Every year, more and more Northwestern students are choosing to dedicate their careers and future studies to sustainability and energy. With interests ranging from water conservation, food waste, and sustainable textiles to decarbonization, battery and fuel cell technologies, and resilient architecture, the Class of 2024 is eager to roll up their sleeves and take part in the global effort to combat climate change. Read about students from this year’s graduating class, some of whom are alumni of programs at the Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy.
Congratulations graduates—we look forward to seeing what part you play in building a more sustainable future!
Sophie Brill will graduate in June 2024 with a bachelor’s in environmental policy and culture and political science from Judd A. and Marjorie Weinberg College of Arts as well as the Sustainability and Energy Certificate.
What are your plans after graduation? This summer, I will join EnergyHub in Brooklyn, NY as a Global Markets Intern. I'm excited to help scale virtual power plants!
How will you pursue energy and/or sustainability in your work and why is this work meaningful for you?: I am passionate about innovative climate solutions that enable just transitions to a net-zero economy. I intend to pursue a career advancing equitable solutions.
What did you learn at Northwestern that you expect to carry with you into the future? My interdisciplinary coursework through the environmental policy and culture and political science departments, as well as through the Trienens Institute, have aided a complex and nuanced understanding of climate-related challenges and solutions that I will bring with me into my career. The Trienens Institute Sustainability and Energy Undergraduate Certificate was an incredible addition to my academic experience. The Trienens curriculum broadened my perspective on climate change and climate solutions by exposing me to varied disciplinary approaches that would not have been available and accessible to me otherwise. This multidisciplinary experience equipped me with the skills and knowledge to pursue a career in climate, for which I am very grateful.
Declan Sofen will graduate in June 2024 with a master’s in energy and sustainability—a degree administered by the Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy and conferred by Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science.
What are your plans after graduation? I will be an Associate on the Finance & Capital Markets team at Invenergy.
How will you pursue energy and/or sustainability in your work and why is this work meaningful for you? I will be working for the largest private renewable developer and applying my skills to advance the deployment of renewable energy resources. I am driven by a passion for decarbonization of the electric generation mix.
What did you learn at Northwestern that you expect to carry with you into the future? Northwestern and the Master of Science in Energy and Sustainability (MSES) program prepared me to work in renewable project finance as I honed the financial skills necessary for this kind of role through the coursework. The adjunct professors, specifically Alison Gilbert, had been doing these types of projects for years and her industry experience was invaluable to my education. Additionally my professors' guidance was a shaping force in pivoting my career into this space.
Juliana Davoglio Estradioto will graduate in June 2024 with a bachelor’s in communications studies from the School of Communication and a bachelor’s in materials science and engineering from McCormick.
What are your plans after graduation? Starting a PhD at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Materials Science and Engineering.
How will you pursue energy and/or sustainability in your work and why is this work meaningful for you? My involvement in research started with a volunteer project to help the farmers from my rural hometown. I studied how to use their food waste to produce new materials, and seeing the impact my sustainability research can have in my community inspired me so much. During my undergrad, I focused on studying nanoparticles and their applications for agriculture and carbon capture. I plan to continue pursuing sustainability in my PhD by researching how to make plastics more eco-friendly.
What did you learn at Northwestern that you expect to carry with you into the future? The two main learnings I will bring are interdisciplinarity and collaboration. Bridging the gap between communication, materials science, and sustainability opened many doors of knowledge for me, and the ability to integrate different fields will be crucial in my future research and career. At Northwestern, I was able to collaborate and learn from people from diverse fields. It showed me the value of different perspectives in doing research and prepared me to lead and participate in collaborative projects.
Maria Berthe will graduate in June 2024 with a master’s in business administration from J.L. Kellogg School of Management.
What are your plans after graduation? I will be part of a Finance Leadership Rotational Program at a tech company, rotating through areas such as ESG. I will also be continuing to build a Fintech company in water conservation with my MBA business partner, Caroline Wegner.
How will you pursue energy and/or sustainability in your work and why is this work meaningful for you? I have always considered myself an environmentalist. As I got older, I started to get involved in the social impact space. I then took Professor David Chen’s Impact Investing and Sustainability class where my team and I worked to create a financial vehicle that would drive capital into areas where water conservation is most needed. I have never been more energized by any project in business school than this one. I am continuing this water project after school with my partner, hoping it will materialize soon enough to help fight the scary future of climate disaster. Water is the core input for our food ecosystem and indispensable for sustaining life and I strongly believe water conservation should be paramount to all of us as it is the essence of our well-being and those of future generations.
What did you learn at Northwestern that you expect to carry with you into the future? I came to Northwestern thinking I had a limited amount of job options, which mostly involved areas of finance, consulting, marketing, and operations. Coming from Argentina, I felt that any career paths outside these were not financially viable, meaning that a career in sustainability was not an option. Upon arriving at Kellogg, I discovered a whole new world of possibilities. I learned that it was possible to pursue a career at the intersection of finance and social impact and that combining finance with making contributions to the planet can not only make this world better but is also financially viable.
Anika Gupta will graduate in June 2024 with a bachelor’s in biomedical engineering and global health studies from McCormick.
What are your plans after graduation? I will pursue a PhD in synthetic biology at Rice University.
How will you pursue energy and/or sustainability in your work and why is this work meaningful for you? I am interested in engineering biological systems for environmental applications. For example, engineering scalable pathways that can upcycle waste or produce energy in more sustainable ways. I will be working on this during my PhD and hope to produce biotechnologies that contribute to a healthier planet.
What did you learn at Northwestern that you expect to carry with you into the future? My undergraduate research in the Jewett lab at Northwestern introduced me to the field of synthetic biology and showed me that biology can have environmental applications. From my global health classes, I learned about the incredible importance of taking measures to protect the environment and slow the progression of climate change in order to preserve human health. My classes taught me problem-solving skills like breaking down complex issues into smaller building blocks. With these skills, I hope to dedicate my PhD career and likely the rest of my life to slowing the progression of climate change and building a zero-waste economy where human development and planet health are not always mutually exclusive.
Yolanda Chen will graduate in June 2024 with a bachelor’s in economics and international studies as well as the Sustainability and Energy Certificate and the Segal Design Certificate.
What are your plans after graduation? I will be a sustainable investment analyst for the state treasury and continue to pursue freelance fashion design.
How will you pursue energy and/or sustainability in your work and why is this work meaningful for you? I believe that sustainable investment is essential to making meaningful changes towards sustainability. I am really grateful that I get to be an investment analyst on a team that funds sustainability and community initiatives and makes a lot of research and development possible. As a freelance fashion designer, I will continue to spread awareness about the devastating environmental impact of the fashion industry, source sustainable materials, and prove that beautiful clothing can be created responsibly.
What did you learn at Northwestern that you expect to carry with you into the future? Before coming to Northwestern, I was always so concerned that I had to narrow down all my hobbies and interests and pigeonhole myself into a career niche. However, at Northwestern, I learned that I could do it all as long as I made time for what I cared about. I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to earn multiple majors and certificates without giving up my creative and athletic interests. Now that I know it's possible to do it all, I will continue to pursue the things I love!
Hannah Lipman will graduate in June 2024 with a bachelor’s in environmental science from Weinberg College as well as a minor in computer science from McCormick.
What are your plans after graduation? I am pursuing a master’s in civil and environmental engineering, specializing in atmosphere/energy and potentially continuing on for a PhD or working in the energy sector.
How will you pursue energy and/or sustainability in your work and why is this work meaningful for you? I will get a second degree to specifically focus on energy and/or sustainability and then continue to pursue these important fields through academia and/or work. Specifically, I will pursue energy and sustainability by leading projects that focus on optimizing renewable energy implementations and urban systems for deep decarbonization. This work is meaningful to me because it allows me to address climate change directly, contributing to global health improvements and environmental preservation, areas I am deeply passionate about for a myriad of reasons, one of them being inspiration from my grandfather.
What did you learn at Northwestern that you expect to carry with you into the future? In classes, research, internships, study abroad, and extracurriculars at Northwestern, I learned to integrate scientific communication and computational skills to address complex environmental challenges, a foundation I will carry forward to innovate and lead in sustainable energy solutions. More importantly, I learned that the unknown is OK and answers will only come from relentless questioning, trial and error, and exploration. Thus, I will carry the practice of being curious with me into the future. I will also carry my ability to effectively communicate with teams and reason, skills that are of utmost importance in STEM fields, perhaps sometimes more so than the material itself.
Anoop Kumar Sharma will graduate in June 2024 with a master’s in business administration from Kellogg.
What are your plans after graduation? In July 2024, I will be joining NextEra Energy's Business Development and Structuring Team. NextEra is the world's largest renewable energy company, assisting corporations in their decarbonization efforts.
How will you pursue energy and/or sustainability in your work, and why is this work meaningful for you? Over the next few years, I plan to work in this field, helping corporations achieve their Net Zero targets and add more renewable energy to the grid. Energy consumption and mobility are key sectors contributing to the increase in global temperature, and it is crucial to work in these areas to keep the global temperature increase within 1.5 degrees. I will also continue learning about new technologies such as battery storage and green hydrogen, and how they can be commercialized. On a personal level, I have been engaged with the Global Youth Climate Network and various NGOs, where I enjoy teaching about sustainability, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and participating in beach cleaning drives.
What did you learn at Northwestern that you expect to carry with you into the future? Northwestern and Kellogg truly opened my eyes and refuelled my passion to work in this space. Three courses that significantly deepened my perspective and provided me with tools and networks were NUvention Energy with Prof. Mark Werwath at the Farley Center for Entrepreneurship, where I worked on a startup idea for mobile EV charging; Impact Investing and Sustainable Financing with Prof. Dave Chen; and Economics of Energy Markets with Prof. Meghan Busse. These courses provided three essential elements: network, tools, and perspectives to approach various problems and feel responsible for convincing people to make tough decisions for the environment and our better future, even when the tides are against us.
Jonah Michel will graduate in June 2024 with a bachelor’s in environmental science from Weinberg College as well as a minor in entrepreneurship.
What are your plans after graduation? I will be staying in Chicago and joining Telesto Strategy as an Analyst.
How will you pursue energy and/or sustainability in your work and why is this work meaningful to you? In this role, I will collaborate with companies on developing and enhancing their corporate sustainability strategies. My responsibilities will include conducting thorough research and providing insightful analysis to help businesses implement effective and sustainable practices. This work is meaningful to me because I grew up learning about the value of doing good in the world. I always knew that my career would have to be something that had a positive impact, so I am very excited to work on sustainability at a large scale and be able to create a large positive impact at a systemic level.
What did you learn at Northwestern that you expect to carry with you into the future? At Northwestern, I learned how to think critically about problems and use my skills to create feasible solutions that not only address the problems at hand but also contribute positively to the world. This education has prepared me to tackle real-world challenges with confidence and a focus on sustainability and social responsibility.
Arta Osmani will graduate in June 2024 with a bachelor’s in materials science and engineering from McCormick.
What are your plans after graduation? I will pursue a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology.
How will you pursue energy and/or sustainability in your work and why is this work meaningful to you? I hope to study at the intersection of computational modeling and materials science to simulate and design more environmentally-friendly energy materials with applications in battery and fuel cell technologies. As engineers and innovators, we have a collective responsibility to ensure that the new technologies we develop are sustainable solutions.
What did you learn at Northwestern that you expect to carry with you into the future? Northwestern taught me to prioritize engineering ethics in everything I do. Through taking courses on engineering design and the conduct of research, I learned it is critical to understand the impact our work has on society. We must consider how we might contribute to the profit of corporations that do not align with our personal morals or values. Working in the field of sustainability encompasses more than just environmental concerns; it involves innovating in ways that are sustainable for disadvantaged groups. It means aligning our core values with our work and ensuring that we do not support initiatives that conflict with our morals.
With so many emerging leaders in sustainability and energy, the future is looking bright. Here are a few more Northwestern graduates to watch:
Michael Boehm will graduate in June 2024 with a master’s in business administration, major in finance and operations, energy and sustainability and energy pathway from Kellogg. Michael has rejoined the business management team at NextEra Energy where he will work on strategic initiatives including pioneering approaches to repowering wind and solar plants.
Anna Cao will graduate in June 2024 with a bachelor’s in civil engineering as well as a minor in architectural engineering and design from McCormick. Prior to beginning a master of architecture at Cornell this fall, she will spend the summer at Tesla as an architecture intern.
Chloe Lee will graduate in June 2024 with a master’s in management science from Kellogg. Chloe has joined Wilson as Innovation Manager, Racquet Sports Balls including tennis, pickle, padel, and golf ball product development where she will develop new and creative ways to make the sports industry more sustainable.
Carly Levin will graduate in June 2024 with a master’s in energy and sustainability administered by the Trienens Institute and conferred by McCormick. She will join the sustainability, energy, and climate change team at WSP as an associate consultant where she will help businesses integrate sustainability into business models by enabling circular systems and decarbonizing current business practices.
Sofia Sarmiento will graduate in June 2024 with a master’s in business administration from Kellogg. She will return to Boston Consulting Group’s Chicago office as a project leader where she hopes to increase the sustainability of the global food and agricultural system using creative solutions and stakeholder collaboration.