ISU Alumna Receives Clean Energy Education and Empowerment Award for Work in Clean Energy

Taow develops and implements strategies to modernize public–private partnerships to provide industry with efficient access to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory resources, with a focus on commercializing nuclear technology. She is passionate about nuclear energy’s role in achieving clean economies globally, fighting climate change, and reaching the national goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Deploying advanced nuclear power will position the United States as a clean technology leader and strategic partner at a critical moment in the global clean energy transition. Upgrades to public–private partnership agreements are crucial to these outcomes, as many laws and practices concerning government research funding are not directly applicable to the commercialization of new nuclear technology. 

Taow spearheaded a new agreement model to facilitate multi-laboratory public–private partnerships. She also contributed to the recommendation and adoption of infrastructure legislation, passed in 2021, that includes a statutory extension (from five years to 30 years) for protecting data developed under public–private research agreements. Additionally, she contributed to the recommendation and adoption of a DOE advanced patent class waiver.

 Prior to her career in government contracting, Taow served in the U.S. Army for nine years as a Persian Farsi linguist and Intelligence Analyst. Taow cultivated her passion for nuclear energy while leading proposal efforts for research and development grants at her alma mater, Idaho State University. As a current law student, she is participating in a new hybrid online Intellectual Property Juris Doctor degree program at New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law.

Taow, who received her BA in International Studies in 2005, will accept the award during the C3E symposium on Nov. 2. For more information about Rachel and the C3E Law and Finance award, visit https://c3e.org/rachel-taow.