Rachel Stukenborg is one of hundreds of skilled GAI professionals who help clients create better communities, transportation infrastructure, energy generation and delivery, and more from our office locations throughout the United States. Today we’ll find out a little about what makes Rachel tick—the background, motivation, and methods that she brings to the table every day for GAI and GAI’s clients.
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your area of specialization and what drew you to it?
Rachel Stukenborg: I specialize in renewable energy engineering. I have been in the field for 4 years: 2 years on the operations side of wind power, and 2 years on the development side of solar power and energy storage.
I grew up in what I would describe as the backyard of Shenandoah National Park, and I could often be found outdoors. As a result, I have always been interested in environmental conservation and alleviating climate change. I was drawn to the technical side of these issues in my undergraduate and graduate studies, and thus began a career in renewable energy engineering.
Q: What sorts of projects do you typically contribute to and what role do you play?
Rachel: I joined GAI very recently, and I will largely be working on solar projects in engineering design and energy production modeling. I am currently focused on expanding GAI’s solar design capabilities using tools like PVSyst and AutoCAD.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
Rachel: I’m excited about the range of projects that I will be working on. GAI engineering designs span preliminary siting through construction-ready, which offer me regular exposure to different levels of design. I am also excited about the range of clients (utilities; engineering, procurement, and construction firms; developers, etc.) and project types (solar, wind, storage, etc.) that GAI supports within the renewable power field.
Q: Why do you feel that GAI is a good place to put your skills to work?
Rachel: GAI is dedicated to meeting the increasing demand for renewable energy engineering and planning. As the demand for renewable power grows, engineering solutions have the opportunity—even the necessity—to be creative, because our country’s power systems have never seen changes to this degree. GAI is prepared and willing to produce creative and quality solutions for this growing field.
As the demand for renewable power grows, engineering solutions have the opportunity—even the necessity—to be creative, because our country’s power systems have never seen changes to this degree. GAI is prepared and willing to produce creative and quality solutions for this growing field.
GAI is also dedicated to employee growth: There are robust employee education initiatives and certification support systems, which are exciting to me as someone early in their career.
Q: Tell us something about yourself that people may not know.
Rachel: I am a member of the Board of Directors for Let There Be Light International (LTBLI), a nonprofit organization that works to combat energy poverty and climate change in sub-Saharan Africa by donating solar lights to off-grid homes and health clinics.
Energy poverty is a global issue that I care deeply about, and during my undergraduate studies, I completed a thesis project on trends in global energy access that was recognized by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). During my graduate studies, I became an intern for LTBLI and stayed involved with the organization for 2 years following the conclusion of the internship. At the beginning of 2023, I was invited to join the organization’s volunteer Board of Directors, where I support direction and outreach.
Q: What inspires you, and how to do believe that the job you do benefits the community and the world?
I am inspired by the rates at which the demand for renewable energy is growing, how the costs for renewable power are falling, and how renewable energy technologies are continually improving. I am early in my career, yet I have already seen significant changes and improvements since I entered the field.
As for my personal view of the overall positive impact of our work in renewable energy, I’d say that in every part of the world, people need energy that is reliable, safe, and non-polluting. I believe my work in renewable energy engineering is supporting one corner of the massive global energy transition needed to achieve this goal for the benefit of all.
Contact Rachel Stukenborg, 804.340.7053, for more information about GAI’s renewable energy engineering services—message GAI online and start the conversation about how our multidiscipline professionals can meet your unique project needs.
Rachel Stukenborg advances renewable energy initiatives by supporting preliminary site design and energy production modeling for solar energy and energy storage projects. She performs engineering calculations, prepares project drawings, generates contract documents and specifications, and completes engineering reports, as well as providing supplying technical support for contractors during project construction.
