Master of Liberal Arts, International Relations
11/2025
Harvard Extension School, Harvard University — Cambridge, MA
- Capstone: Reshoring Silicon Refining and Other Critical Metal Supply Chains
Kenneth Briggs, PE
Education
Master of Science, Mechanical Engineering
05/2015
Texas A&M University — College Station, TX
- Thesis: Electron Beam Remediation of Heavy Hydrocarbon Contaminated Soils
- Committee: Suresh Pillai, Andrea Strzelec, David Staack (chair)
Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering
12/2013
Texas A&M University — College Station, TX
Associate of Science, General Studies
05/2011
Navarro College — Corsicana, TX
Research Experience
Faculty Assistant
09/2024 – 05/2025
Division of Continuing Education, Harvard University
- Worked with Dr. Dustin Tingley on research related to energy and climate policy.
- Compiled a literature review on the legal framework for decommissioning of midstream fossil fuel assets.
- Created a policy report on options for the United States to secure the silicon supply chain.
Graduate Research Assistant
01/2014 – 05/2015
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University
- Researcher in the Plasma Engineering and Diagnostics Laboratory led by Dr. David Staack.
- Developed techniques for remediation of hydrocarbon contaminated soils using an electron beam. Designed experimental setups and supervised manufacturing.
- Supported NSF and DoD funded research projects on applications of plasmas and electrical discharges.
- Data collection and analysis from multiple instrumentation types using Excel VBA and MATLAB. Created charts, presentations, and narratives using results.
Undergraduate Research Assistant
05/2013 – 12/2013
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University
- Researcher in the Plasma Engineering and Diagnostics Laboratory led by Dr. David Staack.
- Supported graduate students researching novel applications for plasmas in processing of crude oils.
- Fabricated components for test setups and conducted experiments and data collection as directed.
Undergraduate Research Assistant
05/2012 – 08/2012
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University
- Researcher in the Polymer Nanocomposites Laboratory led by Dr. Jaime Grunlan.
- Supported graduate students researching nanocomposite materials with novel transport properties.
- Tested composite materials for thermal and electrical conductivity and collected data as directed.
Teaching Experience
Graduate Teaching Assistant
01/2014 – 05/2014
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University
- Facilitated two lab sections of an undergraduate instrumentation and measurement course.
- Prepared and delivered lecture before every lab and conducted review of course material.
- Graded all lab coursework and maintained regular office hours to provide feedback and advise students.
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant
10/2009 – 05/2011
Student Support Services, Navarro College
- Provided professional tutoring services in introductory humanities courses including history, English, sociology, and government.
- Coordinated with instructors and counselors to develop custom plans for each course and student.
- Assisted with administrative and fundraising tasks to support the tutoring program.
Professional Experience
Webmaster / Project Manager
01/2025 – 07/2025
Latitude Media
- Managed web development projects, defined scopes of work, coordinated with external agencies, and served as the primary liaison between internal teams and external partners.
- In-house technical support for online platforms. Supervised domain hosting, DNS, and server management. Implemented strategies to optimize website performance, security, and SEO.
- Content management including event pages, publications, and multimedia assets, while implementing SEO strategies and ensuring seamless site functionality.
Ecommerce Administrator
09/2023 – 08/2024
Source 2050
- Managed marketing and sales channels for a marketplace for energy-efficient construction materials.
- Drove implementation of a multi-vendor e-commerce platform with over 30 vendors and 600 products.
- Used an SEO-focused digital marketing strategy to increase sales leads by 50% and double gross revenue.
- Led an initiative to diversify the product catalog resulting in dozens of new product lines.
Owner / Principal
10/2020 – Present
Briggs Consulting
- IT and business consulting with companies working in sustainability and climate, with an emphasis on work related to building design and energy use.
- Manages client IT systems and provides project management services for web development projects.
- Produces content and marketing copy for a media property focused on history, foreign affairs, and current events, and for corporate clients.
Sales and Marketing Director
03/2020 – 04/2023
Decentralized Web Technologies
- Led a cross-functional team to build an online presence on multiple marketing channels, creating a 10-fold increase in marketing leads and generating $2M in revenue within a year.
- Leveraged a network of industry organizations and contacts to create several strategic partnerships and build a local investor network in San Antonio.
- Created multiple smart device packages for building system diagnostics piloted in dozens of facilities.
Executive Board Member
06/2017 – 05/2020
San Antonio Young Professionals
- Co-director of an economic development unit with over 5,000 members. Planned multiple events with 200+ attendance, including professional networking mixers and speaker/panel events.
- Built partnerships with dozens of community and local government organizations.
- Sold business membership packages with the value proposition of building employee and customer bases.
Graduate Mechanical Engineer
08/2015 – 10/2019
Barker & Associates
- Managed mechanical and plumbing system design for renovations totaling over $100M in value.
- Prepared proposals for MEP design services, including drawings, scopes of work, and cost estimates.
- Construction admin including site visits, submittal reviews, commissioning reports, and RFIs.
- Created HVAC designs from concept to completion. Used energy modeling to define design requirements and interfaced with clients and consultants to ensure designs met end-user requirements.
Publications
Peer Reviewed Articles
Moriarty, G. P., Briggs, K., Stevens, B., Yu, C., & Grunlan, J. C. (2013). Fully Organic Nanocomposites with High Thermoelectric Power Factors by using a Dual‐Stabilizer Preparation. Energy Technology, 1(4), 265–272. https://doi.org/10.1002/ente.201300018
Lassalle, J., Briggs, K. W., Thompson, T. N., Strzelec, A., Hoelen, T. P., Kong, D., Bireta, P., Sabadell, G. P., & Staack, D. (2023). Electron Beam Remediation of Soils Impacted With Heavy Hydrocarbons. Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, 11, 100335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hazadv.2023.100335
Selected Writings
History
"History and Modern Rivalries" — Current History, 2025
"The Battle of Kursk Echoes Today" — Current History, 2024
"The Union Surrenders the Texas Frontier" — Current History, 2021
"The Voyage of the Endurance" — Current History, 2020
"Of Human Rights and Nation States" — Current History, 2020
Foreign Affairs
"The Hidden Strength in Democracy's Chaos" — Current History, 2025
"Europe Signals Shift from NATO" — Current History, 2025
"The Global Blur of Alliances and War" — Current History, 2024
"The Road to War: An Axis of Revisionists" — Current History, 2024
"The Fall of the Last European Empire" — Current History, 2022
Technology and Policy
"Technology and Warfare in Ukraine" — Current History, 2025
"Making Green Energy: Or Creative Ways to Spin a Magnet" — Current History, 2024
"Reaching Net-Zero Carbon Emissions" — Current History, 2023
"Artificial Intelligence and Global Governance" — Current History, 2023
"The Biden Administration Tries a New Strategy on Trade" — Current History, 2023
Public Service
Young Professional Committee
Feb 2020 – Present
World Affairs Council of San Antonio
- Promoted global citizenship and awareness of international affairs to the young professional community of San Antonio.
Riverwalk Capital Improvement Advisory Board
Aug 2020 – Mar 2023
City of San Antonio, TX
- Advised the San Antonio City Council on spending from the Riverwalk Special Revenue Fund for capital improvements on the San Antonio Riverwalk.
Unified Development Code Working Group
Aug 2020 – Mar 2023
City of San Antonio, TX
- Served on a working group evaluating revisions to the Unified Development Code governing new development projects in the City of San Antonio.
Ambassador Committee Member
Nov 2018 – Jun 2020
SA2020
- Built partnerships for a non-profit tasked with creating and implementing a data-driven community vision for the City of San Antonio.
Corporate Chair
Jun 2013 – Jun 2014
Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honors Society, Texas A&M Chapter
- Organized professional development events for engineering students as Corporate Chair for the Texas A&M chapter of the national engineering honors society.
Certifications
Professional Engineer, State of Texas — License #1470709/2023
Professional Engineer, State of Florida — License #9757902/2024
International Relations, Harvard University — Credential No. 24Q6-PIQC-KVID01/2024
Memberships
American Association for the Advancement of Science
National Science Policy Network
World Affairs Council
Tau Beta Pi National Engineering Honors Society
Pi Tau Sigma International Honor Society for Mechanical Engineers
Skills
Research & Analysis
Data Analysis
Policy Writing
Technical Writing
Public Speaking
Quantitative Research
Qualitative Research
Digital Marketing
SEO
Social Media Marketing
Business Development
Stakeholder Engagement
Operations Management
Team Leadership
Project Management
Modeling & Simulation
Microsoft Office
Consulting