Update on my latest pursuit: an MS in Economics at Colorado School of Mines
Hi, everyone — I wanted to pass along an update and offer some context around my latest big move and adventure: an MS in Mineral and Energy Economics at Colorado School of Mines.
For the official company line on why I picked this path, here’s how I summed it up in the personal statement from my application to the program:
I am passionate about the energy industry and the field of economics. The MS in Mineral and Energy Economics at Colorado School of Mines would serve as an exciting way to expand my skill set, build on my professional experience, and become an impactful leader in the energy industry.
I would now tack on “and beyond” to the end of that last sentence because one of the many beauties of economics is that it’s so versatile: while I can focus my studies on applications to areas like utilities, renewable resources, micro-grids, and battery storage, the concepts and skills I’m developing can be useful everywhere.
I’m really grateful for, and excited about, this opportunity, the doors it will open, the connections it will foster, and the infinitely unknown paths it may lead to.
As an added bonus, the school is located in beautiful Golden, CO, with easy access to trails, nature and all the magic of the Rocky Mountains.
Even though going back to school wasn’t part of my plan at the start of the year, and despite the fact that I didn’t factor a pandemic into my original calculus, I still feel like I’m somehow right on track.
I had always liked the idea of getting a master’s in economics, and Colorado was high on my list of top destinations for my big move. Furthermore, over the course of the COVID-19 crisis, I had been thinking a lot about Antifragile, and specifically looking for ways to leverage this weird 2020 downturn to get stronger in ways that I normally would not be able to. This learning opportunity checks all the boxes.
And so far, after a solid months of classes, it’s been a blast.
I’ve been impressed with the faculty, students and curriculum. I’m confident this will be a powerful journey, one that will put me in a great position, with expanded expertise and a stronger skill set, when I graduate at the end of 2021.
Thank you to the many people who helped make this big move and big next chapter possible — it all came to fruition insanely quickly, and I’m grateful to have had such amazing support during the transition.
My days and weeks are slightly busier than they have been over the course of this past spring and summer; so while I may not be able to write new blog articles every week, I still aim to keep it going to some degree.
One idea I’ve been chewing on is to use this platform — or maybe launch a new site — as a way to share, summarize and comment on all the cool stuff I’m learning about in the energy and economics spheres.
This would likely be tailored to nerds like me who really do find that stuff cool. If that’s something you’d be interested, let me know and I may bounce a few ideas off you.
Thanks for following along, and I look forward to keeping in touch.