Savannah Goodman 
received her Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering in 2014. She went on to receive her M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University and is currently a manager in Modeling & Simulation at Blueprint Power. She works with commercial customers to appropriately size stationary storage systems that benefit both the customer and the power grid. Outside of work, Savannah likes to hike, ski and bike.
During her time at the University of Illinois, Savannah held leadership positions in the Society of Women Engineers (SWE),
Engineering Council and US Green Building Council. She also participated in various organizations such as Tau Beta Pi, Pi Beta Phi, Solar Decathlon and Engineers Without Borders.
Savannah was recently interviewed by WIE. Read the interview below:
What is a piece of advice you have for students that you wish you had when you were in college?
Find study buddies in your classes – not only will they help you get through the tough Physics, TAM, etc. assignments, but they may also become your best friends!
Do you have any advice for those looking for an internship or full time industry job?
Don’t be afraid to apply for jobs that you may think you’re “unqualified” for – odds are you are MUCH more qualified than you give yourself credit. If you are enthusiastic and you’ve done your research on the company, recruiters will be excited to talk to you even if you don’t have all of the skills listed for the job.
How has what you learned in college relate to your current work?
In a more general sense, Illinois does a phenomenal job of promoting group and team work, which is absolutely essential to being successful in the workplace.
More specifically, I took several classes pertaining to sustainability and looking at infrastructure/energy through a sustainable lens that helped me establish a fundamental understanding of the energy industry.
What are your aspirations for the future?
I want to help create a world in which we have 100% renewable energy and a carbon free economy. I’m working on incorporating battery storage into the power grid so that we can better integrate clean and distribute energy sources.