In celebration of Earth Day, we invited Martin Szczepanik, NYC alumni chapter president, to talk about renewable energy and sustainability, topics that he is extremely passionate about. Martin currently works at PA Consulting as a Principal Consultant, where he supports their Clean & Smart Mobility offering, helping companies and cities transition to de-carbonized transportation. He also supports utilities and other entities with their purchase and acquisition of renewable energy. 

Martin is a first-generation American. His parents escaped communism in Poland in the 80s. He and his family faced adversity as they were assimilating in the United States. Martin faced some challenges that shaped where he is today. However, underneath all of it is his passion for clean energy. 

In this episode, Martin shares his early beginnings as a first-generation American, his career pivot and how his experience at Haas helped him with the transition, and what he does at PA Consulting as a Principal Consultant.

Martin also talks about the future of clean and renewable energy and the new technologies people should be excited about.

Episode Quotes:

On choosing accounting and finance as his college degree

At the time, it was essentially a safety decision because I knew no matter what was going on with the economy, no matter what happens, you're going get paid in a career in accounting. Accountants are always needed, whether the economy's doing well or not. And I also thought about it as understanding the language of business, and it opens potential new opportunities for me in the future. 

His passion for clean energy

I don't really have one of those interesting origin stories, necessarily. I didn't see my house get swept away by a rainstorm. I didn't see, you know, anything crazy happen with being in a drought. But I do remember my junior year of high school, I was in an AP environmental science class, and at this point in time, it was pretty much peak emissions for the entire globe. And I think at the time, the United States was getting 70 to 80% of their power from coal, and the big Hummer came out. Everything was bragging about that, and I just had this feeling of desperation. What are we doing to our planet? Things are getting worse, and we were still burning so much coal and driving Hummers. There's not really a clear, viable path for us to get off of fossil fuels as a society.

Show Links:

• Martin Szczepanik on LinkedIn
• BHAN-NYC LinkedIn Group
• Berkeley Haas Alumni Network NYC

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