Erin Twamley, Education, Alabama
Erin Twamley, who has been in the industry for 10+ years, is an award-winning Author and Educator and founded STEM Superheroes.
Why is clean energy important to you? We are at an exciting time globally, we can reconfigure how we power our planet and who participates in and benefits from how we power our planet. The intersection of our technological advancements and our human capital have the potential to change communities, both human, plant and animal. I am a believer that we can stop climate change and make a healthy planet for us to all live on.
What's a memorable clean energy project you’ve worked on? I worked on a project with the Department of Energy and the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and we had a partnership to train residents (adults and kids) on clean energy projects happening at HUD locations. This was a visible project to those living and working in the communities and we got to help them understand what energy is, what the need is, and how can we save time, money and the environment.
What did you do prior to working in clean energy? Why did you transition to the clean energy industry? I started my career in clean energy industry working at Department of Energy in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. I was focused on Energy Literacy and helped to support education and outreach initiatives for teachers and students. My focus area was K-12. Today, I continue education and outreach but focused on reaching 10 year olds and helping them see themselves in the clean energy industry.
Is there anything else you’d like to share? Historically I love the work of Eunice Foote, a scientist and suffragist who started doing green house gas experiments with jars in her backyard and her own greenhouse. My mentor, former boss and now friend, Linda Silverman, has helped to shape me into the leader and educator I am today. She believed in me in my early years at Dept of Energy and has been a support and advocate of my work in the clean energy industry since.
