The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a three-part plan to help implement the Clean Energy Education and Empowerment initiative (C3E), a program aimed at attracting more women to clean energy careers and supporting their advancement into leadership positions.
This new program, pursued in partnership with the MIT Energy Initiative, is designed to translate the goals of C3E into concrete, meaningful action in the U.S., the DOE says.
Specific features of the new U.S. C3E plan include the following:
Ambassadors. The ambassadors will be a cohort of distinguished senior professionals who share an interest in broadening the recruitment, retention and advancement of highly qualified women in the field of clean energy and are committed to acting as champions for the goals of C3E. Ambassadors will also serve as the selection panel for the awards program outlined below.
Awards. The DOE C3E awards program will recognize mid-career individuals who advance the leadership and accomplishments of women in clean energy. Six awards will be given and will include a cash prize of $10,000. Nominations will be accepted in several clean-energy-related categories, including innovation and technology development, entrepreneurship and innovative business models, corporate implementation, policy and advocacy, and advancements for the developing world.
Symposium. This invitation-only symposium, to be held on Sept. 28, will bring together women and men, including the ambassadors, awardees, academia, nongovernmental organizations, industry, and representatives from other C3E partner governments to help build a strong national and international community of professionals who support women in clean energy. The MIT Energy Initiative, in partnership with the DOE, will sponsor this event. In addition to an awards ceremony, the symposium will feature small group sessions focusing on specific issues in clean energy, including barriers to the full participation of women in this sector.
More information on C3E can be found here.
