Alumni Spotlight: Ipsha Sharma

Before she moved to Canada to pursue the Master of Engineering Leadership in Clean Energy Engineering, Ipsha Sharma worked for 12 years in the oil and gas industry, advancing into roles of increasing responsibility.

As an assistant design engineer with Fluor, she optimized equipment for refinery upgrade projects and ensured operations met environmental regulations, and as a senior technical professional with KBR, she led projects for clients in the oil and gas and fertilizer industries to reduce emissions associated with their operations and improve process efficiencies.

“I enjoyed my work and there were many formative experiences, but at a certain point I felt I was getting stagnant in my career,” she says. 

“I wanted to use my skills in areas where I could have a broader impact on the shift away from fossil fuels to greener and more sustainable energy sources.”

UBC’s MEL program appealed to her because of its focus on clean energy and because of the opportunity to study at a university that consistently places high in international rankings.

A solid foundation in sustainable energy and leadership

Students in Clean Energy Engineering take technical engineering courses taught through the Faculty of Applied Science that dive into all facets of the renewable energy sector, from energy generation to energy use and management. These courses make up about 60 per cent of the curriculum, with the remainder consisting of courses taught through UBC Sauder’s Robert H. Lee Graduate School that explore the fundamentals of business and leadership.

For her capstone project, Ipsha sought out Hydrogen in Motion, a startup company in Burnaby that is advancing technology in hydrogen storage, delivery and generation. She did a full analysis of transporting hydrogen by road across Canada, including cost-benefit, risk assessment and market analysis.

“I really enjoyed this work as it enabled me to learn more about the hydrogen industry – and it also gave me some experience and served as a stepping stone to my current job,” she says. 

Another highlight of the program for Ipsha was the course on energy policy with its emphasis on understanding how policy is a tool for promoting sustainable energy systems and achieving climate change goals. 

Working in a field she loves

When Ipsha began her concentrated job search in the final term of the program, she set a goal of finding a job in government where she could work on the policy side. A few months after she graduated, she achieved her goal and was hired as a senior policy analyst at the Climate Action Secretariat, which is part of the Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions.

Ipsha works in the industrial competitive unit, which is responsible for regulating operations that are heavy industrial emitters. These operations are subject to an industrial carbon pricing system, and Ipsha tracks compliance and works with her industry counterparts to review the efforts they are making towards reducing emissions.

Integrating her extensive engineering experience, Ipsha conducts strategic data analysis and works with heavy emitters to explore strategies to achieve carbon reduction goals. 

“I’ve worked with three major government teams and my engineering experience has been highly valued – I am assigned tasks that are more technical in nature and require a different kind of analysis.”

She enjoys working for government and appreciates that it allows for a healthy work-life balance where she can spend time with her husband and five-year-old son. And she highly values being able to contribute her expertise in ways that are supporting the decarbonization shift.

“It’s rewarding to be working with a supportive team in a role where we are trying to both drive the economy and contribute to climate solutions,” she says.