Jess McDonald is second year MEM student studying Energy and the Environment. She was raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania where her fascination with the environment began at a very young age. Her love for the outdoors spurred her passion for environmental stewardship and led her to major in Environmental Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. As an undergraduate, she became captivated by the energy industry while studying renewable energy resources in Brazil. The following summer she interned at British Petroleum’s Integrated Supply and Trading Division in Chicago. Jess became increasingly interested in how the industry can transition from fossil fuels to cleaner sources of energy, which is why she decided to expand her education at the Nicholas School. Jess’s interests in climate and energy policy led her to attend the United Nations Climate Change Negotiations in Lima, Peru this past December. She hopes to continue studying international energy development, specifically how renewable energy can be utilized to spur economic growth and alleviate poverty in developing countries.