Kat Friedrich

01060, MA USA

10 Years Experience

Professional Experience

A former mechanical engineer with graduate training in journalism and environmental studies, I am a self-employed journalist with strong technology interests. I write about clean energy, green building, urban sustainability, and “tech for good.” I work close to half-time at Yale University as the editor of the Clean Energy Finance Forum news website. My writing has appeared in Midwest Energy News, Scientific American, Earth Island Journal, and many other publications. I have hands-on experience working on hybrid race cars, manufacturing equipment, and energy-saving electronics for utilities. I enjoy clarifying science, technology and engineering concepts. Behind every invention is an adventure.

Expertise

Content Editor (online) 3 YearsEditor 5 YearsWriter 7 Years

Specialty

Education 4 YearsTechnology 1 YearOther, Specify 6 Years

Industries

Academia Other 5 YearsNewsletter - Trade 3 YearsNonprofit 4 Years

Media Client List (# assignments last 2 yrs)

Clean Energy Finance Forum (10+)
ecoRI News (10+)
Midwest Energy News (3-5)

Corporate Client List (# assignments last 2 yrs)

R.R. Donnelly (1-2)
Princeton Power Systems (1-2)

Awards

Freshly Pressed, 2012

Associations

Science Writers of Western Massachusetts (founder) New England Science Writers Hacks/Hackers Boston Online News Association Meetup

Other Work History

Yale University, Editor/Writer, 1 yr University of Wisconsin-Madison, Associate Editor, 4 yrs Conservation Services Group, Writer, 1 yr American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Research Assistant, 2 yrs USDA Forest Products Laboratory, General Engineer, 2 yrs American Superconductor, Associate Engineer, 2 yrs

Technical Skills

Podcasting, Video editing, Website editing

Foreign Language Skills

Basic comprehension of Spanish

Computer Skills

HTML, WordPress, SEO, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Project, Publisher, Moodle, Drupal, SurveyMonkey, Constant Contact, InDesign, Google Analytics, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn

Equipment

Microsoft Office Suite, WordPress

References

References are available upon request

General

Competitions create next generation of clean-car engineers

(Midwest Energy News 10/1/2014)

Working on energy-efficient cars at the college level can be a route to a career in the Michigan auto industry. That's what generations of students participating in the United States Department of Energy's Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions have discovered over the past 26 years.

LED street lighting kindles interest in Michigan

(Midwest Energy News 7/10/2014)

There's been plenty of dark news out of Detroit recently. But one bright spot in the beleaguered city is the ongoing replacement of aging street lights with highly efficient and attractive LED street lights.

Salvaging offshore waste never (sadly) ends

(ecoRI News 12/8/2013)

From guns to moonshine bottles, the Rozalia Project retrieves discarded items from the coastal waters of the United States. Rachael Miller, the project's founder and executive director, recently presented her work at the New England Aquarium.

Three strategies for low-income solar programs

(Renewable Energy World 2/21/2014)

The phrase 'low-income' rarely appears in solar energy press coverage in the United States. But some enterprising organizations have set their sights on expanding the market for residential solar photovoltaics to include low-to-moderate-income communities.

In Michigan, debate over burning trees for biomass energy

(Midwest Energy News 5/2/2014)

As Michigan considers expanding its renewable energy standard, new research is raising questions about what types of biomass should be included.

Can investment districts bring more clean energy to minorities?

(Greenbiz 8/27/2014)

The Center for Social Inclusion proposes a novel idea to fund renewable energy for low-income and minority neighborhoods.

Clean energy and climate resilience join forces

(Renewable Energy World 4/8/2014)

Massachusetts and New Jersey are spearheading clean energy financing programs that also address the need for climate resilience. Both of these programs appear to be partially motivated by the devastation of Hurricane Sandy.

Strong marketing is essential for energy efficiency finance

(Energy Efficiency Markets 1/24/2013)

Marketing is an essential ingredient for the success of energy efficiency finance. But too often, finance and efficiency experts focus on technical and financial issues and underestimate the importance of marketing.