Sebastien Lounis

About Sebastien Lounis

I\'m a scientist who builds dynamic teams and thriving communities that tackle the impossible. I\'ve spent nearly 15 years working in energy and climate, with a passion and deepening focus on the human side of organizations working to bring about transformative change.After completing my Ph.D. in applied physics at UC Berkeley, I co-founded Cyclotron Road, which is now being scaled nationally by Activate.org. Over seven years, I grew the organization to a bicoastal staff of 28 supporting a community of more than 100 science entrepreneurs, addressing climate change and other global challenges. I helped develop the Activate Fellowship, a two-year experience transforming scientists into high-impact entrepreneurs that is now being replicated around the world. Activate Fellows have launched nearly 200 startups and raised more than $3 billion in public and private funding to support their work.In 2022 joined one of those startups, Antora Energy, as Head of People & Culture. Antora is electrifying heavy industry with thermal energy storage, eliminating the need for factories to burn fossil fuels for heat and power, the biggest source of greenhouse gasses on earth. I\'m excited to carry forward to the great work the founding team has already done to build a humble, joyful, and talented team that is committed to bringing this product to market for the future of humanity.As a leader, I foster trust and create clarity through common language and shared experiences. My colleagues appreciate my warmth, my original ideas, my eye for the missing piece in a story, and my inclusive facilitation. People and their experiences are the focus of my work.I\'m a determined optimist who believes the climate crisis is an opportunity to reinvent our world to be more just and equitable. And I believe that we need all voices at the table to seize that opportunity.I\'m fond of walking meetings, surfing at San Francisco’s Ocean Beach, hiking with my family, and gardening at our home in Oakland.

Experience

1. Head of People & Culture

   Antora Energy

   Nov 2022 — Present

Education

• University of Michigan

  Bachelor of Science, Physics and Philosophy (Double major)

  2003 — 2007

• University of California, Berkeley

  PhD, Applied Science and Technology, Applied Physics

  2008 — 2014

Skills

• Analytical Skills
• Nanotechnology
• Research
• Data Analysis
• Science
• Organizational Development
• Analysis
• Physics
• Volunteer Management
• Editing
• Team Leadership
• Materials Science
• Energy
• Educational Outreach
• Spectroscopy
• Writing
• Science Communication