Program Specialist Uses Research for Energy-Efficient Design
- ashleymo5779
- Apr 13
- 1 min read
Name: Sara Sultan (she/her)
PhD: Energy Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, 2023
What was your main area of research?
I studied energy storage and decarbonisation in buildings.
What is your current job?
I am a Program Specialist and Senior Advisor at California Energy Commission in Sacramento, California.
My job entails a few things including:
Research and analysis
Energy code development
Stakeholder management
My favorite part is doing research on new options to include in the energy code.
How did you find this position? What were the career steps you took to get to where you are now?
I found the position through the Calcareers website.
PhD graduate ➡️ energy analyst ➡️ program specialist
Why did you decide to not pursue a career in academia?
I chose to leave due to the work life balance and low wages of academia.
What advice do you have for someone getting their PhD and looking to pursue a career outside of academia?
Leverage your project management, problem solving, and critical thinking/analysis skills from your PhD.
Present your work at as many conferences as you can and get visibility to build a network during your PhD.
Look beyond your area of research and think in terms of impact of your work and how you can support the company you are interested in working with.