Mentorship program aims to help develop female energy leaders
Caity Smith at the Svartsengi Geothermal Power Station in Iceland (source: NREL)
Carlo Cariaga
4 Mar 2022
The FLIE program of the US Energy Association seeks to pair female mentors with mentees in Southeast Asian emerging energy sectors.
The Female Leaders in Energy (FLIE) is a two-year mentoring program sponsored by the United States Energy Association (USEA) and the US Department of State’s Bureau of Energy Resources. It aims to help in advancing the professional careers of early to mid-career-level women working in energy sectors across Southeast Asia.
NREL Project Manager Caity Smith is one of the mentors selected to participate in the program. Under her tutelage will be a geothermal resource specialist in the Philippines and an energy consultant in Indonesia.
“I am excited that FLIE has officially kicked off and I have the opportunity to mentor two rising stars in the geothermal industry,” Smith said. “My goal in mentoring these women is to let them know that they aren’t alone and to help them develop the tools and attitude needed to thrive in the industry and advance their career into a leadership role.”
Caity Smith was also selected as one of the members of the US team to lead the Women in Geothermal (WING) back in 2020, as we reported. She is currently also involved in WING’s Future Leaders Cohort program.
According to studies in the US, women account for only 22% of the traditional energy sector. This is significantly lower compared to other sectors in the workforce. Programs like FLIE aim to inspire and empower women in energy-related professions, ultimately resulting in more innovative and inclusive solutions towards achieving clean energy goals.
Source: NREL
