UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The spring 2023 Celebrating Women in Energy and Water Research seminar series continues on Thursday, April 13, with two seminars by Jaquelin Cochran, director of the Grid Planning and Analysis Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The free seminars are open to Penn State faculty, staff and students.
The first discussion, “Never mind traditional career paths—build your own!,” will be held at 11 a.m. in 104 Hosler Building. In this informal seminar, Cochran will chronicle the world-spanning pursuit of her academic and geographic passions that took her to Poland serving in the Peace Corps, conducting research in Cambodia and India, teaching in Kazakhstan, back to India and then finally to Los Angeles where she is a researcher at NREL. Initially, her multidisciplinary degrees seem to have complicated her professional journey, but Cochran argues it helped her find her way and for her research to have the largest impact possible. A Q&A session will follow the presentation.
The second talk, “The Evolution of the Grid and Pathways to 100% Renewable Electricity,” will be held at 4 p.m. 157 Hosler Building. In this technical seminar, Cochran will explore changes in the electric grid and how many utility companies and countries have adapted to new demands, new clean energy supplies and new expectations while on the road to 100% zero-carbon electricity. Cochran will dive into the recent Los Angeles 100% Renewable Energy Study (LA100), a first-of-its-kind objective, highly-detailed science-based report, as a case study for potential pathways the city can take to achieve a 100% clean electricity future.
Cochran’s work has focused on the evolution of the power grid with high deployment of renewable energy. She recently led the Los Angeles 100% Renewable Energy Study and a portfolio of analyses about India’s power system. Before joining NREL, Cochran was an assistant professor of natural resource management with KIMEP University in Almaty, Kazakhstan. She also served as a Peace Corps volunteer for two years with the Polish Foundation for Energy Efficiency in Krakow. She holds a doctorate and master's degree in energy and resources from the University of California at Berkeley, and a bachelor's degree in public policy and physics from Pomona College.