Thursday, Jun 22, 2023 from 1-2pm
Join us for a thought-provoking panel designed to uncover possible solutions for the clean energy transition that are not commonly discussed, such as sustainable approaches to hydropower and energy storage. Gia Schneider (Natel Energy), Ramya Swaminathan (Malta), and other experts will share their insights and experience in a moderated discussion about promising technologies and potential tradeoffs.
Ramya Swaminathan has developed Malta from concept to commercialization, guiding the company through multiple rounds of corporate venture funding and the recruitment of a multi-disciplinary team. She led the corporate independence of Malta from X, Alphabet’s Moonshot Factory (formerly Google X) in 2018 and has served as the company’s CEO since its founding. Ms. Swaminathan was named one of Business Insider’s “21 Rising Stars in Clean Energy” in 2020 and currently advises the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Department of Commerce as a member of the DOE Electricity Advisory Committee, the DOC Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Committee, and as a DOE Clean Energy Education and Empowerment Ambassador. Before founding Malta as an independent company, Ms. Swaminathan was the CEO of Rye Development, a hydropower development firm that she grew to be the leading developer of new hydropower and pumped hydro storage projects in the United States. She earned a Master in Public Policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and a Bachelor in Anthropology from Amherst College.
A passionate believer in finding ways to mitigate the climate change and biodiversity loss crises using sustainable renewables, Gia Schneider co-founded Natel Energy in 2009 with her brother, Abe Schneider. Gia currently leads and operates Natel’s portfolio of hardware and software water solutions, which include fish-safe power engineering, oversight of hydropower project developments and river restorations, and remote water sensing and forecasting through the company’s Upstream Tech brand. Schneider received Chemical Engineering and Economics degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and currently serves as a board member of the Fresh Water Trust and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) National Council. In her spare time, Schneider enjoys surfing, kiting, and cooking with family and friends. Schneider lives in California with her husband and daughter.
2023 public lecture series