Revolutionizing the Green Economy

The Planetary Solutions in Clean Energy - Internship and Fellowship Program (PSiCE) offers summer research and internship opportunities to students at Yale who are committed to advancing and pursuing a career in the clean energy field. This year we spoke with students in our second cohort to learn about their inspiration, goals, and experience through the program.

The Planetary Solutions in Clean Energy Program (PSiCE) is Marymegan Wright’s first internship–and it has been an experience she won’t soon forget.

“I'm so grateful that I chose this program. It forces you to prioritize your long-term professional development and introduces you to jobs in the green economy - which are not always easy to find, especially as an undergraduate student. You will learn a lot about clean energy, which will help you understand the opportunities available to you in the future … you will make incredible connections. Plus, you'll have a lot of fun with the group along the way.”

Planetary Solutions in Clean Energy - Internship and Fellowship Program (PSiCE) offers summer research and internship opportunities to students at Yale who are committed to advancing and pursuing a career in the clean energy field. Students in the 2023 cohort shared their inspiration, goals, and experiences through the program.

“I applied to the Planetary Solutions in Clean Energy program hoping to learn more about clean energy generally and find an entry point into the green workforce. I was also excited by the cohort group and network that you form with the Center for Business and Environment at Yale (CBEY) staff. The program has achieved all of those goals and more.”

Marymegan, a rising junior and Environmental Studies major, has always been passionate about the environment and believes decarbonizing our energy sources is a major step that needs to be taken. 

Since learning more about clean energy through PSiCE, she has become enamored with discovering the multidisciplinary and complex nature of the field. Through this internship, Marymegan was exposed to nascent and developing trends in clean energy, including everything from infrastructure to ESG (environment, social and governance) investing and more. From learning more about all the opportunities that the field has to offer and the numerous ways in which one can contribute positively to the environmental movement.  The experience has sharpened her passion for a just energy transition.

“A just clean energy transition starts by recognizing ways in which marginalized groups and frontline communities have been impacted by environmental injustices in the past and present. I believe that special emphasis should be provided to communities that have experienced ‘NIMBYism’ - or ‘not in my backyard’ - and have been consequently subjected to poor environmental conditions". 

“Having an internship in workforce development has also changed my perspective on a just transition. Workers that have historically been underrepresented in the environmental field should be most able to benefit from the opportunity of a green economy. Finally, a just clean energy transition must have a global perspective. It must address the ways in which developed countries have historically profited off of fossil fuels. These same countries must lead the way in the clean energy transition while providing support - largely financial - to enable all countries to benefit from reliable clean energy technologies.”

Through PSiCE, Marymegan has been working with Jobs for the Future (JFF) over the summer. JFF is an organization that envisions and focuses on equitable economic advancement for all.

“Through my work with Jobs for the Future, I have worked on a market scan to understand the current state of green workforce training providers across the United States. I have assisted in interviews with stakeholders, drafted components of the market scan, and segmented the organizations that we plan to include by their overall function and the need they meet in the transition to the green economy. I have also written short articles expanding upon some of our findings.”

Marymegan’s first internship was a success!

“I've learned a lot through PSiCE, ranging from the process of creating microgrids, the importance of utilities, and the infrastructural reform needed if we hope to scale up clean energy operations. Above all, I'm grateful for the CBEY network. My mentor, Rob Klee, has helped me explore my professional goals and pointed me to individuals who can further assist me in achieving those goals. The weekly Lunch-and-Learns, in which one of the organizations hosting a PSiCE intern presents their work, includes each of these organizations in your network and provides specific exposure to various aspects of the clean energy field. Overall, I think the people that you meet through this program and the lasting connections that you form are invaluable".

"I've learned about workforce development and the importance of the trades. I've learned about the importance of certifications in these fields and what measures lead a training program to success. I'm very grateful to have learned more about the market scan process and engage in stakeholder interviews, and I even had the chance to publish two articles and pieces of the market scan during the course of my internship. The JFF team has been truly incredible, and I've also been able to create a solid network there that I plan to connect with often in the future.”