Smart Energy Decisions honored McGrath with the award in Mentorship, which will be presented Feb. 28 at the Net Zero Spring Forum.
LEWISBURG, Pa. — Smart Energy Decisions — the first web-based information resource dedicated exclusively to addressing the information needs of large power customers — has awarded Freeman College of Management Professor Karen McGrath ’91, finance, one of its third-annual Women in Smart Energy (WISE) Awards. McGrath was one of 12 women honored nationally and was one of three awardees in the mentorship category, which recognizes a woman who demonstrates a commitment to the mentorship of rising professionals in the smart energy industry.
WISE Awards are meant to recognize and celebrate women who make significant contributions to the field of energy and sustainability. The award is open to women working in commercial, industrial, institutional (higher education and healthcare) and government organizations.
McGrath joined the Freeman College of Management faculty in 2018. On campus, she teaches courses such as corporate finance, investments, and principles of real estate, among others. She is a faculty co-sponsor of the Working Group on Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) Education. As a member of Bucknell’s President’s Sustainability Council, she co-sponsors the ESG Education Working Group across the University. McGrath helps educate students, faculty, and staff on environmental sustainability efforts in and outside the classroom, even teaching a special ESG course to mentor and train students heading to Wall Street on the importance of sustainability.
“Professor Karen McGrath is a role model in mentoring rising professionals,” says Bucknell Director of Campus Sustainability Victor Udo. “Her work among students, faculty and staff in the emerging intersection of corporate finance and sustainability — especially real estate and environmental, social and governance impacts — is commendable. Her mentorship role has contributed to preparing students to become sustainability leaders in the future, as well as helping Bucknell to be listed as one of the Top 25 Green Colleges by the Princeton Review. We celebrate Professor McGrath and the Smart Energy Decisions community on this recognition.”
WISE Awards are presented in the categories of Innovation, Project/Initiative, Leadership, Mentorship, Rising Star, and Industry Veteran, and celebrate women’s significant contributions to the clean energy transition.
Smart Energy Decisions will celebrate the winners during an awards presentation at the Net Zero Spring Forum on Wednesday, Feb. 28 at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott in The Woodlands, Texas.
“We’ve seen a notable rise in the number of women attending Smart Energy Decisions events, which reflects the growing number of women in the clean energy industry,” said Debra Chanil, director of editorial and research at Smart Energy Decisions. “We’re thrilled to celebrate their achievements at Net Zero Forum Spring on February 28, and look forward to seeing how they continue to have a positive impact on both our community and the larger energy transition.”
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CONTACTS: Karen McGrath, 570-577-1667, karen.mcgrath@bucknell.edu; Mike Ferlazzo,570-577-3212, 570-238-6266 (c), mike.ferlazzo@bucknell.edu