Tiago Phielipp grew up experimenting with plants, documenting his observations and imagining ways science could improve his community. Some days he imagined creating plants capable of absorbing extraordinary amounts of carbon dioxide. Other days, he envisioned microorganisms that could reduce emissions directly from vehicle exhaust. While the ideas were ambitious, the goal was simple: find a way to make the world better.
“I wanted to save the world,” he said.
This summer, as a Government Affairs and Policy Intern at GE Vernova, a global energy technology company focused on generating electricity and advancing more sustainable energy systems, Phielipp explored how policymaking, collaboration and innovation can help address some of the world’s most pressing energy and environmental challenges.
For Phielipp, a sophomore studying public affairs at the Baker School, public service has always felt like a natural calling.
His grandfather founded a political party in Argentina centered on values of truth, honesty and character, while his mother has dedicated her career to higher education. Watching her serve students reinforced his belief that public service extends far beyond elected office.
“Public service takes all shapes and forms,” he said. “Education is one of the most important ways we prepare future generations to serve.”
His early fascination with biology eventually grew into an interest in public policy. Science could generate solutions. Policy offered a way to put them into practice on a broader scale.
“Policy has the potential to affect everyone,” he said. “I wanted to make environmental justice not just something we wish for, but a priority.”
At GE Vernova, Phielipp worked at the intersection of energy, government and global policy.
Research on Latin American energy markets, critical minerals and emerging legislation showed him how companies and government leaders navigate complex policy questions. Energy decisions, he learned, rarely exist in isolation, intersecting with economic development, national security, public health and environmental stewardship.
Whether preparing for meetings with ambassadors and government officials or supporting conversations between the public and private sectors, Phielipp saw how collaboration can drive meaningful progress.
“I learned the power of relationship building,” he said. “How do companies connect with the government? How do they work with communities? Those relationships are essential.”
Working alongside GE Vernova’s political action committee team also gave Phielipp a closer look at how advocacy organizations engage with policymakers and communicate the priorities of the people and industries they represent.
“It changed my perspective,” he said. “I realized they can be an important advocacy tool when they’re operating responsibly and transparently.”
On Capitol Hill, he encountered another surprise. While observing a congressional committee markup, Phielipp expected to witness the partisan division often portrayed in the news. Instead, he watched lawmakers disagree respectfully, shake hands afterward and express appreciation for one another’s work despite their differences.
Phielipp had encountered some of the same questions earlier in the summer. During the May mini term, he traveled to Iceland through the Haslam Leadership Scholars Study Abroad program, where conversations with representatives from the Icelandic Parliament and leaders from the Iceland Ocean Cluster explored issues ranging from Iceland’s relationship with the European Union to sustainability and private-sector collaboration.
He also credits the Baker Schools U.S.-Japan Diplomacy Academy simulation, classroom discussions and conversations with visiting ambassadors and policy leaders with preparing him to work across different perspectives.
“The Baker School helped me understand how to listen to different viewpoints, synthesize those ideas and build solutions,” he said. “It always feels like the Baker School has your back.”
Phielipp returns to the Baker School with a broader understanding of the connections among energy policy, national security, environmental stewardship and global health. While he once viewed energy primarily through the lens of conservation, he now sees it as connected to a much wider set of public challenges.
The questions he is asking have become more complex, but the motivation behind them has stayed much the same. The child who once imagined plants and microorganisms capable of solving environmental problems is now learning how policy, collaboration and public service can turn ambitious ideas into meaningful change.
He may no longer describe it simply as wanting to “save the world,” but the goal behind his work remains just as big: finding practical ways to make it better.