Join my journey #1

Welcome to my first monthly newsletter, where I will share my journey trying to establish myself as a young professional in EU institutions. As an engineer, I am used to solving problems with only one correct answer. But as a newcomer in Brussels, I have discovered that real-life problems do not follow logic. So, let's navigate through this policy world together.

???? At every end of the month, I will share my main takeaways, upcoming events & opportunities and my favourite things (e.g. articles, podcast episodes, books, apps, ...).

This newsletter is for you, if:

• You are also a young professional trying to establish yourself. Let's share insights on creating realistic but genuine success.
• You work in the energy & climate scene and would like to stay up to date on relevant EU events and opportunities in your field.
• You would appreciate resource recommendations once in a while - basically, stuff that I enjoyed and that maybe can be useful for some of you, too.

?? Life update

I changed my team 4x in 2021. I noticed how energy-draining that was, but I learned to adapt to it by managing my expectations. So, here are my 3 realisations:

1. Expectations management ??♀?. Especially in traditional and big organisations, it can be quite intimidating to work with older colleagues that know way more than you. I expected to perform and deliver from day one, but that is not realistic. Usually, it takes around 6 months to properly onboard. So, I learned not to be too harsh to myself.
2. Forget about "Fake it till you make it"???. This might sound counterintuitive, but the old mantra isn't the best one to follow when you're new. I found peace in not understanding things - and instead of saying "I do not understand", I found a more engaging alternative of "Could you further elaborate on that?" or "How would you go about this?".
3. Don't try to fit in?????♀?. Sometimes, I questioned the efficiency of certain work processes and saw points for improvement. Instead of taking my observations for granted, I started pointing them out (it always takes a lot of courage, haha). Bringing difficulties out into the open can create a productive dialogue. So I started introducing my suggestion saying, "Have you ever thought of [my suggestion]?".

?? What's coming up?

Stakeholder workshops: Digitalisation of the Energy System. Provide your input for the EU action plan about digital energy services and digital energy infrastructure that are cyber-secure, efficient and sustainable. First workshop: 16 Feb. Online.

How to upgrade climate change models. How can new data types be integrated into climate change models to measure GHG emission dynamics resulting from government policies during the pandemic? 3 Feb, 10.30 am. Online.

TCS Sustainathon Europe 2022. Solving most ignored but most obvious challenges by developing new innovative solutions to address challenges created by overconsumption and overexploitation. 4-6 Feb. Online & offline.

LEAP Summit. A free event with inspiring talks and workshops to educate and inspire a future generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, leaders and changemakers. The registrations are now open. 12-13 May. Zagreb, Croatia.

?? Have a project you want to promote?

Call for Sustainable Energy Days now open! Bring EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) 2021 to your community! Sustainable Energy Days will occur throughout September and October 2021, including any event that promotes and explores clean energy use in Europe. Register your event.

Call for Award Applications! EUSEW Awards are a valuable opportunity to showcase the success of initiatives in sustainable and clean energy. Submit your project by 17.00 CEST on 25 May 2021.

?? What I loved this month

?? Phishing for Phools by George E. Akerlof & Nobel prize winner Robert J. Shiller about how our free market tends to generate manipulation and deception, exploiting our weaknesses. I think it is more credible to read about the flaws of our economic system from two free-market promoters to make our system better. + The book is surprisingly good to understand for non-economists.

??? Women, younger generations and 1.5°C by WIIS Brussels Voices [30 min]. Podcasts on climate change tend to repeat the same message but this one is different: Great speakers dive into the climate security aspect of disproportionately affected marginalised groups, with the largest burden on women.?

P.S. Here is a rare sense of worldwide unity.