Sometimes, in order to pay it forward, you must go back to where it began.
Such is the case for the Energy Coalition (EC), the University of Houston’s energy-focused student organization with more than 5,000 members, making it the largest such organization in the nation. A trio of Coogs have come together to form an advisory board that will help connect students and alumni to opportunities within industry while supporting their professional development.
“The ECAB is comprised of industry thought leaders from various backgrounds with a love for the university as alumni being a common thread,” said Neha Bhat (’21, M.B.A. ’22), inaugural board chair who led the Energy Coalition from 2021 to 2022. “Our focus comes from the needs of current and former Energy Coalition members as well as where we see the industry trending towards. Subsequently, the members of our board all share a similar interest to promote the success of the Energy Coalition (EC) as alumni of UH.”
Bhat, a risk and financial advisor at Deloitte, is joined on the board by Oscar Herdocia (’01), energy transition and sustainability advisor at Shell and Kamalpreet Kaur (’19), commercial leader for low carbon solutions, CCUS and hydrogen at NOV.
The board had been in the works since 2022, during Bhat’s graduate studies at UH. With the support of Kaur and Oscar, Bhat reached out to UH Vice President of Energy and Innovation Ramanan Krishnamoorti and UH Energy Program Director Deidra Perry to bring the vision to life.
“The board came from a need for a strong alumni connection between UH Energy, the EC and alums as well as the desire of past EC members to give back,” Bhat said. “For me personally, I owe a great deal to the EC for my career and passion for the energy industry.”
Through site tours, such as the Shell Technology Hub trip in March, mentorship programs and networking opportunities, the ECAB assists the EC in providing students keen insight to industry’s most pressing issues and the latest innovations in the works to address them.
Bhat said this is only the beginning of what she expects will be a springboard that further spotlights the Energy Coalition and the University of Houston as a hub for talent with cutting-edge ideas and needed foresight to move industry forward in the Energy Capital of the World.
“The board aims to expose students and curious alumni to conversations about the future of energy,” she said. “We’re honored to serve the EC community and broader energy ecosystem. The interest this board has garnered over the past year from other passionate alumni will undoubtedly fuel the success of this board and more importantly, the Energy Coalition. After all, what better way to help grow the industry than by cultivating future leaders at the Energy University?”
To learn more about the ECAB, visit their webpage here.