A group of passionate students at UNSW Sydney have established Australia’s first chapter of Student Energy, a global network of 50,000 students across 120 countries.
The complexity of the energy transition demands a diverse range of perspectives and skills. In May 2024, UNSW’s Digital Grid Futures Institute (DGFI) issued a call to arms among its students: help UNSW usher a movement to inspire a generation of leaders to address the growing demand for clean energy expertise. Bringing together students across all disciplines, Student Energy is UNSW’s first interdisciplinary club dedicated to helping students from all faculties understand the energy landscape and how they can contribute.
The Chapter is student run and will officially launch during Term 3 O-Week, with an ambitious recruitment campaign. Members of Parliament were the first to hear of the chapter at the Powered by UNSW showcase in Parliament in August.
“We are excited to see the impact this chapter will have on the UNSW community and beyond,” said Professor Attila Brungs, UNSW Vice-Chancellor and President. “By supporting our incredible and proactive students to become leaders in the energy transition, we are committed to a sustainable future for Australia.”
Led by seven students across Business, Law & Justice, Science and Engineering, the Executive Team is committed to fostering a community of like-minded individuals to clarify the clean energy revolution, ensuring students across all disciplines feel included and can contribute to a sustainable future.
“We are thrilled to bring Student Energy to Australia,” said Angela Le, co-president of the UNSW Student Energy Chapter. “Originally, I didn’t know how energy could fit in my career – we don’t learn about it in our business courses. However, energy is omnipresent in our lives and anyone can play a part.”
Co-president Hamish Teasdale, studying Photovoltaic Engineering and Chemistry said, “After working in industry, I realised there are so many more skills required in the energy transition than just engineering. From economics to law, and everything in between – not many people know how many other disciplines are needed.”
In the coming months, the UNSW Student Energy Chapter will host events and workshops to engage students and raise awareness about energy issues. These initiatives will include panel discussions, guest lectures and networking opportunities. It aims to be the go-to body in Australia that will support professional development, ranging from soft skills and hard skills, to technical knowledge.
About UNSW Student Energy
The chapter’s objectives include:
Promoting energy literacy: educating students about the complexities of the energy landscape and the importance of renewable energy
Building community: creating a supportive environment for students to connect, collaborate and share ideas
Advocating for sustainable policies: engaging with policymakers and industry leaders to promote policies that support a just and equitable energy transition.
Why the UNSW Student Energy Chapter is needed
The need for this initiative was two-fold:
Awareness of Interdisciplinary Career Opportunities - it was clear that many non-engineering students didn’t realise the vast range of skills that are required in the power industry to undertake the energy transition. As a result many weren’t seeking to pursue a career in the sector – not because they didn’t want to, but because they didn’t know that they could.
Skills Gap Among Engineering Students - many engineering students learn a lot about the technical side of the energy transition, but have less exposure the many other skills commonly required in the industry (from modelling to technoeconomic analysis to project management skills) which are critical for successful implementation and innovation in energy projects.
Student Energy UNSW aims to tackle both issues by creating a collaborative environment where passionate students can deepen their understanding of the energy sector. By facilitating connections with industry professionals and offering interdisciplinary learning opportunities, we are equipping students with the necessary knowledge and skills to actively contribute to the energy transition.
Impact on the Australian Power Sector
As the power sector faces numerous emerging challenges—particularly those associated with the energy transition—it's clear that solutions require contributions from a diverse range of disciplines beyond engineering.
The UNSW Student Energy Chapter is a platform for any passionate students to be educated and empowered to apply their skillsets to the challenges facing the sector.
This is different to many other initiatives as it demystifies issues in the power industry by addressing the vast breadth of other skills required to drive effective change in Australia, and not only focussing on the engineering challenges.
Opportunities for high school and university students
Although we are situated in Sydney as a UNSW club, anyone can attend our events! The most important thing is that you’re passionate about the energy transition and wanting to learn how to apply your skills to the space.
Keep your eyes posted on our Instagram for posts about our upcoming events!
The founding team:
Hamish Teasdale: fifth year, Bachelor of Photovoltaic Engineering (Honours) / Science (Chemistry)
Student Energy UNSW Co-President, and API Power-Up bursary holder, Hamish Teasdale was initially drawn to the power sector due to his interest in the transition to renewable energy and his passion for being in a place where he can break down complex issues and work on strategies to solve them.
“A lot of people think of the transition as a problem for only engineers to solve. But after working in industry during my API summer placement, I realised that there are so many more skills needed – from economics to law to cybersecurity, and everything in between. Student Energy aims to help connect passionate students to learn these new skills from one another.”
Hamish is in his 5th year studying a double degree of Photovoltaic Engineering and Chemistry at UNSW – where he has taken electives to learn more about the issues surrounding the electricity industry as well as having laboratory research experience in renewable technologies (photovoltaics, hydrogen, biofuels). Hamish is excited to help emerging professionals from all backgrounds gain insights into the sector through the student energy initiative.
Angela Le: third year, Bachelor of Commerce (Co-op) (Accounting and Finance)
Angela is a Student Energy Co-President and recipient of UNSW’s Co-op Scholarship. Being of a non-engineering background, engaging professionally in the renewable energy space initially seemed inaccessible and infeasible, however learning about S.E helped demystify this. After realising the interdisciplinarity needed to tackle this real-world movement, Angela knew she wanted to help bring an Aussie chapter to life. Her experiences working in the accounting and finance industry have revealed to her the need for all individuals to have greater energy literacy. Particularly, she is interested in exploring how households and organisations can finance their contribution to the renewable energy shift, ESG reporting and governance.
Shayan Bidiwale: first year, Bachelor of Laws / Commerce (Finance)
Hi! I’m Shayan, a first-year Law/Commerce student and the VP Externals for Student Energy. I joined the team because I believe that renewable energy is the future, and it’s crucial to have diverse perspectives shaping this industry. With a strong interest in how legal frameworks and policies can drive sustainability, Student Energy provides the perfect platform for me to explore the intersection of law and clean energy. As one of the first clubs I’ve joined at university, it’s been an incredible opportunity to develop my leadership skills while working with a passionate team to advocate for a greener future.
Kiele Duncan: first year, Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) (Honours)
Kiele is the Student Energy UNSW VP Internals. Throughout high school and into university, she has been learning about renewable energy from an engineering perspective. In her first year, she focused on engineering societies and getting involved with other engineering students as she figured that would give me the best chances at succeeding. After learning more about industry in general, and Student Energy as an organization, Kiele realised that a broader approach would prepare her, and other students better for our careers in clean energy, and allow us to meet all types of interesting people as well!
Ricky Pham: first year, Bachelor of Actuarial Studies / Computer Science
Ricky is the Student Energy UNSW treasurer. As someone always interested in mathematics & coding, but also passionate about the energy transition, I felt like I had to compromise professionally between what I enjoyed doing and what I thought needed to be done. When it comes to sustainability, we need to look past our own myopia- we need to look into the future. And, much like the hazy outline of your vision at the periphery, the future is inherently uncertain- and where there is uncertainty there is risk. What I've noticed in the energy space is a structural deficit of the skilled actuaries required to analyse these risks. My hope is that I can raise awareness to other actuaries about how important and necessary they will be in the energy sector.
Jixuan (El) Yu: fourth year, Bachelor of Computer Science / Commerce
El is the Student Energy UNSW VP Events. My journey began at the "EY: Empowering Women in Engineering" event, igniting my passion to be part of the sustainable energy transition. As an international female computer science student, I asked myself, “How can I contribute to this industry?” That question led me to Student Energy (SE), where I realised the profound impact technology, sustainability, and clean energy can have when they come together. SE became the platform through which I could explore these intersections and empower others to get involved. Alongside this, my role as a research assistant in UNSW's energy sector career pathways project further solidified the need for such initiatives. It became clear to me that there is an urgent demand for bridging the gap between the workforce and the evolving energy transition landscape. By identifying new roles and pathways, I contribute to shaping a clearer future for those looking to make their mark in the energy industry. Joining SE, I hope to inspire other international students and women to play their part in shaping the future of energy, just as I have been inspired.
Ken Braganza: first year, Bachelor of Renewable Engineering (Co-op).
A First Year Renewable Energy Engineering student and recipient of the UNSW Co-op scholarship and API Power-Up Scholarship. Ken has held positions in the UNSW Electrical Society and Renewable Society as well as writing in his sustainability magazine with the aim to plug the gap in energy literacy. A self-proclaimed energy nerd who loves reading up about Energy news and started studying energy engineering because the prospect of living off-grid and being covered by purely behind the meter resources excites him. Simultaneously, has been interested in alternatives to fossil fuels since primary school. The large problems of the energy transitions such as around system strength and ageing infrastructure keep him up at night since being stumped at a primary school public speaking competition by the question “what will you do when the sun’s not shining and the wind’s not blowing”. He is an individual who wants to help empower the future energy workforce through being a Renewable School ambassador at UNSW and Co-President of Student Energy.
Being someone who is passionate about the transition, it has become apparent that there is a need for many more backgrounds than engineering such as commercial, legal and beyond. Student Energy has a strong interdisciplinary focus, targeting students across faculties, which is exactly what we need to tackle the shortfall in skilled jobs in the energy transition.
Sources:
UNSW. (2024). UNSW Students Launch Australia's First Student Energy Chapter. Retrieved from https://www.inside.unsw.edu.au/innovation-and-engagement/unsw-students-launch-australias-first-student-energy-chapter
H. Teasdale. Personal Communication. October 27, 2024.
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