiency in a decarbonized world.

In which ways do you believe the FDCE program has enabled you to expand your network?

The program has introduced me to a cohort of ambitious professionals from across the clean energy industry and from around the world. The on-campus week was a lot of fun and a chance to meet classmates, instructors and program staff face to face, laying the foundations for meaningful online interactions throughout the year. I enjoyed the many opportunities to socialize in addition to the introductory workshops and orientation sessions.

It’s been great to see that classmates are meeting up at conferences or when visiting each others' cities, and we're talking about getting together after the program ends and connecting with future FDCE cohorts as well.

Why did you choose this program?

I learned about the program in a CBEY Clean Energy Finance Forum email and applied because I wanted to both deepen my policy knowledge and build my skills and knowledge in technology and finance. All four courses interested me. With powerhouse instructors and a global cohort of classmates, I knew the program would be an unbeatable learning opportunity. I was especially excited about the week of on-campus learning that kicked off the program and proved to be a great experience.

Who would you recommend this program to?

I'd recommend this program to anyone in clean energy who wants to deepen their knowledge, learn new skills, meet industry peers, and challenge themselves. People working in policy, finance, engineering, consulting, insurance, project development, and advocacy would likely find the experience valuable.

Anything else?

I'm self-funding this certificate and we're only halfway through the year, but I'm already completely satisfied that I’ve made a smart investment in myself and my ability to help accelerate the clean energy transition.

Want to learn more about the program?

Intrigued?  Want to learn more?  Find detailed information about the Financing and Deploying Clean Energy certificate program here or reach out to us at cbey.admissions@yale.edu.