Meet a STEM Trailblazer!

Happy World Energy Efficiency Day!

The cleanest watt of energy is the one we never use in the first place, so let’s take a moment to appreciate all of the improvements over the years that have made our world more efficient.

Later this month, don’t forget to thank the folks who get our energy safely to us, with National Gas Utility Workers’ Day on March 18.

The International Day of Women and Girls in Science was celebrated last month, March is Women’s History Month, and March 8th is International Women's Day, so read on for an interview with a Wisconsin woman in STEM.

Year in Review

Take a look at all the places KEEP has been this past year!

See a blank spot on the map where you are? Check out a KEEP Kit, invite KEEP staff to lead Professional Development at your school or district, or inspire a local green team to compete in Renew Our Schools or apply for a Green Team Mini-Grant!

Year in Review

Six Questions with Emily Scherer

Emily Scherer is a 2019 graduate of Oshkosh North High School. She graduated in 2023 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a degree in mechanical engineering. Scherer currently works as an Associate Mechanical Engineer for Mainspring Energy in Menlo Park, California.

The clean energy revolution is already in full swing, and I am so proud to be a part of that! - Emily Scherer

Mainspring's primary focus is on its linear generator, which can run on multiple fuels, including renewable fuels like biogas. Its generator integrates with renewable energy systems (like wind and solar) in commercial and industrial applications to help address the issue of renewable power intermittency. Intermittency is a concern with many renewable energy sources because their power isn't always available (e.g. the sun isn't always shining and the wind isn't always blowing).

KEEP recently caught up with Scherer over email to ask about her STEM journey and her current work.

Were you always interested in STEM?

I grew up in Oshkosh and went to the public schools. My dad was always building boats and other fun gadgets. Growing up, he taught me how to use hand tools, varnish wood, and how to build things for fun. This, along with my general interest in math in school, inspired me to think about engineering as a career.

How did you end up at MIT and when did you decide on mechanical engineering?

I always loved designing and building things and mechanical engineering seemed like the degree where you had the most opportunities to do hands-on building. I especially aspired to go to MIT because of the opportunities to build stuff in classes - like competition robots, cast iron engine components, and yo-yos!

What got you interested in clean energy?

I love the idea of unlocking the power of renewable resources like air and water to create the power that is so vital for every aspect of human life. I get excited about the creative ways people are going about solving our climate crisis in research and in industry and I knew I wanted to work in the field upon graduating.

Tell us about the work you're doing now. What excites you about going to work every day?

I am currently a mechanical engineer at a clean energy company called Mainspring Energy near San Francisco. We make a highly efficient power generator that can run on a variety of fuels, like natural gas and renewable fuels like hydrogen, ammonia, and biogas. We can do this by adjusting the compression ratio, meaning you can change how much you squish the fuel + air mixture depending on the type of fuel you put inside. My job at Mainspring is to design, analyze, and test build different parts of the generator, specifically the big frame that goes around the engine, which needs to be strong enough to lift six fire trucks, 12 times a second!

One cool thing about our generator is that it can act as an energy storage mechanism when paired with wind and solar power. When there is an excess of sun and wind, that excess energy can be used to create clean fuels which can be stored in tanks and used later by our generator to provide zero carbon energy to the grid. The clean energy revolution is already in full swing, and I am so proud to be a part of that!

Are there any other professional or personal interests you'd like to share?

I absolutely love to sail! I race sailboats in the San Francisco Bay now and grew up sailing on Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin. I love learning about what makes a boat go fast - like how to tune the rig depending on the wind conditions and learning about efficient hull design. I also love the competitive aspect of the sport and getting to spend time on the water.

What advice would you give to Wisconsin K-12 students, particularly those who are underrepresented in science fields, about pursuing STEM careers?

I think my biggest piece of advice is to take on challenges that might seem daunting at first, like a class that you’ve heard is hard but that you think you would learn a lot from. It might seem like a big task at first, but once you get started you usually find that it is broken into manageable steps and before you know it, you’ve accomplished something you didn’t think you could do initially!

Good Luck to Renew Our Schools participants!

Competing teams started February 24 and have until April 4 to save the most electricity possible at their school. We already know every team is going to be a winner – saving their school money on their electric bill while saving the planet! What could be better than that?

If that sounds like an opportunity too good to miss, this is a perfect time to sign your school up to compete this fall!

Learn More and Complete and Interest Form

New KEEP Resources!

Green Energy Snap Circuits Kit

Check out our latest KEEP energy kit! The Green Energy Snap Circuits Kit contains six Elenco Snap Circuits® Green Energy sets, with materials to learn about circuit-building and clean energy, along with a class set of the associated Think Green educational manual to learn about different types of clean energy.

Learn More

Personal Finance Lessons

Check out KEEP’s new Personal Finance lesson collection which includes Wisconsin Standards for Personal Finance and Family and Consumer Sciences.

These lessons provide students with the opportunity to learn how to read utility meters, analyze Wisconsin electricity and natural gas bills, consider the impact of electric and gas costs on budgets, investigate sources of residential energy and participate in a mini-energy audit to determine how to reduce energy use, costs, and carbon emissions.

View Lessons

Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities

In-person Offerings

• Discovering Energy in Nature | 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., March 31 | The Nature Place, La Crosse

• Renewable Energy: Power Up with Solar PV! | 12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m., March 31 | The Nature Place, La Crosse

• Discovering Energy in Nature | 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., April 14 | Wehr Nature Center, Franklin

On-Demand Offerings

• Climate Education for Wisconsin – On-Demand

• Climate Education for Wisconsin – CERTIFICATE VERSION – On-Demand

• Energy Education: Concepts and Practices - Online Module

KEEP PD List

Cool Career Day!

On May 6, 2025, elementary students across Wisconsin can participate in Cool Career Day, a virtual program connecting them with professionals in various fields.

Teachers log in from their classrooms to meet with experts including a fish biologist, professional chef, video game designer, motorcycle engineer, and more.

Each 20-minute session is followed by Q&A where students can ask the presenters follow-up questions.

Save the Date! Climate Gen Summer Institute July 14-15, and Wisconsin Cohort Day July 17

The Teach Climate Network Summer Institute, formerly the Summer Institute for Climate Change Education, is back with a brand new look. It is also celebrating its 20th anniversary of connecting, inspiring, and celebrating educators and their work connecting learners to climate change education!

Learn More

KEEP's Samara Hamzé recognized as Workforce Development Champion

Samara Hamzé, KEEP Program Manager, received the Workforce Development Champion award Thursday, February 27, at Slipstream's Better Buildings: Better Business Conference (B4) in Wisconsin Dells.

The Workforce Development Champion award recognizes an educator or administrator who has made a lasting impact in the education of the next generation of workers in the field of building science, sustainability, and/or clean energy.

“I am proud to accept this award on behalf of the entire KEEP team. I have the rare privilege to work in the space between KEEP’s utility funders, other organizations in the clean energy industry, and K-12 education partners,” said Hamzé. “Our student-centered collaborations have put Wisconsin among the states leading clean energy education in K-12 spaces and will serve as a model for other states.”

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Congratulations to KidWind Challenge Winners!

KEEP is incredibly proud of all the students who competed in wind and solar challenges during the Wisconsin KidWind Challenge in Madison on March 1. Twenty-eight student teams tested their designs with the winning teams invited to the 2025 World KidWind Challenge in Arizona in May.

Best Overall Instant Challenge: Middleton Wind Whiskers

Spirit of Wisconsin KidWind: St. Thomas Power of Wind

Innovation Award: Onalaska OnaOhms

1st place for Elementary Solar: Driftless Dynamos

1st place for Middle School Solar: Sugar Maple Wildfire

1st place for Elementary Wind: Sugar Maple Wind Whisperers

2nd place for Elementary Wind: Darlington Storm Winds

1st place for Middle School Wind: Darlington TEHK

2nd place for Middle School Wind: Darlington Solar Winds

3rd place for Middle School Wind: Darlington Redbird Ryders

1st place for High School Wind: Mauston Sigma

Learn More

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The KEEP program is funded with generous support by Alliant Energy, Madison Gas and Electric, We Energies, Wisconsin Public Service, WPPI Energy, and Xcel Energy.

Published March 2025