"U.S. Technology and Solutions for Waste-to-Energy Initiatives" project for Pakistan

I had the honor of hosting another World Partnerships and United States Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program today for their "U.S. Technology and Solutions for Waste-to-Energy Initiatives" project for Pakistan. 

There were visitors from the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency, Energy Departments (Punjab and Sindh), the Green Building Council, and other Pakistani energy organizations. These people are brilliant and I learned a lot; plus, I realized more than ever that I need to learn so much more about our global energy issues. Oh, and today is the Innovation Lab's 8th birthday! I always love sharing what the iLab does for the community.

We also had an informative virtual meeting with Mr. Peter Keller, Managing Director at Berkeley Research Group (BRG), where we learned about the waste services industry, including financing strategies and market trends and their global impacts. Mr. Keller has arranged and participated in transactions across the spectrum from exploration and production, midstream, refining, and pipeline to nuclear, fossil, and renewable generation to transmission and distribution. He has advised key utility clients as the industry went through major deregulation and began to confront the challenges of climate change and the need to decarbonize.

BRG Energy & Climate offers integrated, multi-disciplinary expertise to help clients master the challenges and imperatives of Climate Change, energy transition, and related dispute resolution. They recognize the economic trade-offs that exist at every juncture of the value chain, and utilize their collective expertise to help clients analyze them, identify best available options, and implement the optimal solutions.

I have been fortunate to partner with this amazing organization over the years. Back in November 2019, I was so blessed to meet with these intelligent and creative scientists representing Vietnam, Estonia, Egypt, Zambia, South Africa, Paraguay, Malta, and Argentina. We had a great discussion and it was a rewarding experience learning about their professional work in their respective countries. We have continued to meet virtually over the years and, in fact, had plans to meet inside virtual reality but we had difficulties getting equipment due to export controls (i.e., U.S. laws that "regulate and restrict the release of critical technologies, information, and services to foreign nationals, within and outside of the United States, and foreign countries for reasons of foreign policy and national security.") Regardless, we have had success using more traditional tools like Zoom to stay connected.

In 2021, the U.S. Department of State asked if I would moderate an esports/gaming panel where 20 participants from Argentina, the Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia. Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela all logged in from across the Western Hemisphere to discuss “Video Games for STEAM and Entrepreneurship.” The U.S. Department of State, Cultural Vistas, World Partnerships, and Games For Change hosted the webinar. I learned a LOT doing this and I still cannot believe that I was asked to do it; but, again, I am beyond thankful for these opportunities! 

"World Partnerships has a worldwide mission for educational, cultural, commercial and professional exchange with current and emerging global leaders. U.S. Embassies and Consulates in more than 100 countries have screened the movie “Hidden Figures” for international audiences, generating discussions on race, gender equality, and women in STEM careers. These successful screenings inspired the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) where women leaders who represented “hidden talent” in their home countries visit the United States to explore U.S. efforts to prepare women and girls for careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)."