Zoya Alam (BS, Mechanical Engineering, ‘27)

Zoya Alam is a senior Mechanical Engineering student from Rochester, New York. She is currently completing a co-op at The Timken Company, where she works on improving vision system software used to detect defects in roller bearings. She also serves as a lab assistant in the Physics Department, supporting laboratory courses through equipment setup, maintenance, and troubleshooting. As a ThinkEnergy Fellow, Zoya is interested in exploring how manufacturing facilities can adopt more sustainable approaches to energy monitoring and resource management. She is also eager to learn about the policy and implementation challenges associated with transitioning to cleaner energy infrastructure. In her free time, she enjoys trying fun lattes, calisthenics, and pickleball.

Ella Clifford (BS, Civil & Environmental Engineering, minor Geological Sciences, ‘27)

Ella Clifford is a senior at Case Western Reserve University majoring in Civil/Environmental Engineering and minoring in Geological Sciences. Originally from NYC she is interested in exploring the utilization of public space and transit right of way for energy accessibility. They currently work with Dr. Mark Green conducting research on groundwater recharge in Northeastern forests. Ella serves as a Co-Lead for the Malawi Team within the Humanitarian Design Corps, where she works on projects aimed at bringing sustainable energy solutions to rural communities in Malawi. Ella is passionate about developing innovative, community-centered approaches to infrastructure challenges at the intersection of energy and the built environment. She is especially excited about advancing equitable and sustainable energy systems that can serve both urban and rural populations.

Anselm Kabwa (BS, Mechanical Engineering, ‘27)

Hi, my name is Anselm Kabwa. I am a rising senior mechanical engineering major and I am very excited to be part of the 2026-2027 cohort of ThinkEnergy. I’m from Brooklyn, NY with both Austrian and Burundian heritage through my mother and father respectively. I have worked in oil and gas consulting at Equity Engineering Group and I am interested in diversifying my knowledge of the energy sector. Specifically I have a passion for battery technology which is integral to powering our future. As renewable energy and electrification of our world continues, having effective, efficient and safe batteries is necessary. Outside of the energy field, I worked in MEP (Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing) construction design at WSP. I have been a 3 year member of the club soccer team and have moved up in the executive board to president. In the fall of my sophomore year I participated in undergraduate research with Dr. Hyeji Im, before transitioning into a teaching assistant role with Dr. Richard Bachmann for EMAE 250 last fall which I have since continued. I also participate in the National Society of Black Engineers chapter on CWRU campus, with whom I have attended both national and regional conferences/career fairs.

Laerke Kristensen (MS, Civil Engineering & Political Science, ‘27)

Laerke Kristensen is a graduate student in Civil Engineering at CWRU, where she is pursuing her master's degree after completing her bachelor's degree last fall. Her interest in energy systems grew while attending boarding school in Armenia, where she experienced firsthand the challenges of a fragile, aging power grid. The contrast between her native Denmark's wind-rich energy landscape and a post-Soviet community facing frequent energy insecurity gave her a deeper appreciation for the role of reliable infrastructure in everyday life.

At CWRU, Laerke serves as a Teaching Assistant for ENGR 200: Statics and Strength of Materials and works with the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Drawing on her background in structural mechanics and infrastructure systems, Laerke looks forward to exploring how we can sustainably store and transport our increasingly abundant renewable energy supplies and release them for a brighter world when we need it the most.
Attached is the contract and picture.

Blessing Masanga (BS, Computer Science, ‘29)

Blessing Masanga is an international student from Tanzania and a sophomore majoring in Computer Science at Case Western Reserve University. She completed her early education in Tanzania before earning her International Baccalaureate diploma in Singapore. Having witnessed firsthand the impacts of deforestation and the respiratory health challenges caused by reliance on traditional cooking fuels in many Tanzanian communities, Blessing developed a strong interest in sustainable energy solutions. Her perspective was further shaped by living in a sustainability-focused environment in Singapore, which inspired her to contribute to positive change within her own community. Driven by this experience, she successfully received the Go Make A Difference Award 2025, through which she implemented a community project in her hometown focused on raising awareness about clean cooking. The project also included practical workshops on producing alternative clean cooking fuel briquettes from waste materials.

At Case Western Reserve University, Blessing has continued her work in sustainability by volunteering with Professor Alp Sehirlioglu and PhD student Rishabh Kundu on a project developing a carbon footprinting dashboard for higher education institutions. Through this work, she received the award for Second Best Poster Presentation at the Midwest Collaborative Summit 2026. Blessing is excited to further deepen her understanding of clean energy through the ThinkEnergy Fellowship, particularly in the areas of energy policy, industry engagement, and collaborative problem-solving alongside fellow students passionate about driving sustainable change.
 

Daniel Matta (BS, Civil & Environmental Engineering, ‘29)

Daniel is a sophomore from New York City studying Environmental Engineering. Daniel has environmental research experience from spending a summer as an environmental field researcher with Queens College where he focused on New York City water quality. He has volunteered with the Wildlife Conservation Society as a Discovery Guide for the Queen's Zoo, educating visitors about wildlife conservation. Daniel has also interned in the financial sector as a Wealth Management Intern in the Manhattan Market Division of UBS, where he has gained hands-on experience in sales, entrepreneurship, and business development. He hopes to apply his environmental research and education as well as his business expertise to developing sustainable energy infrastructure. Through the ThinkEnergy Fellowship, Daniel looks forward to expanding his knowledge on energy production and supporting energy independence efforts. Daniel is an experienced wrestler and was captain of his high school wrestling team and is excited to bring his leadership and teamwork skills to the ThinkEnergy Fellowship. In his free time, he is an active member of the Case Western Outdoor club where he pursues his hobbies of hiking, fishing and bird watching.

Gerald Onyedika (BS, Electrical Engineering, ‘27)

Gerald Onyedika is a senior majoring in Electrical Engineering at CWRU. Motivated by early experiences with severe energy instability growing up in Nigeria, he chose his field with a determination to develop sustainable power solutions. He has since translated that foundational passion into high-level technical expertise. This past summer, he worked at the cutting edge of
hardware innovation as a Deep Ultraviolet (DUV) Lithography Engineering Intern at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC AZ), gaining critical experience in semiconductor fabrication. Gerald is joining the ThinkEnergy program to look beyond traditional engineering and explore scalable, interdisciplinary energy solutions .As a Fellow, he hopes to gain a deeper understanding of energy public policy and market dynamics, while collaborating with like-minded peers. Outside of the classroom,Gerald serves as the President of the CWRU IEEE, where he dedicates his time to providing resources for ECSE students to discover their own passions within the field. To maintain a healthy balance, he stays active through running and weightlifting, and he loves spending his free time cooking and shopping for unique fashion pieces.

Jack Shapiro (BS, Mechanical Engineering & Business Management, ‘27)

Jack Shapiro is a senior from Westchester, NY, completing Dual Bachelor's Degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Business Management with a business concentration in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at CWRU. Through engineering internships at several manufacturing companies, Jack has gained first hand exposure to the intersection of large-scale industrial manufacturing and sustainability. He believes that renewable energy sources are a vital driver of improvement across the industry, and through the ThinkEnergy Fellowship, he hopes to deepen his understanding of energy generation, distribution, and storage to identify where emerging technologies can be brought to market. Jack is eager to draw on his involvement in early stage entrepreneurship to contribute fresh perspectives to the program and explore how new ventures can accelerate the clean energy transition. In his free time, Jack enjoys watching and playing soccer, running, hiking, and skydiving.

Giorgi Svanidze (MS, Chemical Engineering, ‘27)

Giorgi Svanidze is a senior at Case Western Reserve University pursuing a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and an integrated Master’s in Supply Chain Management. Originally from Georgia, he attended UWC Dilijan in Armenia, an experience that shaped his commitment to globally minded, impact-driven work. At CWRU, Giorgi has conducted polymer and materials research developing benzoxazine resins from greener precursors. He is currently a visiting researcher at the Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering at Nanyang Technological University, where his work on phenolic-based antimicrobial coatings has direct relevance to energy infrastructure durability and materials longevity. His dual background in chemical engineering and supply chain management has shaped a core belief: that clean energy technologies must not only be scientifically sound, but also scalable, reliable, and accessible. Through the ThinkEnergy Fellowship, he aims to connect sustainable materials innovation to real supply chain strategy, translating lab-scale research into deployable energy solutions. Outside of academics and research, Giorgi enjoys traveling, cycling, cooking, and learning from different cultures.