As the Director of Mississippi Development Authority - Energy & Natural Resources Division (state energy office), Sumesh is focused on promoting the state's energy assets, encouraging energy efficiency, strengthening STEM education and the energy workforce, and enhancing energy security. ENRD's purpose is to support economic growth in Mississippi that leads to increased energy production and consumption in an efficient and environmentally sustainable manner while maintaining safety, reliability and affordability for all its citizens. He worked at the non-profit Innovate Mississippi for 13 years in several roles including vice president and the director of the Strategic Biomass Solutions program. He is now a part of their entrepreneur mentor network. He has also served as a mentor for Cleantech Open southeast region, MegaWatt Ventures program, and PowerGen International's Initiate! program. Sumesh has 29 years’ experience in industry, non-profit and the public sector leading programs in energy, cleantech commercialization, STEM education, and innovation-based entrepreneurship. He is the co-inventor of a patented waste-to-energy process and has published a book chapter on links between energy and terrorism. Sumesh was appointed by the former U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry to a three-year term on the DOE State Energy Advisory Board and previously testified before the U.S. Senate in support of advanced biofuels. Sumesh received his PhD in International Development from the University of Southern Mississippi and has taught the graduate course “Entrepreneurship and Technology Based Economic Development” for six years in USM’s College of Business and Economic Development. He also holds an affiliated research faculty position at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette. His has BS and MS degrees in engineering from the University of Central Florida.