Fellow:Christin Badylak-Reals
Christin Badylak-Reals is a University Innovation Fellow and an undergraduate studying mechanical engineering at the University of New Hampshire. She is passionate about energy systems, innovation and entrepreneurship and aspires to apply design thinking to address the issues facing the electric grid.
Christin started her UNH studies in 2013 in Environmental Conservation and Sustainability. In addition to her enjoyable classes she made time for a number of related clubs and internships. Christin was co-coordinator of the UNH Student Environmental Action Coalition where she led efforts in diverting waste from the landfill with Trash 2 Treasure. She interned with the Post Landfill Action Network where she designed and managed the Waste Audit of the University. As a Research Apprentice, the summer of 2014 for the UNH Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research, she worked under a National Science Foundation grant to facilitate the creation and execution of a non-market valuation research study of beach erosion control on Plum Island, MA. In addition to conducting hundreds of in-person surveys she composed a literature review of the effects of beach erosion control on barrier island ecosystem services.
In addition to her interest in sustainability Christin has been involved in leadership and public policy. Starting in 2013 she began a two year term as Councilor on the New Hampshire Legislative Youth Advisory Council. Her responsibilities included promoting the importance of renewable energy and energy efficiency, developing recommendations for State Energy Strategy and changes to existing legislation, serving as liaison to State Energy Committee, Energy Efficiency Sustainable Energy Board, and advising the NH Legislature on issues of concern to NH youth. This policy work was instrumental in Christin being hired as a Scholar Intern at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) the summer of 2015.
While working in Washington D.C. she analyzed the significance of comprehensive state energy planning for national policy. She also facilitated stakeholder input sessions to inform analysis and policy recommendations under the Quadrennial Energy Review. Christin also had the opportunity to compose talking points on climate initiatives for Administration officials.
During her time at DOE Christin made the time to conduct networking interviews with a wide variety of professionals in the field of energy. As a result of these interviews, Christin changed her major to engineering and expects to graduate May of 2019. She enjoys her studies and understands the importance of learning how things work while at the same time working to invent more sustainable solutions to our world’s challenges.
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