Enrique Alvarez-Uria Berros
National Origin
Spain
Current Location
Cambridge, MA
Industry
Renewable Energy
Educational Background
Universidad de Oviedo, BS in Mining Engineering, Energy & Fuels; University of Navarra, IESE Business School, MBA
What factors brought you to the Advanced Study Program?
I’m an engineer by trade, and had been working on offshore wind projects for an international renewable energy company in Madrid. I traveled across Europe on a weekly basis to keep projects moving forward, so it was difficult to find time to study the really complex aspects of the business. The MIT course I took is definitely a niche, but very much of interest to me, because technology, markets, and policy are all central to renewable energy and are changing quickly as the power sector becomes decarbonized. I was aware of the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI), but until my wife got an offer to spend a year at the Kennedy School, I didn’t know about MIT Professional Education. I was amazed at how well-tailored the program is, and the scope of benefits that MIT provides.
What's different about your professional life post-ASP?
I loved the class. The professor was very experienced internationally and very open, and the PhD students assisting him were phenomenal – I found people who were interested in what I was interested in, and my time at MIT also exposed me to other sectors, like IT and media. In just four months, I gained a new foundation in the interaction of engineering, economics and regulations, which gives me a better understanding of the context of investment decisions that have very long-term horizons and are exposed to rapid ongoing changes. Now, I’m putting this learning into practice, as my former company has hired me to kick off its offshore wind activities in the US, looking at investment opportunities along the East and West coasts. My wife and I will be staying here at least another year, which we’re both really pleased about.