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Madeleine's Thoughts
When I decided to apply for the role of Duke Energy Week co-chair, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I assumed I would meet some new people, gain some management experience, and put on a couple of cool events about energy.
Instead, I made new friends, met a new community of professionals interested in energy, and was able to put on five incredible events about different aspects of the energy transition and North Carolina’s role in the process.
Professionally, Energy Week was one of the biggest tasks I have ever taken on. It took months of planning events, coordinating logistics, and ensuring we had a diverse group of panelists and panels that captured the complexity of energy issues. The process taught me so many things about myself, how to lead a team, and how to effectively communicate with others.
Personally, Energy Week brought me new friends and connections that I know will continue once I leave Duke. Energy Week has made me feel more connected to Duke. My co-chair Tyler Ratcliffe and I have become friends throughout this process, and I have also found a person to play tennis with thanks to Energy Week! Also, I will feel more excited to go to energy-related events around campus knowing that there will be familiar faces in any room I walk into.
One aspect of myself that I am trying to improve is my ability to acknowledge and be proud of the work that I did, without immediately criticizing what could have gone better. I am still in the afterglow of Energy Week, and I can smile and feel incredibly proud of the work we did. To me, that is the biggest personal win of Energy Week.
Uzo’s Thoughts
Without a doubt, serving as co-chair of the 2024 Duke University Energy Conference was one of the most formative extracurricular experiences of my entire life. I am pursuing a dual Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Policy degree because I want to gain the knowledge and skills required to advance policies and practices that promote the common good.
Supporting the global transition to clean energy particularly excites me, and I viewed the Energy Conference as an opportunity to promote the transition while gaining useful insights from like-minded students, academics, experts, and industry professionals.
Building on the excellent work of the 2023 Duke Energy Conference leadership team, my fellow Co-Chair Ryan Mascheri (Fuqua '25) and I crafted a program focused on “Moving from Vision to Action Amidst Uncertainty.” We sought to ensure that attendees walked away feeling equipped to make a positive difference, and we also emphasized the importance of championing a just transition.
Hosting the conference shortly after the U.S. presidential election enabled speakers and attendees to not only speculate on how the incoming administration could affect our progress but also discuss tangible, reality-based strategies for moving forward. We need to build coalitions across sectors, leverage our collective strengths, and innovate and iterate on technological, economic, and policy-based solutions.
My highlight was watching everything the conference team had been working toward for months come together so smoothly. Everyone took the opportunity to drive impact seriously, and I am grateful for their commitment and hard work. I hope they are proud of themselves because Ryan and I couldn't have asked for better colleagues; I cannot wait to see what everyone does next.
As we enter what I predict will be a tumultuous period of the Anthropocene, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to achieving global net zero by 2050. And we must ensure that the benefits of transitioning to clean energy at scale benefit everyone, particularly communities that have contributed the least to climate change yet face its harshest impacts. I hope events like the Energy Conference continue to galvanize and inspire audiences for years to come.
Madeleine Fox, a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, is pursuing her Master of Public Policy at the Sanford School of Public Policy. She is eager to join the Sanford community and delve deeper into policy areas that inspire her, particularly Energy and Foreign Policy. Before coming to Sanford, Madeleine spent four years at the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) in Washington, D.C., where she worked on budgetary projections and cost estimates for the National Park Service and trade policy. A 2019 graduate of Wake Forest University, she earned a double major in Economics and Politics & International Affairs, laying the foundation for her passion for impactful public policy.
Uzo Biosah is a Master of Public Policy and MBA dual-degree student at the Sanford School of Public Policy, focusing on the intersection of urban policy, technology, and social equity. Originally from Los Angeles, California, she graduated from Yale College in 2020 with a degree in Ethics, Politics, and Economics. Uzo’s professional experience includes working at Google, where she resolved advertiser concerns on YouTube and gained valuable insight into the intersection of technology and business. She is passionate about creating innovative solutions that promote environmental stewardship and social equity. Through her dual-degree studies, Uzo aims to further explore how urban policy, business, and technology can drive equitable and sustainable change.