Emma Kerr

Energy Science & Engineering Stanford PhD Candidate

Stanford, California, United States

About

I aim to effectively guide smart energy decisions that will positively impact our current communities and future generations. I am motivated by hard problems and I intend to find solutions that will connect multilateral sectors to advance global populations. I am currently pursuing my Doctorate in Energy Science and Engineering at Stanford University’s Doerr School of Sustainability. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame in Chemical Engineering, I obtained my Master of Science in Energy Science from Trinity College Dublin through a Naughton Fellowship. I have experience in electrolyzer technology fabrication, engineering project management, energy data analysis, and implementation of federal energy legislation. Growing up in Colorado instilled in me a deep appreciation for our natural world — which fuels my ambition to innovate a sustainable future. I enjoy spending my time hiking "14ers", skiing, running, and mountain biking.

Experience

  • NextGen Fellow at OpenMinds, Inc.
    Jun 2025 - Present · 1 yr 2 mos

    OpenMinds NextGen 2025 Fellow: Microsoft Energy & Resources Industry Team -Led projection analysis of nuclear deployment in the United States through 2050 based on bottleneck identification and mitigation NextGen Communications Team -Managing cross NextGen cohort and broader OpenMinds connectivity

  • President and Founder at Sustainability Professionals and Researchers’ Network
    Jan 2025 - Present · 1 yr 7 mos

    SPARK is a graduate student club within the Doerr School of Sustainability at Stanford University which aims to connect interdisciplinary thinkers across departments to build community and create expansive networks.

  • Doctoral Researcher at Stanford University
    Sep 2024 - Present · 1 yr 11 mos

    Department of Energy Science and Engineering Doerr School of Sustainability Advised by Dr. Xiaolin Zheng

  • Project Monitor at DOE Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations
    Oct 2023 - Jul 2024 · 10 mos

    + Assisted in managing the $1b award to the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub (PNWH2), enabled by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law + Propelled PNWH2 to enter Phase 1 funding on July 24th, 2024

  • Event Assistant at University of Notre Dame
    Apr 2023 - Jul 2023 · 4 mos