Amy Fulton, Guarini ’26, was part of the Master of Energy Transition inaugural class and served as the Guarini School marshal during the Investiture Ceremony and Dartmouth Commencement.
Where do you call home, and where did you earn your undergraduate degree?
Home is San Diego, California. I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Sustainability from San Diego State University, having transferred from my local community college.
You were part of the first MET cohort. What made you want to be among the first to take that leap?
This was the first time in my life that I truly took a leap of faith into something unknown and unfamiliar. I’ve stayed local to Southern California my whole life, leaving a stable job for the opportunities this new and niche program might bring.
Energy was a pivot from my past academic and professional experiences, driven by my desire to contribute to reducing climate change impacts in a meaningful way. This program reinforced that this was the right decision for me and my career, and I’m grateful I chose to follow this path.
Which course or experience this year most changed how you think about energy and climate?
Without a doubt, Energy Law & Policy, taught by Professor Elizabeth Wilson, will remain the most influential and impactful course I’ve ever taken. Reading legal case studies is learning a new language and I thoroughly enjoyed navigating through 1800s natural gas extraction rulings to recent solar and wind development cases. Understanding the legal and regulatory boundaries the energy transition works within is invaluable.
What aspect of the energy transition do you think is most critical to get right?
There are countless aspects of the energy transition that we can label as the most critical. Highlighting two, I’d consider energy justice and a circular lifecycle of renewable technology as the most transformative.
Leaving people behind in this transition negates many of the positive impacts we claim clean energy will generate, such as clean, low-cost energy, and a more equitable system. From an environmental standpoint, it is critical that the supply chain, from sourcing to disposal, is designed in a way to mitigate environmental damage.
What surprised you most about the program or about Dartmouth?
I expected this going into it, but I am always taken aback by how much individualized attention is offered to me through Dartmouth, Guarini, and Irving. Having started in online community college, transferred my junior year to a university, it’s a shock to see how invested the community is in my academic and professional development. There are more resources than you can know what to do with, and more people willing to offer mentorship than I’ve encountered.
What are you most proud of from your time at the Guarini School?
Seeing true growth in myself and how I navigate academic and professional environments is something I’m proud to have gained during my time here. Coming into this program with a non-energy background was intimidating and I didn’t know what to expect.
Over this year, I’ve gained confidence engaging in technical aspects of the energy sector and learned how to hold my own in rooms full of incredibly talented, dedicated, and successful people. This is the most meaningful part of my growth in this program and I’m grateful to carry this confidence forward.
What’s next after graduation?
My next steps involve building the foundation of my career in renewable energy back home in California. I’m actively pursuing positions in development and policy and planning spaces, and I’m excited to see where I’ll land.
California is both my home state and a leader in the clean energy transition; there is no better place for me to apply what I’ve learned in the last year of this program.
What would you tell someone considering a graduate degree at Dartmouth?
I learned so much inside and outside the classroom, gained insights into other industries through speaker series held all across campus, and met people who made my life in the Northeast incredibly fulfilling. I’m also constantly astounded by the natural beauty of this region.
The winter is stunning in its own way, and watching life return and bloom in the spring and summer brings a sense of tangible joy and excitement in the community. Autumn in New England is simply unmatched and I’ll always remember the deep oranges and reds in the forests out here. If you’re seeking an academic challenge, meaningful professional growth, all within a beautiful environment, then a graduate degree at Dartmouth is absolutely worth it.
