Expand mobile version menu
  Skip to main content

Alternative Energy Researcher

What To Learn

High School

What high school courses should you take if you're interested in this career? Get your answers from the Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources cluster Natural Resource Systems pathway.

Insider Info

Additional Information

Alternative energy research is very scientific work. It attracts many people with an engineering education. Although there is work for people with undergraduate degrees, many upper-level positions require a master's degree or a doctorate.

"There are a lot of different aspects to the problem, so it's beneficial to have people with different skill sets. We each bring our own areas of expertise and work with people with other skills," says Bonnie Jonkman. She is a scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. She works in the National Wind Technology Center.

Jonkman says electrical, mechanical and aerospace engineering degrees are common for wind energy researchers. She has a master's degree in mathematics, and others have degrees in meteorology, physics, geology or economics. She notes researchers in fields other than wind may also study chemistry or biology.

"My advice is to take lots of math and science classes and then focus on the area that interests you the most. For a research position, a graduate degree is necessary," says Jonkman.

Jay Gill says most people who are in research roles have PhDs in math and science fields. Chemical and other engineers can also find themselves in research roles. Gill is the national sales manager for Global Resource Corporation. That's a petroleum research, engineering, development and manufacturing company.

Contact

  • Email Support

  • 1-800-GO-TO-XAP (1-800-468-6927)
    From outside the U.S., please call +1 (424) 750-3900

Support


Powered by XAP

OCAP believes that financial literacy and understanding the financial aid process are critical aspects of college planning and student success. OCAP staff who work with students, parents, educators and community partners in the areas of personal finance education, state and federal financial aid, and student loan management do not provide financial, investment, legal, and/or tax advice. This website and all information provided is for general educational purposes only, and is not intended to be construed as financial, investment, legal, and/or tax advice.