As newly elected chair of the Energy Coalition at the University of Houston Candace Qamer has got quite the background and is excited to continue forging ahead.
A supply chain major at the Bauer College of Business who is working on an Energy and Sustainability minor through the Honors College, Qamer describes herself as a “non-traditional” student. After leaving her previous career in health care, where she worked in revenue cycle management, Qamer’s interest in operations and her desire to build her career brought her to UH to further her education.
Qamer graduates this semester, and by the end of it all she will have earned many scholarships, landed a full-time job as a supply chain analyst at Hess Corp., maintained a 4.0 GPA, and steered the EC – all while being a full-time mother.
Qamer cites her passion for the developments in energy as a huge motivator.
“I think if there is one thing that is very clear, it’s that there is not one [single] solution,” she said. “It’s really going to take every idea and initiative, and every single individual to both achieve the goals set and overcome challenges in the industry’s near future.”
Regarding her time with the EC, Qamer says that she has thoroughly enjoyed witnessing the power of the organization and all that it has to offer UH students. Qamer also credited previous chair Abby Chopra for her impact.
“[Abby] is such an amazing leader,” she said.
Qamer’s plans for the EC include expanding the outreach of the organization on campus so more students can capitalize on the opportunities across the energy landscape. But her plans also extend beyond campus.
In particular, the EC is collaborating with ConocoPhillips, Shell and the Energy Transition Institute for a writing and poster contest where students will take a deep dive into what a NetZero world may look like. Keeping with Qamer’s goals for the organization, the contest will be open to students at neighboring universities.
“We’re talking about opening up our competitions to Texas Southern University, Prairie View A&M, and UH-Downtown,” Qamer said.
Qamer has juggled a tremendous workload and achieved huge success. Her advice to students who want to follow her footsteps is simple.
“It’s important to push yourself outside of your comfort zone and be as involved as possible. If you don’t try, you will never know,” Qamer said.