Welcome to “3 Questions with …”, a recurring feature on the Career Center blog. We’re asking alumni of all graduation years and career interests to share a bit of their experiences and advice.
Jayson Uppal, ’08, Solar and Storage Product Growth Manager at National Grid
1. In just a few sentences, please tell us about your current job/graduate program/vocational endeavor.
I work for National Grid, a large electric and gas utility that serves over 20 million customers. The company has an ambitious commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050. To meet this commitment, we must encourage our customers to adopt clean energy technologies. I lead a team responsible for developing new customer programs that make solar and storage more affordable and accessible.
2. How did your time at Tufts influence your career journey?
I came to Tufts with a passion to solve the environmental challenges facing my generation. Many of my classmates and professors shared this passion, and the school provided incredible opportunities for me to discover how I can best use my skills to achieve my career goal. Through my course work and extracurricular activities I had the chance to present a new green roof technology to the EPA, design a biodigester for a cow farm in Vermont, and meet the US Secretary of Energy in Abu Dhabi.
3. What advice would you offer to a student who wants to pursue a career path like yours?
Don’t be afraid to use your position as a student to reach out to people in roles that you aspire to be in, whether to learn more about the industry or ask for career advice. You’d be surprised how often people in prominent positions are willing to help others who are just starting out their career. If we want to solve the climate crisis we need talented individuals like yourself!
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