Niki Rinaldi El-Abd - Berkeley, California
CTE is proud to highlight the work of Niki Rinalid El-Abd, one of our associates working from our Berkeley, California office.

In Conversation

CTE sat down with Niki to chat about her projects, the new zero-emission bus opportunities she is most excited about, and her goals for reaching a sustainable transportation ecosystem.

As a young professional in this field, how did you arrive at environmental work and CTE?

I've always had the desire to have a positive impact on the world. Ultimately, this urge brought me into the world of environmental science and sustainability, as that was where I saw the greatest need. To that end, I went to UC Santa Barbara for my undergraduate studies, where I earned a degree in Environmental Science. I then worked for a year in an ecotoxicology lab studying the environmental impacts of carbonaceous nano-materials before going back to school for my masters.

I wanted to gain an international perspective on environmental issues, so I decided to apply to a master's program in Europe. At the Technical University of Munich, I had the opportunity to study with people from around the world and hear about many of the environmental and social issues facing their home countries. It was amazing to me how so many problems across the planet were all linked to one common source - carbon emissions, especially those from the transportation sector.

After completing my thesis, which I wrote with The Nature Conservancy about nature-based solutions to sea-level rise, it was then time to move back into the professional world. The most important thing I was looking for in a career was the same thing that had always driven me, that I wanted to have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the world. I wanted to find a career where I would be working alongside people who were just as driven by that mission as I was and where we would be genuinely making a difference. I feel so lucky to have found that at CTE.

How have you seen your interests reflected in your work at CTE?

I began working at CTE just weeks before the 2019 International Zero Emission Bus Conference. My first few weeks were a whirlwind as I lent a hand with various conference-related tasks, but when it finally came time for the event, I knew I had found the perfect place for me to work. The ZEB conference brings people together from across the ZEB industry to discuss their stories of innovation, trailblazing first-hand experiences, challenges, and successes. This is an event that gives the industry a place to come together, learn from each other, and grow. Every year, the conference makes a positive impact on the world by driving the transition towards zero-emission transportation solutions.

I was very excited to have the opportunity to support this critical event again when CTE started preparations for the 2020 International ZEB Conference. We anticipate that this year's conference will be the largest yet, and we're expanding the conversation to include school and university bus fleets as well as airport shuttle operators. We will also be exploring the relationship between fleet operators and utility providers in greater depth than previous years.

Can you tell us a little bit more about the 2020 International Zero Emission Bus Conference?

The 2020 ZEB Conference will take place in Denver, Colorado from September 16 through 18. For the first time, we will be offering a ZEB 101 Class on the 16th, before the main conference sessions on the 17th and 18th. CTE's experienced engineering staff will be teaching the class, which is geared towards newcomers to ZEB conversations and the conference. Our staff will be sharing CTE's decades of ZEB experience and providing an opportunity for attendees to gain a more robust background in ZEBs before diving into more in-depth topics during the main conference days.

What other kinds of projects are you involved with at CTE?

In addition to my work with the conference, I've also had the opportunity to work on several other projects at CTE, including transition planning, zero-emission bus deployment, Grant Funding Opportunity (GFO) applications, project management support, and drafting Federal Transit Administration (FTA) reports. I feel so fulfilled working at CTE, and I'm pleased to have found a place where I have the opportunity to have a positive impact on the world every day and to work alongside people who are all so passionate and driven. I love CTE!