—a type of CSP collector that uses a tube positioned along a curved, mirrored structure to collect sunlight.
When she was younger and still living in her native country of Germany, Egerer flew sailplanes in her free time and dreamed of becoming a professional pilot. As an adult, she earned her Diplom—a combination of a bachelor’s and a master’s degree—in aerospace engineering at the Dresden University of Technology. Diplom in hand, Egerer began her career as a mechanical engineer in the private sector. Then, she had her first child and went on maternity leave.
“I think because we are all passionate about fighting climate change, everyone I work with is willing to help,” Egerer said. “Not only that—I get to bike to work two to three days a week. Quite a few of my colleagues do too. When the weather isn’t good for biking, we often carpool.” “I’m not exactly sure where my career will take me,” she said, “but I know that the experience I’m getting at NREL will help me no matter where I go next.”After an already impressive academic career that culminated with her work as an NREL postdoc, Stephanie Redfern is preparing for an ambitious professional pivot: This summer, she will start medical school and study to become a physician.While working on a Ph.D.
When she is not comparing wind data to wind model outputs, Redfern likes to read, run, play sand volleyball, and hike. She also used to play ultimate Frisbee. “As a postdoc, I learned how to manage my time well, speak to a wide variety of people about different topics, tailor the conversation to fit their backgrounds, and how to do research,” she said. “Those skills will help me during my time in medical school and my future career as a physician.”Brooke Stanislawski uses computer modeling to evaluate CSP plant performance, all while protecting the planet and advancing her career at NREL.
After college, Stanislawski got a job designing wind and gas turbines for Siemens Energy but wanted to focus more on renewable energy. She started graduate school at the University of Utah, where she earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering with a focus on fluid mechanics and solar energy. Then, as she neared the end of her Ph.D. program, Stanislawski saw a post on LinkedIn about a postdoc position at NREL.