Acronyms, Axes, and Aberdeen: Reflections on My First Year at Goal7

Can you believe it? A year at Goal7 has already passed! This is the perfect opportunity to look back on some of my key takeaways since packing my bags from the west coast and heading up to Aberdeen.

From pipettes to PowerPoints: The transition to desk life

When completing my studies in 2024 I was faced with the predicament of where I wanted to steer my career when the opportunity to work at Goal7 cropped up. Even turning up to the interview day in Aberdeen I wasn’t sure if this was something I wanted to try out, but after meeting the team during the assessment day I was convinced I wanted to work here. Transition to the hybrid 'desk life'  was strange at first, after being used to 15,000+ steps per day running around a lab, although there is always room for a lunch time walk to make up for the deficit. Work is not all just stuck in front of the screen as there have also been on-site opportunities such as visiting the Brewdog AD plant in Ellon, and of course time afterwards to sneak in a pint.

The ABCs of year one: An acronym survival guide

I remember on my first day at Goal7 thinking 'what on earth are they talking about?' and yes I'm referencing the unofficial language of the energy transition and corporate terminology. There were plenty occasions through team meetings and research calls where I've been secretly Googling the meaning of the endless acronyms associated with our line of work (I'll proudly admit to looking up the meaning of AOB during one of our initial ops calls…). Fortunately, the jargon has become second nature as I progressed through my first year, with a big shout out to Emma for our in house acronym and jargon busting tool which has saved me on countless occasions!

How many tabs is too many tabs?

Research is integral to Goal7 and falls in line with many of our values including 'science at our core'. From the get go, I was tasked with doing some background research on a range of topics, such as Energy from Waste (EfW for acronyms sake) and CCUS (I'll let you guys figure that one out). This was not only to broaden my own  knowledge on sustainability and the work we do, but to ensure our team is up to date with recent industry developments so we can give the best service to our clients. What I love most at Goal7 is that you are encouraged to step outside the box and learn about topics that may interest you but aren't necessarily in line with your academic background. Between the data mining and literature reviews, I could be a bit more organised with my browser tabs, but who doesn’t enjoy trying to find the reference of a research paper amongst 50 others from the previous day…?

Apparently Google Maps isn’t enough?

How would I describe QGIS?...A geographical information system is the correct term but I think I would describe it as Google Maps on caffeine! To start I should explain that I'm not the most computer literate person, so when the opportunity came up to upskill in a new software for mapping I jumped at the chance. Maps are integral to a lot of our projects, helping to turn complex sets of data into something that can be seen, analysed and acted on. From layers, CSVs, shapefiles and geo packages, a whole host of files that I didn’t even know existed are converted into maps using a software that is highly capable, but best used with patience and a strong cup of coffee.

There is Wi-Fi in the Western Isles!

What better way to spend your lunch break than down at the beach? It certainly makes a good place to take up the 30 days of remote working available to use per calendar year, even if you do occasionally get stuck due to the (not so) lovely weather! One of the major benefits is that I am able to spend a good chunk of my year back at home, although my mother may say otherwise.  I've also taken advantage of stopping in at our central belt office in Glasgow's city center, easing the travel burden when attending the unreasonable amount of gigs and concerts I find myself at. So whilst getting to explore the 'quieter/relaxing' benefits of living on the east coast, there is opportunity to spend time back in my roots, whether that be in Lewis or Glasgow. 
 

Battle of the elements: Carbon vs Hydrogen

I have been asked a few times since starting whether I prefer hydrogen- or CCUS-based projects, and having been fortunate enough to work on both types I can say that the answer is still unknown. The sheer amount of different aspects that go into each project means that there are a lot of different sub topics that require different skills, knowledge and expertise in order to complete them, so I don’t think it's as easy as picking one or the other. Having completed a PhD in the use of organometallic surrogate hydrides for a range of catalytic transformations my heart probably lies with hydrogen, although there is so much more to learn between both and I look forward to getting stuck in to more projects.

Internal projects are just as important as client ones!

With Goal7 being a small team based across Scotland we like to meet up once a month for in-person events. Having transitioned from a long time at a busy university to hybrid working I find I always look forward to these monthly meetings where we can brainstorm and workshop ideas together, which I feel are more dynamic and impactful. Recently I've just joined the in-person planning team to aid in site bookings, agenda preparation and social planning for afterwards. This, along with other internal work such ops call management, hunting for BD events and getting involved in PACE, give me the opportunity to take my brain out the technical side and aid in other important aspects within the business.

I guess we can't finish here and not mention some of the social events that we have done such as games night, axe throwing, bowling and we even attended a workshop to learn some techniques in how to repair ripped clothing (I'll stick as an analyst for now).

A year of Excel: Still learning, definitely improving

Well, well, well let's just say Excel and I have a complicated relationship (#REF! error) although I am happy to say that after the past year spent with the excel wizards around me,  I have come out the other side a much more proficient user than I was when I started. Obviously the best way to improve on these skills is to actually get stuck in, try, fail and learn from your mistakes although guidance from our weekly Friday Excel tips have aided me greatly.

Ps. (=Never hard code!)

Crunching Carbon, with excel of course

So why not use these updated excel skills and put them to good use in some emissions calculations? Getting your head around the minefield of calculating emissions is not initially the most straightforward of tasks… "is it scope 1? …Scope 2?... What is Scope 2 again?" Are some of the questions you may go round in circles with, and then of course there's the simple yet easily missed task of making sure you are working in the correct units! Thankfully with a good QA/QC team at hand there is always someone to guide or provide assurance on any work that is completed.  

People first and foremost

How could I not finish mentioning the amazing group of people I've had the experience of working this past year with. Goal7 fosters an environment for everyone to thrive and my top takeaway has to be getting to work with such a great, supportive team every day in a positive work culture. Everyone is there to encourage you in your professional development and push you to grow in your role. 

No question is ever deemed 'stupid' at Goal7 but I guess one final one for any readers/colleagues…Did any of you actually make it to the end of this blog?