Published July 17, 2024
By Christine Reed
The School of Energy Resources (SER) is pleased to welcome Pallavi Pokharel and Madison Mankin to the research team in the new Energy Engagement, Leadership and Careers (ELC) Program.
The newly launched research program is dedicated to community engagement, leadership, and workforce development for energy-producing and energy-adjacent districts in Wyoming.
Pokharel and Mankin, who will hold a joint appointment with the Center for Economic Geology Research (CEGR) as research professionals, will work to support social science research and workforce development efforts in the Energy ELC Program under the leadership of Selena Gerace, senior research professional for community engagement.
“We are delighted to have Pallavi and Madison on board,” says Gerace. “They both provide a well-rounded set of skills and expertise in their respective disciplines that will drive the mission of the Energy ELC Program, and provide much needed support to this critical area of stakeholder and Tribal engagement.”
Originally from Kathmandu, Nepal, Pokharel has dedicated her research to the study of environment impacts on vulnerable communities. First earning her B.S. in Environmental Sciences from Kathmandu University, she later came to the University of Wyoming for a Master’s degree in Environment, Natural Resources, and Society from the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources and was recognized as a 2024 Haub School Outstanding Graduate.
Under the tutelage of UW Professor Corrie Knapp, her research focused on storytelling for building climate adaptive capacity among Wyoming residents along the Green and Snake River watersheds. Utilizing multiple social science methodologies — including interviews and questionnaires — she was able to articulate the perceptions of Wyoming citizens related to water.
As a graduate research assistant, she also conducted qualitative studies related to climate change mitigation strategies, literature reviews on the socio-economic impacts of the energy transformation in Wyoming, as well as an analysis of the benefits and challenges for implementing carbon capture, utilization and storage technologies in the Wyoming mining industry.
In her new role at SER, she will employ her arsenal of social research skills to help implement Community Benefit Plans and inform the energy industry and researchers about community values related development in Wyoming.
“I am so pleased to be working at the School of Energy Resources,” says Pokharel. “I really like the energy component in climate change discussions and the transdisciplinary nature of SER. I am also so impressed by the diversity of energy research projects under development here, and their direct link with community engagement considerations.”
A native of Hulett, Wyo., Mankin brings an industry and landowner perspective to the research group with the aim of driving workforce development opportunities related to new energy technologies.
Mankin earned dual bachelor’s degrees from the University of Wyoming in Political Science and Communications, and then attended the UW College of Law for her Juris Doctor. Following graduation in 2013, she was admitted to the Wyoming State Bar and embarked on a career in private practice at the Gillette law firm of Daly & Sorenson, LLC and as a solo practitioner. Throughout her legal career, she has focused her practice areas on civil litigation, estate planning, natural resources, business transactions, and business formations.
Since 2016, she represented the T-Chair Livestock Co., T-Chair Land Company, and T-Chair Mineral Limited Partnership as General Counsel where she provided services for surface use and mineral issues, and contract negotiations.
In her capacity as the Workforce Development Specialist in the Energy ELC Program, Mankin will conduct stakeholder engagement to inventory existing workforce partnerships and resources, education programs, and infrastructure, as well as identify gaps in terms of the skills needed for new and emerging industries or professional retraining. “Workforce development starts at K-12 education and goes all the way through retirement age, so there is a huge range of work that needs to be done in the energy sector to create new jobs and opportunities,” says Mankin. “I am excited to come to SER because I’ll be able to apply all I’ve learned in practice over the past eleven years to make meaningful contributions to Wyoming economies, while also learning new things myself.”
