2024 Shultz Energy Fellowships: California Public Utilities Commission, Office of Commissioner Karen Douglas
Regional-, state-, and city-level efforts are essential in our fight against climate change, especially in the field of energy. Stanford University is committed to helping by integrating its students into energy and climate ecosystems in the West through the Shultz Energy Fellowships program, an energy-related summer fellowship program for undergraduate and graduate students.
Named in honor of former Secretary of State George P. Shultz, one of the most widely admired American public servants of the past half-century, the program offers a suite of paid, energy-related public service fellowships for Stanford students in California, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, and Hawaii during the summer.
The fellowships run from Monday, June 24, 2024 to Friday, August 30, 2024.
Organization/Agency mission or role in state government
California has been a global leader in implementing laws to reduce the causes and impacts of climate change. It also has been a leader in supporting climate research which has forecasted increasing threats and impacts from wildfires in the coming decades.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is one of the most influential regulatory agencies in the state. The CPUC regulates privately owned electric, natural gas, telecommunications, water, railroad, rail transit, and passenger transportation companies, in addition to authorizing video franchises. Our five Governor-appointed Commissioners, as well as our staff, are dedicated to ensuring that consumers have safe, reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protecting against fraud; and promoting the health of California's economy.
As a regulator of the investor-owned utilities (IOUs), the CPUC has oversight of how electricity providers build safe infrastructure, procure renewable resources and deliver affordable and reliable electric service with a commitment to environmental enhancement and a healthy California economy.
Assignment
California is aggressively pursuing the decarbonization goals set forth in The 100 Percent Clean Energy Act of 2018 (Senate Bill 100, De León, Statutes of 2018) and California Air Resources Board 2022 Scoping Plan for Achieving Carbon Neutrality, among other state laws and policies. Meeting the state’s economy wide greenhouse gas emission reduction and carbon neutrality goals requires implementation of a wide range of approaches, including strategic gas infrastructure planning. This project in the Office of Commissioner Karen Douglas will involve literature review and research into approaches taken in jurisdictions across the country and internationally to integrate gas infrastructure investments, rate recovery, equity, and affordability into gas system decommissioning and decarbonization planning.
The CPUC has an adopted telework policy that provides the opportunity to work remotely. We anticipate the fellow will have the opportunity to work fully remote, with some optional in-person opportunities for special meetings and activities.
Potential Mentors
- Kourtney Vaccaro, Chief of Staff to Commissioner Douglas
- Arnold Son, Advisor to Commissioner Douglas
2023 CPUC Fellows
- Jillian Anderson, PhD ’25 Mechanical Engineering, Office of President Alice Reynolds
- Learn more about Jillian's experience at the CPUC:
- Pietro Marconi, MS '24, Office of Commissioner John Reynolds
- Learn more about Pietro's experience at the CPUC:
- Preferred areas of study include: Economics, Public Policy and Administration, Law, Government, Political Science, Environmental Science, Engineering.
- Interest in energy policy, air pollution/climate pollution policy, environmental justice policy.
- Experience working directly with and performing outreach in disadvantaged communities.
- Knowledge of state initiatives around renewable energy, GHG reduction, environmental justice and disadvantaged communities.
- Attention to detail, professional attitude, and ability to maintain confidentiality
All Shultz fellows must be enrolled in the spring quarter before their fellowship.
All Shultz fellows must take a one-unit spring workshop course, 'Energy Policy in California and the West' taught by Professor Bruce Cain and Visiting Fellow Felicia Marcus that will provide an in-depth analysis of the role of California state agencies, the Western Interstate Energy Board, and the Western Electricity Coordinating Council in driving energy policy development, technology innovation, and market structures. Course number is CEE 263G / POLISCI 73 / PUBLPOL 73 / ENERGY 73. Schedule: Wednesdays from 9:30 am - 10:20 am (Spilker 143).
Please note that this opportunity is open to graduate students. Interested undergraduate students can apply via SIG.
