EPP Alumni Panel: What Comes After EPP? Careers Beyond Academia

Aaron Burns (EPP PhD ’24), Nikki Ritsch (EPP PhD ’24), Ria Laureijs (EPP PhD ’20), and Jorge Izar-Tenorio (EPP PhD ’21) will join as panelists for an EPP Alumni Panel seminar, entitled “What Comes After EPP? Careers Beyond Academia.” These panels bring together EPP alumni from a variety of career paths to talk about their experiences after EPP, navigating career transitions, and advice they would give to current students. About the panelists Aaron Burns (EPP PhD ’24): Aaron Burns is a Data Analysis Manager at Seegrid, where he applies data-driven approaches to real-world challenges in the emerging robotics industry. His interests span entrepreneurship, aerospace, robotics, and the intersection of technology and public policy. Before joining EPP, Aaron worked in government, gaining experience in public-sector policy and analysis. During his time at Carnegie Mellon, his policy research focused on applying mathematical models to practical delivery and logistics problems, bridging technical analysis with real-world decision-making. Nikki Ritsch (EPP PhD ’24): Nikki is currently an AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow serving in the office of Senator Chris Coons (DE) where she manages the international energy and critical minerals portfolio. She is a policy and development finance expert specializing in international infrastructure and energy investment, with a track record of designing strategic frameworks that connect policy action to financing mechanisms — including World Bank instruments. Her work has taken her into direct engagement with foreign ministries and regulatory bodies, bridging technical rigor with the diplomatic and financial mechanisms that move large infrastructure projects forward in low-income contexts. Ria Laureijs (EPP PhD ’20): Ria Laureijs is a Strategy Director at Schneider Electric, where she works within the company’s global Power Products division, focusing on strategy and business growth in the energy and electrical infrastructure sector