The Ceremony That Made Us Say “Yes, This Is How We Build the Future”

I’ll admit it: I braced myself for a bureaucratic graduation ceremony—long speeches, stiff formality, the kind of event where time crawls. But Strathclyde’s Energy Sector Leaders Honorary Graduation? It was anything but that.

From the first word from Principal Sir Jim McDonald (charming as ever, with that signature smile), the room buzzed with energy—not the tired kind, but the alive kind you feel when people genuinely celebrate shared purpose. And what made it unforgettable? The stories behind the honorees.

Four leaders received honorary doctorates:

• Basil Scarsella (UKPN CEO) — who pivoted from football community work to energy and relocated halfway across the globe for “good weather” (welcome to the UK!). Under his leadership, UKPN has achieved historic UK-firsts—and yes, he mentioned PNDC by name in his speech. Glad to see PNDC getting a shoutout. ✨
• Keith Anderson (Scottish Power CEO) — a quiet force in renewable transformation.
• Chris O’Shea (Centrica Group CEO) — whose career spans global energy innovation.
• Sian Lloyd Rees (Awen Solutions MD) — whose words stuck with me.

Why Sian? Because she spoke not just about success, but about the pivot: moving from oil and gas into renewables because opportunity called, trusting mentors at pivotal moments, and embracing roles others might’ve shied away from. She now is a member of six boards simultaneously—NMIS, NZTC, ETZ, Serica Energy, Ignitis Grupe, and Port of Aberdeen. As a woman in this field, I couldn’t help but smile. Yes, this is really fantastic.

But the real goosebumps came later. Sir Jim praised PNDC’s work in “enabling technology de-risking ahead of deployment”—ensuring safety for people and employees. And then… he said it again: “Whole system thinking.”

I lead PNDC’s dedicated team focused on decarbonising heat and whole energy systems—a mission central to our net-zero transition. When he tied that very work directly to the UK’s future? It wasn’t just recognition for me. It was validation for all of us. A moment where PNDC and Strathclyde’s systemic work stepped into the spotlight—not because of any single person, but because this is how real change happens: through teams building bridges between technology, policy, and people.

Basil joked about Australia’s weather, Keith shared quiet wisdom, Chris spoke of legacy—but Sian reminded us all:

“Opportunities don’t always knock—they appear as you move toward them.”

That’s what this ceremony meant to me: a reminder that the future isn’t built by staying put. It’s built by leaning into the next step, even when it feels uncharted.

And yes—I’m proud to be part of a team that turns “whole-system” from a buzzword into action.

🌱 Final Thought:

This wasn’t just an honor for four leaders. It was a mirror held up to all of us:
Your career path isn’t linear. Your impact isn’t limited. And your voice—especially when it speaks whole-system truth—is exactly what the energy transition needs right now.

P.S. Next week? I’m not sure what it will be, but it will surely be insightful. Stay tuned.

With gratitude and a little extra spring in my step,
Priya