Shashwati da Cunha

Shashwati da Cunha is a PhD Candidate in Chemical Engineering at UT Austin. She develops electrolyzers that convert CO2 into chemicals, researching the intersection of energy infrastructure, the chemicals industry, and climate change. Her work has been published in Nature Communications and PNAS. She was awarded the Chevron Graduate Energy Fellowship for outstanding innovation in energy systems, and the Eastman Graduate Fellowship for research benefiting the chemical process industry. As an undergraduate at Georgia Tech, she also developed neural networks to predict chemical reaction mechanisms. She is passionate about broadening engagement with research, including by leading UT’s Chemical Engineering Women organization and serving as the graduate representative on UT's Presidential Sustainability Steering Committee.

Cameron Andrews

Cameron is a Masters of Public Affairs (MPAff) student at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at UT Austin, where he is studying local government decarbonization plans as part of his policy research project. He works full-time on the Regulatory Affairs & Government Relations team at Austin Energy, the city of Austin’s publicly-owned electric utility. Cameron is a member of the inaugural cohort of NextGen OpenMinds Leadership Program and serves on the KBH Energy Center Student Advisory Council. Prior, he worked in the Texas Senate as policy professional and earned a Bachelor’s in Plan II Honors from UT Austin in 2017. He is interested in how public policy can incentivize investment into decarbonization and in the challenges of grid management in a predominantly renewable power system. 

Yasemin Dundar

Yasemin is a 3rd year Chemical Engineering undergraduate student minoring in Sustainable Energy at UT. She is passionate about sustainability and is committed to promoting eco-friendly practices and initiatives on campus. Currently, she serves as one of the VP of Events at LEC, contributing to advancing UT's energy discipline. She is also involved as an undergraduate researcher in the Resasco Catalysis Lab, where she evaluates the efficiency of CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) in aprotic solvents by varying electrolytic factors. Additionally, she is the Thermals Lead Engineer for the Longhorn Racing electric team, showcasing her dedication to practical application in sustainable technologies. This summer, Yasemin is gaining valuable experience as a CAD Design Engineer at a subsea and land surveying company, further expanding her skills and knowledge in engineering applications. Her academic and professional interests lie in renewable and sustainable energy, with a specific focus on nuclear and hydrogen technologies. Yasemin is driven to make meaningful contributions to the field of energy through her research, academic pursuits, and extracurricular activities.

Sanat Nair

Sanat Nair is an undergraduate student in the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. He has gained valuable experience in the energy industry through two internships with Chevron, where he worked as a Facilities Engineering intern in their Technology Ventures division and as a Reliability Engineering intern in their Mid-Continent Business Unit. Sanat is also actively involved in Texas Guadaloop, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and as an undergraduate research assistant with the Nuclear and Applied Robotics Group. Ultimately, he is interested in exploring the intersection of energy and entrepreneurship.

Darius Hajibashi

Darius Hajibashi is a 4th year undergraduate student in the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin planning to complete his degree under Energy Technologies along with Process Systems and Product Engineering. Having transferred from the Colorado School of Mines, Darius became an active member of the Longhorn Energy Club in 2022, igniting a strong and growing interest in the intricate economics, politics, and business aspects underlying the energy industry, particularly in the area of renewables. Beyond his involvement with LEC, Darius is a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineering (AIChE), President of the UT Golf Club, an intramural soccer team captain, and a member of the Texas Water Skiing Team.

Emma Harlan

Emma is a 3rd year undergraduate student in the Moody College of Communications studying Communication and Leadership at the University of Texas at Austin. She is interested in sustainable development and energy usage, as well as communications and media. As one of the VPs of Communications, Emma is committed to developing engaging content for LEC and ensuring effective communication with LEC’s communication channels. Emma is passionate about movies and filmmaking and will implement the skills learned as an intern for the Austin Film Festival to ensure effective communication in LEC.

Aidan Johnson

Aidan is a rising senior Economics student pursuing a Minor in Mandarin Chinese. Motivated by his desire both to learn more and have a positive impact on the world around him, he believes a thorough understanding of energy and its responsible use are critical to ensuring a sustainable future.

Having competed in the IC² Institute’s March Economic Madness, and currently working with Murphy’s Mellows, a small sweets producer based in Elgin, Aidan has experience in the people-facing aspects of business and research. Further, he has gotten to see firsthand the importance of being able to adapt to a changing environment, in a community, business, or otherwise.

Lastly, he acts as Treasurer for the UT Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu club and plays guitar and chess for fun.