Energy Certificate Q&A with Varun Adelli (BSM ’27)

Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Varun Adelli (BSM ’27) is studying finance and pursuing an energy certificate from the Freeman School. Below, he explains why he was inspired to study energy in New Orleans and what opportunities Tulane offers students interested in the industry. 

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Why were you interested in learning more about the energy sector?

During my sophomore year, I went to the Tulane Energy Forum that's hosted here at the Freeman School and sat in on a few talks. I really enjoyed hearing professionals speak about their experiences, and I began to realize how close of a proximity Tulane has to the energy sector. After learning more about Tulane’s involvement in industry, I decided that I wanted to take a few courses, and that led me to sign up for the Energy Certificate program. 

Can you tell us what Freeman’s Energy Certificate program is? 

The Freeman Certificate in Energy program lets students interested in a career in energy take targeted classes with that goal in mind. Classes cover topics like energy markets, energy policy, energy investment banking, and financial modeling and sales. These are great classes for anyone who wants to learn more about how energy is produced, bought and sold. 

Why is New Orleans a great place to study the energy industry? 

New Orleans and Tulane are unique because of their closeness to the energy industry, whether that’s wind or oil in the Gulf South.  The city itself is a hub for oil, gas and wind production, and because of that we have a lot of alumni who work in energy and do business in the region. That’s a huge help for students who want to land a job in the area. 

So far, what’s been your favorite class in the certificate program?

My favorite class has been Energy Markets, Economics and Policy with Professor Pierre Connor. Professor Connor worked extensively in the energy industry before he came to Tulane, and he currently heads the Tulane Energy Institute, so it was great to learn from him. The course itself gave me a broad overview of the industry. We talked a lot about different verticals within the oil and gas, coal, and renewable energy industries. I enjoyed the class because it gave me a big picture understanding of what working in the energy industry is like and how the industry has been evolving over the past few years. 

What kinds of projects have you worked on during the program?

One of my projects explored techno innovations within energy. We looked at a new type of renewable energy associated with wind power and got to explore a company that spearheaded this innovation, including the technologies they were using and their timeline for development. The project really put into perspective for me how rapidly the renewable energy industry has been evolving. 

What do you hope to do after graduation?
I want to go into financial services within the energy industry. I’d love to stay here in New Orleans or move to Houston.