Sumesh Arora

Dr. Sumesh Arora is Workforce Strategies program manager for a Fortune 300 utility company and the former director of Mississippi's state energy office. Sumesh has deep experience in cleantech innovation policy, energy workforce and entrepreneurial development in the public and private sectors. He is an adjunct professor in the College of Business at the University of Southern Mississippi and an Affiliated Research Faculty at the University of Louisiana - Lafayette.

Sumesh has provided strategic business guidance to more than 100 researchers, entrepreneurs, economic developers, communities and investors who are seeking to develop clean energy projects and technologies. He testified before the United States Senate in support of developing advanced biofuels technologies. Sumesh was appointed by the honorable US Energy Secretary Rick Perry to the DOE's State Energy Advisory Board for a three-year term.

Sumesh helped attract two advanced biofuels projects to Mississippi and launched the Renewable Energy Venture Startup (REVSup) program that trained over 150 individuals from around the world on mitigating risks in cleantech startups.

Sumesh was recognized as “Top 40 Under 40” by the Mississippi Business Journal and was appointed by Governor Haley Barbour as the Mississippi representative on the National Governors’ Biofuels Coalition.

He serves on the advisory boards of several investment entities and non-profit organizations. He has presented at numerous national and international conferences and authored a book chapter on energy security and terrorism in book set edited by the former director of the Combating Terrorism Center at the West Point Military Academy. Sumesh is the co-inventor of a patented system to convert poultry litter into biogas.

Sumesh holds a PhD in International Development from the University of Southern Mississippi and Masters and Bachelors in engineering from the University of Central Florida.

Specialties: Energy Technology Assessment, STEM Education, Workforce Development, Venture Development, Project Development, Program Management, Grant Writing, Technical Customer Service, Government Liaison, Entrepreneurial Development, Event Management, Public Speaking and Presentations