Lucian Bennett-Brandt

Growing up in Houston, Texas, Lucian Bennett-Brandt saw the relationship between energy and climate firsthand. Hurricanes, flooding and power outages made questions around energy resilience and climate change feel tangible, eventually leading him to study Environmental Sciences with a focus on Earth Science at Rice University.

Lucian wanted to move beyond theory and into applied energy work. Experience at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and later at a geothermal startup in Salt Lake City introduced him to the renewable-energy sector and helped sharpen his interest in geothermal energy. Conversations with people already working in the field eventually pointed him toward Iceland and the MSc Sustainable Energy Science programme at ISE

From the Classroom to Carbon Mineralisation

Lucian arrived in Iceland already interested in carbon capture and storage. After hearing an ISE alumnus from Carbfix speak about carbon mineralisation, he pursued an internship with the company, where he gained experience alongside scientists and engineers working on the permanent storage of CO₂ underground.

The opportunity connected his background in Earth science with a technology that relies directly on geology. It also gave him first-hand experience of how research, engineering and subsurface science come together in a commercial energy and climate project.

Making Iceland Home for a While

Outside his studies, Lucian made a point of exploring Iceland beyond Reykjavík. Soon after arriving, he witnessed a volcanic eruption near the capital, while weekends took him to geothermal pools and evenings were sometimes spent searching for the northern lights. He also worked as a bartender in Reykjavík, giving him another connection to life in the city beyond the university.

His path from environmental science in Texas to geothermal and carbon-storage experience in Iceland shows how graduate study can help turn a broad interest in climate and energy into practical experience with emerging technologies.