68°
66º | 78°
A team of students from the University of Houston and Texas A&M University, known as the "Dream Team," has achieved third place in the global Switch Competition. This annual event, organized by the Switch Energy Alliance, encourages university students to devise innovative solutions for energy poverty, a significant issue affecting millions worldwide.
The Dream Team comprises Sarah Grace Kimberly and Pranjal Sheth, both senior finance majors at UH, and Nathan Hazlett, a finance graduate student at Texas A&M with a background in petroleum engineering. Competing against 145 teams from 34 countries, their interdisciplinary approach focusing on sustainability and economic feasibility earned them a $5,000 prize.
"The Switch Competition tackles major issues that we often don’t think about on a daily basis in the United States, so it is a really interesting and tough challenge to solve," said Kimberly.
Sheth emphasized the importance of global awareness: "People in the United States should be extremely thankful for the infrastructure and systems that allow us to thrive with power, food and water."
The team's project involved creating a 10-year energy plan targeting energy poverty in Egypt and Turkey. Their strategy included solar photovoltaic systems, wind energy expansion in Egypt's Gulf of Suez and Western Desert, micro-hydro systems along the Nile for rural electrification, job creation projections exceeding 200,000 positions, reduced energy costs, and improved rural community access to energy.
"I want to make an impact in energy finance," Sheth stated. He noted using his skills during this competition to develop an economically beneficial plan integrated with legislation.
All three students are graduating seniors who will begin careers as investment banking analysts next summer. Kimberly remarked on the value of case competitions: "They are a fantastic way to fund your education... Even if you don’t win, you are learning something with every presentation you do."
The efforts of these students highlight young leaders' potential role in addressing global challenges through innovative solutions. Since its inception in 2020, over 3,200 students from 55 countries have participated in the Switch Competition.