Synapse and Climable Welcome Students Under New Internship Program for Energy Justice

October 13, 2021

This Fall, Climable and Synapse partnered to form the Internship Program for Energy Justice. The program aims to diversify the energy analysis field through mentorship, relationship building, and exposure to regulatory, utility, and energy processes.

We are thrilled to welcome the inaugural participants of this program: Leo Acevedo and Pooja Kandukuri. Read more about their backgrounds and interests below!

Pooja Kandukuri

I am currently pursuing my master’s degree in data analytics at Northeastern University. As part of my coursework, I worked on a project for Keva Health that relates the impact of air quality on emergency room visits for asthma patients. I provided the analysis using publicly available datasets to create visual representations and relate the impact of air quality on asthma patients using R and Tableau software. I also previously worked at Amazon as a Machine Learning Data Associate for over three years. My hobbies include traveling, hiking, and cooking.

My professional interests include renewable energy and energy justice. I’m also interested in working with data to provide analysis and visualizations. I am new to the energy world and I’m excited to see what’s in store for me. I believe it is crucial to teach everyone the principles of energy conservation and management. 

Leo Acevedo

I’m pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Northeastern University. I previously worked as a Teacher’s Assistant for the Bridge to Calculus program. Additionally, I worked as a Research Assistant where I constructed streetlights that change color to reflect the expressions of those nearby. I have experience coding in Arduino and Python and using programs such as MATLAB and SolidWorks. My interests include sports, bike riding, creative writing, and traveling. I hope to get the chance to travel the world one day.

As someone with little experience in the energy field, I am thrilled to work with the Synapse and Climable teams. I have always been curious about the energy industry and look forward to working on a diverse range of projects. Some of the topics I am excited to learn about are the management and storage of renewable energy, as well as electric vehicle usage. I can’t wait to increase my experience in the technical field and enhance my current skills.