“The great teachers fill you up with hope and shower you with a thousand reasons to embrace all aspects of life. I wanted to follow Mr. Monte around for the rest of my life, learning everything he wished to share or impart, but I didn’t know how to ask.”
- Pat Conroy
I started this blog because I was curious and because I was inspired. Much of this was due to an amazing teacher. He was a kind and caring man and he was making a difference in the world. He was working on rural electrification in India, he was engaging Sovereign Wealth Funds to address security issues around energy and climate change. He was interested in energy security, eliminating energy poverty, addressing energy security and mitigating the worst effects of climate change. We face these connected global challenges and he sought solutions. He was nothing short of inspiring. He cared deeply for his students and he believed in us and encouraged us at every step of the way with a warm smile and kind words, but he never stopped pushing us. He made me believe I could make a difference. I wasn’t the only one who felt this way. And because he so adamantly believed in solutions, innovative solutions, we could see them too. They were so logical. To think that such complex challenges have logical solutions, it amazed me.
He had an impressive set of credentials, SAIS attracts that, but he was humble about them. He used his credentials to make a point, not to make himself look impressive. I saw him as a symbol of hope and today my heart is heavy as I have to say goodbye to one of the greatest teachers I have ever had the honour of knowing. The world has lost an amazing man, I am incredibly grateful and honoured to have been his student. A light went out in the world when you left it, Professor, the world has lost a guiding star, and so suddenly. Professor Jhirad, may you rest in peace, we will not forget you. Thank you for all that you have taught us. Thank you for your service.
Professor Jhirad could succinctly summarise the global energy challenges we face today. These are challenges that have grave consequences for our future as humans, for our future on this earth, especially if we continue to do business as usual. I quote from his paper on “Smart Cities – Smart Financing” 2011:
1) Mitigate global greenhouse gas and create resilience to climate change impacts
2) Minimize petroleum dependence, ensure energy security, and enhance energy reliability
3) Attract capital investment into low or zero-carbon technologies and infrastructure
4) Eliminate global energy poverty
That seems to be a tall order, by any account. I recall the first time he told us this. I was sitting in his Energy Technology Futures class, wondering how this bubbly energetic man could be telling us all this and maintaining a calm and kind smile on his face. He was not in the least bit jaded like some of the other amazing and knowledgeable professors out there. I felt panicked, we have so much work to do. But he was calm, he had solutions, he felt they were achievable. Our challenges are not insurmountable, but they require dedication and innovation, two qualities he did his best to cultivate in his students. He advocated resilience, he taught us about resilience. I will do my best to never forget that feeling. I still get goosebumps when I think, you know what, he’s right, we can do this.
About a week before this class I felt my first earthquake, in Washington DC of all places. The shock of a 5.8 magnitude earthquake at its epicenter somewhere in Virginia travelled all the way to DC and cracked the national monument. I stood in wonder, why are the walls shaking? I thought someone was trying to burst into the building where I was taking a leadership intensive course at my university. About three days later I was shocked to be holed up in my apartment with a hurricane warning. Where on earth was I? In South Africa we have political challenges, our population suffers from inequality and an education system that does not do our children justice. We have the occasional flooding in low-lying areas, not earthquakes and hurricanes. We have hungry people, sick people, underserved people who are more at the mercy of government policies than nature. But we still think we can change things. I passed what was little more than a slightly violent storm, with a half-full bathtub, a generous stock of candles, food that wouldn’t perish and a substantial water supply. I didn’t need them, but for the first time in my 23 years I felt at the mercy of mother nature and I laughed at this feeling the next day, when everything was fine. Professor Jhirad taught us that climate change would increase the frequency of extreme weather events.
Climate change is not something exclusive to barefoot hippies, polar bear and tree huggers or scientists seeking out a grant. It is a global challenge that will have the most adverse effects on the most vulnerable populations. I heard the General Secretary Ban Ki-moon say the same thing a few months later. He told us how he went to visit an island, somewhere in South East Asia, that was apparently sinking. He went into detail, how he and his wife were made to wear life jackets, a measure to keep them afloat if they suddenly had to be swept off by the rising water levels. Rather than being concerned for his safety he was worried about the people on the island. They did not have the resources or the protection they needed, much less, lifejackets. A growing concern is the number of environmental refugees that will be left homeless because of climate change. Where will they go when the sea level rises? He told the audience to tweet President Obama. He felt America had to be a player in global climate change talks. Professor Jhirad had a better solution.
Jhirad advocated for strategic partnerships. He was engaging Sovereign Wealth Funds to try and mobilise the one trillion US dollars per year necessary to meet our global energy challenges. He was dedicated to eliminating global energy poverty for the 1.4billion people who have no access to electricity, who just about never see a light bulb. His message was simple, smart cities, smart financing and smart solutions. Needless to say he was a smart man. That is a gross understatement.
I am sad for our world that we have lost him. He has inspired me in more ways than he could ever know, and as is so common when you lose someone I wish I could have told him what a great impact he has had on me. He was my professor for a year, although I did not know him personally aside from chats in his office, his unrelenting support and encouragement, I am mourning him today. I feel like I have lost a friend and an ally. I have friends who worked with him and who knew him better than I did, I can only imagine the loss they are feeling. His death is a great loss for SAIS, they have lost an incredible director of the Energy, Resources and Environment program and I am sad for the students who will not be able to enjoy his mentorship or be touched by his teachings.
Professor Jhirad started a different kind of conversation, one about solutions. As part of remembering him, I believe we need to keep the conversation going.
Thank you, Professor, for all that you did, for your kindness and for touching our lives. We will not forget. Rest in peace.
- Pat Conroy
I started this blog because I was curious and because I was inspired. Much of this was due to an amazing teacher. He was a kind and caring man and he was making a difference in the world. He was working on rural electrification in India, he was engaging Sovereign Wealth Funds to address security issues around energy and climate change. He was interested in energy security, eliminating energy poverty, addressing energy security and mitigating the worst effects of climate change. We face these connected global challenges and he sought solutions. He was nothing short of inspiring. He cared deeply for his students and he believed in us and encouraged us at every step of the way with a warm smile and kind words, but he never stopped pushing us. He made me believe I could make a difference. I wasn’t the only one who felt this way. And because he so adamantly believed in solutions, innovative solutions, we could see them too. They were so logical. To think that such complex challenges have logical solutions, it amazed me.
He had an impressive set of credentials, SAIS attracts that, but he was humble about them. He used his credentials to make a point, not to make himself look impressive. I saw him as a symbol of hope and today my heart is heavy as I have to say goodbye to one of the greatest teachers I have ever had the honour of knowing. The world has lost an amazing man, I am incredibly grateful and honoured to have been his student. A light went out in the world when you left it, Professor, the world has lost a guiding star, and so suddenly. Professor Jhirad, may you rest in peace, we will not forget you. Thank you for all that you have taught us. Thank you for your service.
Professor Jhirad could succinctly summarise the global energy challenges we face today. These are challenges that have grave consequences for our future as humans, for our future on this earth, especially if we continue to do business as usual. I quote from his paper on “Smart Cities – Smart Financing” 2011:
1) Mitigate global greenhouse gas and create resilience to climate change impacts
2) Minimize petroleum dependence, ensure energy security, and enhance energy reliability
3) Attract capital investment into low or zero-carbon technologies and infrastructure
4) Eliminate global energy poverty
That seems to be a tall order, by any account. I recall the first time he told us this. I was sitting in his Energy Technology Futures class, wondering how this bubbly energetic man could be telling us all this and maintaining a calm and kind smile on his face. He was not in the least bit jaded like some of the other amazing and knowledgeable professors out there. I felt panicked, we have so much work to do. But he was calm, he had solutions, he felt they were achievable. Our challenges are not insurmountable, but they require dedication and innovation, two qualities he did his best to cultivate in his students. He advocated resilience, he taught us about resilience. I will do my best to never forget that feeling. I still get goosebumps when I think, you know what, he’s right, we can do this.
About a week before this class I felt my first earthquake, in Washington DC of all places. The shock of a 5.8 magnitude earthquake at its epicenter somewhere in Virginia travelled all the way to DC and cracked the national monument. I stood in wonder, why are the walls shaking? I thought someone was trying to burst into the building where I was taking a leadership intensive course at my university. About three days later I was shocked to be holed up in my apartment with a hurricane warning. Where on earth was I? In South Africa we have political challenges, our population suffers from inequality and an education system that does not do our children justice. We have the occasional flooding in low-lying areas, not earthquakes and hurricanes. We have hungry people, sick people, underserved people who are more at the mercy of government policies than nature. But we still think we can change things. I passed what was little more than a slightly violent storm, with a half-full bathtub, a generous stock of candles, food that wouldn’t perish and a substantial water supply. I didn’t need them, but for the first time in my 23 years I felt at the mercy of mother nature and I laughed at this feeling the next day, when everything was fine. Professor Jhirad taught us that climate change would increase the frequency of extreme weather events.
Climate change is not something exclusive to barefoot hippies, polar bear and tree huggers or scientists seeking out a grant. It is a global challenge that will have the most adverse effects on the most vulnerable populations. I heard the General Secretary Ban Ki-moon say the same thing a few months later. He told us how he went to visit an island, somewhere in South East Asia, that was apparently sinking. He went into detail, how he and his wife were made to wear life jackets, a measure to keep them afloat if they suddenly had to be swept off by the rising water levels. Rather than being concerned for his safety he was worried about the people on the island. They did not have the resources or the protection they needed, much less, lifejackets. A growing concern is the number of environmental refugees that will be left homeless because of climate change. Where will they go when the sea level rises? He told the audience to tweet President Obama. He felt America had to be a player in global climate change talks. Professor Jhirad had a better solution.
Jhirad advocated for strategic partnerships. He was engaging Sovereign Wealth Funds to try and mobilise the one trillion US dollars per year necessary to meet our global energy challenges. He was dedicated to eliminating global energy poverty for the 1.4billion people who have no access to electricity, who just about never see a light bulb. His message was simple, smart cities, smart financing and smart solutions. Needless to say he was a smart man. That is a gross understatement.
I am sad for our world that we have lost him. He has inspired me in more ways than he could ever know, and as is so common when you lose someone I wish I could have told him what a great impact he has had on me. He was my professor for a year, although I did not know him personally aside from chats in his office, his unrelenting support and encouragement, I am mourning him today. I feel like I have lost a friend and an ally. I have friends who worked with him and who knew him better than I did, I can only imagine the loss they are feeling. His death is a great loss for SAIS, they have lost an incredible director of the Energy, Resources and Environment program and I am sad for the students who will not be able to enjoy his mentorship or be touched by his teachings.
Professor Jhirad started a different kind of conversation, one about solutions. As part of remembering him, I believe we need to keep the conversation going.
Thank you, Professor, for all that you did, for your kindness and for touching our lives. We will not forget. Rest in peace.
RSS Feed
