É«»¨ÌÃ

Chair
Major: Law

Sai Gudapati is a third-year law student at the É«»¨Ìà Law Center, graduating in May 2024. She got her Bachelors of Business Administration in Finance and Marketing from the É«»¨Ìà Bauer College of Business. This her third year on the Energy Coalition Board, she started off as the Vice Chair of Student Relations, was the Vice Chair of Education for the 2022- 2023 school year and currently serves at the Chair for the Energy Coalition. She has spent her past summers working at law firms, and in the future, she is interested in working closely in a finance, energy, or environmental related field. Not only is she a part of the Energy Coalition, but she is also very involved in the law school organizations as well. She is an officer for the Clinical Lawyering Enrichment Organization, as well the Outlaw Organization.

In her free time, she loves spending time with her tuxedo cat, Tsuki. She loves cooking and baking, and every Sunday, you can find her glued to the television watching a Formula 1 race. Motorsports and the fact that she has been living in Houston for the past 12 years are few of the reasons, she became interested in the energy industry.

She hopes that in her position as Chair that she can connect and educate anyone who wished to work in the energy industry and spread word of what a wonderful organization the Energy Coalition is.

Vice Chair
Major: Physics

Uchenna B. Ubeh is a 3rd-year physics Ph.D. candidate at the É«»¨ÌÃ. His research focuses on studying the effect of mechanical strain on Two-dimensional magnetics using neutron diffraction techniques. He believes his research can open new possibilities for renewable energy, spintronic, and semiconductor devices. Uche is from Enugu state in Nigeria, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Jos and later obtained a master’s degree in physics from Auburn University.

He serves as the Vice-Chair of the Energy Coalition and the Graduate Student Representative of the College of Natural Science and Mathematics at the Graduate and Professional Students Association (GPSA) at the É«»¨ÌÃ.

Uche is a recipient of the prestigious Graduate Research Fellowship award funded by the US Department of Energy. This fellowship allows Uche to use state-of-the-art technologies at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to advance his research.

He is also a Texas Entrepreneurship Exchange for Energy (TEX-E) fellow, where he collaborates with graduate student scholars from multiple Universities, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), to create a robust student-driven entrepreneurship ecosystem in Texas.

Uche is also involved in several community outreach programs in Houston to give back to his community. For the past two years, He has volunteered with Houston Renewable Energy Group (HREG) and Solar United Neighbors (SUN).

He enjoys reading, playing soccer, and spending time with his friends and family in his spare time.

Vice Chair of Operations
Major: Finance

Hello everyone, I'm Maryam, a Master of Finance student at the É«»¨ÌÃ's Bauer College. I grew up in Iran, a country rich in oil and gas resources. This inspired my interest in energy topics. As an international student who recently immigrated to the USA, I'm excited to focus my finance studies on the energy industry.

My background is in industrial engineering and supply chain management. I've always loved finance, so I became a trend analyst in Iran. When I arrived in Houston, I knew I wanted to pursue finance and energy, so I joined Bauer's Master of Finance program. My focus is on energy finance and consulting.

Since starting at Bauer, I've actively pursued energy-related experiences. I competed in the ConocoPhillips Experiential Learning Competition, working on solar panel supply chains. My team won 1st place! I'm now working on the DOE's Innovation Project. I was also recently selected for the TEX-E Fellowship, where I'll work with Greentown Labs and MIT.Outside of energy topics, I love running, eating sushi, and learning about renewable resources. I also serve as the Vice Chair of Operations for the University of Houston Energy Coalition. I'm excited to connect with all of you who share my passion for energy.

Outside of energy topics, I love running, eating sushi, and learning about renewable resources. I also serve as the Vice Chair of Operations for the É«»¨Ìà Energy Coalition. I'm excited to connect with all of you who share my passion for energy.

Vice Chair of Technology
Major: Chemical Engineering

After earning an MSc degree in Advanced Chemical Engineering with Process Systems Engineering from Imperial College London, Kwabena Darko joined the Chemical Engineering PhD program at the É«»¨ÌÃ. There, his research adopts the use of a computational approach and simulations to probe the transport of fluids and particles through porous media – which is of immense interest to the energy industry in the areas of oil recovery, purification and separation processes.

He has engaged in several extracurricular activities, served as the Treasurer and Webmaster for the Organization of Chemical Engineering Graduate Students and currently occupies the Vice Chair of Technology position at the Energy Coalition. He is therefore opened to collaborative and mentorship opportunities.

Away from work, Kwabena spends time with family and friends, enjoys some sports and looks into history.

Vice Chair of Education
Major: Physics

Paul Byaruhanga, a dedicated 3rd year physics graduate student at É«»¨Ìà (É«»¨ÌÃ) specializing in electrode dynamics, is at the forefront of energy science innovation. Much of their work revolves around revolutionizing fuel cell cathode materials, precisely honing PtCo catalysts, and advancing water splitting techniques through developing nickel ferrites in water electrolyzers. This critical research, driven by a relentless pursuit of sustainability and innovation, hints at a promising energy conservation and utilization future. As the Vice Chair Education for the É«»¨Ìà Energy Coalition, he continually fosters a community dedicated to nurturing responsible energy practices, aligning with their steadfast commitment to shaping a sustainable energy landscape.

Outside the laboratory, Paul finds equilibrium through the spirited worlds of soccer and ping pong. These energetic pursuits embody his competitive nature and serve as a rejuvenating break, fostering a focused and agile mind adept at navigating the intricacies of energy science. These activities, a testament to his belief in a well-rounded lifestyle, perfectly complement the rigor and dedication demonstrated in their academic pursuits, blending analytical precision with vibrant energy. Moreover, he seamlessly intertwines their passion for science with a deeply rooted Christian faith, attending church services every Sunday. This spiritual grounding offers inspiration and steadfastness, infusing their professional journey with grace and wisdom. His approach, a harmonious blend of science and spirituality, shapes them into a researcher of depth and vision, steadfastly committed to benefiting society.

Vice Chair of Finance
Major: Finance

Pranjal Sheth is a junior in Bauer Honors at É«»¨ÌÃ. Pranjal worked for Hastings Equity Partners, a private equity firm in their industries and PUI division from 2022-2023 and spent his 2023 summer working for Mizuho Securities on their PUI division as an investment banking analyst.

He currently serves as a Senior TEX-E Fellow for MIT and Greentown Labs to help encourage energy entrepreneurship; as well as an executive officer for Bayou Capital Group, an undergraduate investment fund helping facilitate pitch competitions, and educational seminars for analysts.

Pranjal has a passion for energy finance, and aims to engage within it as much as possible.

In his free time, he loves playing tennis, swimming, meeting new people, going to new places, volunteering, and hanging out with friends.

After all of his experiences facilitated by the É«»¨ÌÃ, he is passionate about uplifting others through advising/mentoring and placing other students in professional positions available in his network, ultimately making É«»¨Ìà a better campus.

Vice Chair of Sustainability
Major: Supply Chain Management

Working towards his undergraduate degree in Supply Chain Management, Rawand Hwayyiz joined the Energy Coalition to further É«»¨ÌÃ’s position as the energy capitol of the world and to get the word out about the organization. Ever since he was in high school, Rawand has had a passion for writing and logistics management, deciding to go into supply chain management to fulfill both. After winning a writing competition organized by É«»¨Ìà Energy, he joined the Energy Coalition to help produce a newsletter using his writing skills and be the face of sustainability within the organization. Rawand is big on environmentalism and sustainability, trying to learn as much as possible about the future of clean energy and the energy transition. He loves to read, write, and watch anything to do with horror and fiction media in his free time. He hopes to one day be able to say he is a published author, wanting to share his stories and ideas with the world.

Vice Chair of Communications
Major: Chemical Engineering

Peter Edimeh is a PhD student in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the É«»¨ÌÃ. He has two years of work experience in the oil and gas industry prior to joining the university. He is currently a TEX-E fellow, and member of Dr. Conrad's research group, where he conducts research on the transport in complex fluids. He serves as the Vice-Chair of Communications on the Energy Coalition Board (EC) and Secretary of the Chemical Engineering Student Safety Team. In his free time, Peter enjoys staying active and socializing with friends. He is an avid soccer player and a passionate reader. He is committed to making a positive impact on the world by contributing to the development of innovative and sustainable energy solutions.

Vice Chair of Design
Major: Finance

Sarah Grace Kimberly is a junior majoring in Finance and minoring in Accounting at the É«»¨ÌÃ. After a stint as a professional musician where she finished as a Semifinalist on The Voice, toured nationally, and signed a record deal, she began her college career with an internship at Morgan Stanley’s Wealth Management group her freshman year. Following that, she gained an interest in energy and entrepreneurship while interning with New Climate Ventures and being selected as a TEX-E Fellow by Greentown Labs and the MIT Martin Trust Center for Entrepreneurship. She interned with Main Street Capital throughout the summer of 2023, and is interning with Jefferies’s energy group in Houston next summer. She is currently studying abroad in Barcelona and looks forward to carrying her passion for entrepreneurship and the energy transition throughout the rest of her college career. She recently began working on a sustainability startup to mitigate plastic pollution from microplastics through a multi-part membrane filter for shower and sink drains, called BeadBlocker.

Vice Chair of Student Organization Relations II
Major: Physics

Navmi Naik is a third-year PhD student specializing in seawater electrolysis for hydrogen production at É«»¨ÌÃ. She holds leadership roles as Vice-Chair Student Org Relations II at Energy Coalition and Treasurer for Women in Physics Society. Navmi is passionate about sustainable energy, with diverse interests including literature and Karnatic Music.