2026 Spring Student Summit Summary Relive our Spring Student Summit from April 10! Students heard invaluable career advice from senior energy leaders, including Brittany Kelm, White House Senior Policy Advisor, National Energy Dominance Council, who shared insights on building a career in one of the world’s most dynamic industries. Attendees also gained a front-row view into the issues shaping Texas and U.S. energy today. Morgan Johnson, Commissioner with the Public Utility Commission of Texas, spoke about how thoughtful policy and regulation can create real change for everyday Texans. From public service to private industry, the message was clear: the future of energy will be built by the next generation of leaders. Hook ’em!
2026 Spring Student Summit – How Will Public Policy and Grid Underpin Texas’ Bullish Economic Outlook? Panelists: Morgan Johnson, Commissioner, Public Utility Commission of Texas, Katharine McAden, Head of Public Policy and External Affairs, South Region, Google, Chad Seely, SVP Regulatory Policy, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, ERCOT, Megan Thrutchley and Bo Parham, UT Austin Student Moderators
2026 Spring Student Summit – US Battery Storage, Facilitating the US Energy Transition Speaker: Travis Cook, Associate, Capital Markets & Project Finance, Jupiter Power Moderator: Tucker Sachs, UT Austin Finance Student
2026 Spring Student Summit – Infrastructure Build-Out as a Foundation for the US and Texas AI Opportunity Panelists: Therese Kerfoot, EVP Strategy, Edgecore Digital Infrastructure, Michael McKissack, EVP Strategy, WTG, Sam Siegel, VP Business Development, Vistra, Arthith Iyer and Mary Zhao, UT Austin Student Moderators
2026 Spring Student Summit – Delivering on US Power Needs Over the Coming Decade Panelists: Michael DeShazer, Executive Vice President – Operations, Coterra Energy Jaime Gualy, COO, T1 Energy Dr. Derek Haas, UT Associate Professor of Nuclear and Radiation Engineering and Co-Founder of NuWells Energy Muhammad Ahmed and Melissa Banda, UT Austin Student Moderators
2026 Spring Student Summit – Building Energy for a Changing World featuring Brittany Kelm Held on the Friday of 2026’s UT Energy Week, this conversation featured Brittany Kelm, White House Senior Policy Advisor, National Energy Dominance Council and Kayla Shelkey (Moderator), JD ’26 at UT Austin.
Texas Tribune TribCast with Jack Balagia: Will Venezuela impact Texas’ oil industry? Our Executive Director Jack Balagia joined The Texas Tribune‘s Tribcast Podcast to unpack what’s really happening in Venezuela’s oil sector and what it means for Texas and global energy markets.
Former U.S. ambassador to NATO breaks down Trump’s foreign policy approach to Greenland President Trump insists the U.S. needs Greenland to bolster its national security, which has belonged to Denmark for more than two centuries. His efforts are facing strong opposition from European allies in NATO. Former GOP Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who was U.S. ambassador to NATO during Mr. Trump’s first term, joins “CBS Mornings” to discuss his foreign policy approach and its impact with U.S. allies.
It’s Going to Happen First in Texas with Nat Bullard (Part 2) We talk a lot about the grid of the future. The truth is, that future is already showing up in Texas.
It’s Going to Happen First in Texas with Nat Bullard (Part 1) Texas has plenty of energy stories. The harder part is finding the signal through the noise of endless filings.