Joshua Swank

CHCI Clean Energy Postgraduate Fellow 

Presented by Breakthrough Energy 

Hometown: Aliso Viejo, California 

School: UC Irvine; University of Oxford 

Degree: Master of Philosophy, Political Science, and Economics (UC Irvine); MPhil in Modern Middle Eastern Studies (Oxford) 

Placement: Office of Sen. Alex Padilla 

An Oxford scholar, born in West Texas and raised in Orange County, California––Joshua Alberto Swank is a rising leader with a global eye towards progress rooted in American traditions. Coming from a military family, Joshua grew up with a strong affinity for public service and education. These same values form the foundation of his leadership trajectory, which seeks to build bridges, critically engage with old and new ideas, while creating a space for dialogue, innovation, and integrity.   

Likewise in his academic career, Joshua has pursued an adventurous, civic-minded, and interdisciplinary pathway. In 2019, while studying Political Science at the University of California, Irvine, he studied abroad in Israel, Palestine, and Jordan, which furthered his interest in diplomacy. At UC Irvine, Joshua undertook a wide range of academic and professional opportunities. He served on Congresswoman Katie Porter’s Youth Advisory Board, worked as a legal aide with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, and completed several research projects in coordination with the UC Irvine Honors Program and Ethics Center. Joshua strongly believes in the value of community-building and education. As a certified tutor in Teaching English as a Second-Language, Joshua worked in classrooms to promote common understanding and mutual respect amongst a diverse group of students, many of whom were immigrants and refugees. In 2021, he interned for U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein as a legislative intern, specializing in foreign affairs and energy policy. In 2023, he received his first Master’s in Philosophy, Political Science, and Economics (PPE) from the University of California, Irvine’s “4+1” Program.  

Joshua recently graduated from the University of Oxford, completing his MPhil in Modern Middle Eastern Studies. His dissertation focuses on U.S. foreign policy in the Arabian Peninsula and strategic competition with China. Last year, he conducted research and completed Arabic language training in Qatar, Jordan, and Egypt. During his time abroad in England, Joshua was an active member in the Oxford Union debating society, where he met prominent figures like former House Speakers Kevin McCarthy and Nancy Pelosi. Joshua is also a member of the Oxford Diplomatic Society.This past spring, Joshua visited Bolivia as part of the society’s diplomatic delegation to meet with key government stakeholders and learn about the future of Bolivia and Latin America.  

As the CHCI Clean Energy Postgraduate fellow, Joshua seeks to serve his country by developing nuanced, forward-thinking solutions to the problems which confront the nation’s energy sectors in the short, middle, and long-term.  Joshua hopes to apply his first-hand knowledge of the Middle East and Latin America to trailblaze a pathway which brings global insight to the unique needs of America’s clean energy future.