The UT Energy Symposium welcomes UT Energy Journalism Fellow Eliván Martínez Mercado to give a talk titled Powerless: The impact of Hurricane Maria and The Transformation of Puerto Rico’s Energy Sector.
Eliván Martínez Mercado, an investigative journalist based in Puerto Rico, has more than 15 years of experience, covering the environment, agriculture and corporate welfare issues. He has been reporting on the transformation and privatization of the energy sector of Puerto Rico after hurricanes Irma and María ravaged the island in 2017.
Eliván began his career in 2001 at El Nuevo Herald newspaper, in Miami, and El Nuevo Día in Puerto Rico. He has been Senior Reporter of the Center for Investigative Journalism since 2012 and has collaborated with articles and productions for media such as The New York Times and The Miami Herald. He has earned nine awards from the Overseas Press Club and the Puerto Rico Journalists Association, for the series and special stories stories GMO Paradise, They Changed the Flavour of Our Coffee, The Treasure of a Rebellious Scientist, The Town that Dreamed About Music Again and The Secret Tax of Mayor Santini.
Eliván studied Modern Languages (French and Portuguese) at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, and completed his Master’s Degree in Journalism at the Escuela de Periodismo UAM/El País, in Madrid, Spain.
The UT Energy Symposium meets every Thursday during the long semesters. Come early to attend a networking session before the talk.