Behind the Blades Series

Meet the staff propelling NREL's wind energy research and development.

Wind turbines in the sky.
Cris Hein

How Cris Hein Helps Bats and Wind Turbines Share the Sky

Armed with a Ph.D. in bat studies, NREL’s lead environmental scientist Cris Hein helps bats—and other wildlife—share the skies with wind turbines.


Amy Robertson in front of a wind turbine

Amy Robertson Takes On the Complexities of Floating Offshore Wind

As a child immersed in the science of NASA, Amy Robertson was bound to end up an engineer—an aerospace engineer, to be exact. At NREL, she’s traded in her love of the cosmos for the delightfully challenging dynamics of floating offshore wind energy.


Angel McCoy in front of wind turbine blades

How Angel McCoy's Background in Meteorology Propels Offshore Wind Forward

Angel McCoy started her career as a meteorologist, which put her on the path that led to her current role at NREL supporting the regulatory process for offshore wind energy in the United States.


A graphic with two wind turbines and sweeping lines representing wind flow overlain by a headshot of Genevieve Starke.

Why Genevieve Starke Gave Up on Her Childhood Dream Job

As a kid, Genevieve Starke dreamt of becoming a con artist. Naturally, the little girl from Pennsylvania decided to pivot her dream to a field where rule-following was a little more appreciated. She picked engineering.


Vahan Gevorgian in sunglasses standing in front of solar photovoltaic panels and a wind turbine

Vahan Gevorgian’s Three-Decade Clean Energy Odyssey

Twenty-nine years ago, Vahan Gevorgian was a post-doctoral researcher studying wind and hybrid energy systems at the State Engineering University of Armenia when a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presented itself.


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