The MIT Sustainability Summit is an annual student-run event that has grown to include hundreds of attendees ranging from professionals, academics and students. Past Summits have featured discussions with thought leaders and expert practitioners alike.
As one of the world’s preeminent research universities, MIT and its five schools --science, engineering, architecture and planning, humanities and social science, and management--are in a unique position to bring business and societal leaders together with academic researchers and students to address challenges in sustainability.We invite you to join us at the 2023 MIT Sustainability Summit as we explore the future of carbon markets.
ABOUT: Saman is a 2024 MBA candidate at MIT Sloan School of Management. Saman worked with the Sloan Sustainability Initiative to launch the world's largest curated resource hub for corporate sustainability practitioners to find sustainability help, information, frameworks, and tools. Prior to Sloan, Saman worked as a product manager building web experiences.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? Climate change is the single greatest risk and opportunity humans have ever faced. We must act now to improve the quality of our lives, the health of the planet, and to ensure future generations can thrive.
ABOUT: Javad is a Sloan Fellows MBA ’24 candidate from Norway with roots from Pakistan. His background is extensive from working in five continents in leadership and executive positions within the energy sector, in early stage impact investing, and climate organizations focusing on systems change and transformation. In addition, he has founded several social impact organizations, is an active early stage investor in Nordics, Middle East and South Asia, and serves as an advisor and board member in multiple organizations.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? We are the first generation to inherit the large scale challenges, and likely the last one to do something meaningful about it. The time to drive and accelerate collective action for a better future is now.
ABOUT: Nwakaego Uzoh (wah-kay-go oo-zoh) is a 2024 MBA-MCP candidate at MIT Sloan School of Management and MIT School of Architecture and Planning. Coming from a background in supply chain and innovation strategy, she pursuing a dual degree in business and city planning at MIT with the goal of driving change in the built environment. Through her research, she is looking to incentivize compassion and sustainability in the ways we live and work.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? Knowing that today’s actions affect the future means that sustainability is non-negotiable.
ABOUT: Eugénia Carrara is a seasoned executive, renowned for her expertise in transforming the food sector through sustainability policies and initiatives. With over a decade of experience her career includes guiding top political figures, leading international organizations, mentoring startups, and serving on NGO boards.She has advised the Mayor of Paris and the Minister of Ecology, contributing significantly to food systems transformation with major players such as the OECD, the FAO, the EU and COP28. Specializing in strategy for innovation, and data-driven decision-making, her work is marked by a commitment to enhance systems change, leveraging AI for good, and sustainability. Eugénia's goal is to drive impactful changes in organizations committed to reach net-zero emissions, planetary health, and ultimately inclusive global wellbeing.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? Sustainability is imperative in a world confronting global warming and breaching planetary boundaries. It demands a systemic change to maintain a safe operating space for humanity, underscoring the urgency to transform our actions. This shift is crucial to avoid ecological tipping points and safeguard planetary health, making it not just an option, but an absolute necessity.
ABOUT: Emilie Flamme is a Master in City Planning Candidate with a concentration in Environmental Policy and Planning. Her research focuses on climate adaptation strategies for coastal resilience. Emilie also works on Public Interest Technology research and is an Editorial Team Member of the Public Interest Technologist with Professor Larry Susskind. She is an MIT Sea Grant STREAM Grant 2023 recipient and a 2023 DUSP-PKG Fellow.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? Climate change will continue to create unprecedented changes to our world and our communities, we must find effective pathways to confront these challenges head on. The 2024 Sustainability Summit is one step forward to tackle these challenges.
ABOUT: Ben is a 2025 MBA Candidate at MIT Sloan focused on the intersection of entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainability. Prior to graduate school, he worked as a process engineer focusing on the design and construction of water treatment infrastructure and environmental remediation. He is passionate about transforming businesses into becoming more sustainable and helping develop technologies to address climate change and soil and water pollution. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, photography, and exploring global cuisines.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? As someone coming from the environmental services sector, I have seen firsthand the noxious effects of unsustainable business practices. As such, I believe that sustainability should be at the center of all business decisions if we expect to have a livable planet in the years to come.
ABOUT: As a Sloan graduate student with a background in Chemical Engineering, I am deeply passionate about sustainable product development and social innovation. My expertise is rooted in operations consulting within the Energy and Healthcare sectors. Previously, I served as a Sustainable Product Manager for L'Oréal in Paris, where I further honed my skills in environmentally responsible product innovation.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? I chose sustainability because I've seen firsthand the damage we're doing to our planet. It's personal. I want a future where nature thrives, not just survives. The Summit is my chance to be part of the solution, to learn, share, and push for real, impactful change.
ABOUT: Jenny is in her second year of pursuing the MBA and MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering dual degree at MIT. She previously studied Industrial Engineering at the University of Toronto. Upon graduation, Jenny worked in engineering, management, and analytics consulting for over five years, where she collaborated with several energy and utilities organizations. In her spare time, Jenny enjoys working on climate tech startups, making short videos, watching musicals, playing basketball, and finding innovative ways to improve global sustainability.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? It’s what our home planet needs right now and it’s time we roll up our sleeves.
ABOUT: Silvia is an aspiring Master in City Planning candidate at MIT's School of Architecture and Planning, specializing in environmental planning and policy. With a solid foundation in urban management and development, Silvia is committed to enhancing urban environments through Nature-Based Solutions. Before graduate school, Silvia worked at a global environmental NGO leading policy and capacity-building initiatives to protect urban biodiversity for sustainable development. Silvia is interested in policy and design for green, fair, and accessible public spaces that democratize the city, foster urban biodiversity, and leverage ecosystem services. In her free time, she enjoys building Legos, walking dogs, and practicing yoga.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? Immediate and integrated action is crucial to preserve the environment, foster economic well-being, and promote social and racial equity. Sustainability isn't just a choice; it's the only way to secure a livable future.
ABOUT: Viktoria is a first year MPA student at the Harvard Kennedy School. She spent 3 years with PwC Germany consulting companies on their sustainability and climate strategies. Then, she joined a German software company to steer their climate strategy. She is especially interested in natural ways of storing carbon, e.g. soil carbon sequestration.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? Why not?
ABOUT: Yuri Sakai is a Master in City Planning Candidate with a concentration in Environmental Policy and Planning. Her interests are finance, governance, and politics of urban resilience. She works for MIT Cybersecurity Clinic with Professor Larry Susskind and Dr. Jungwoo Chun.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? As our world faces a planetary emergency, there has never been a more critical time for urban planners to make concrete efforts. The 2024 Sustainability Summit is a step and catalyst toward accelerating those contributions.
ABOUT: Varun is an MBA candidate at MIT Sloan. Prior to Sloan he worked at Accenture at the intersection of policy and business where he advised clients on clean energy investments in response to the 2021 passage of the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA). His efforts resulted in clients securing over $160 million in federal funding for facilitating the transition towards clean energy through distributed energy systems and grid enablement technologies like PLTE. Varun also advised clients on state-level policy implications, including the impact of New York's Local Law 97. He previously attended Northwestern University where he studied Economics and Neuroscience. Varun is a lover of the outdoors and spent his summer before Sloan leading high-school hiking trips in Yellowstone and The Tetons with Overland Summers.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? Systems change brings together core elements to effect real, sustainable, change. Having worked at the intersection of policy and business investment, combined with my love of the outdoors (and its preservation!), I believe sustainability must be solved through a multi-disciplinary approach.
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ABOUT: Ujjwal, a purpose-driven entrepreneur focusing on deploying digital innovation for societal benefit, is advancing his expertise as a mid-career MPA candidate and Mason Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School. His work at the (UN)FAO, the World Bank, and Stanford University has advanced data infrastructure, evidence based policy-making, and sustainable investments, contributing to food security and climate resilience within fragile ecosystems. An advisor to international organizations and governments on the potential and challenges of AI, his expertise lies in merging technology with sustainability. His outstanding contributions have earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious Social Impact Fellowship Fund award from Harvard for creating impact as an entrepreneur.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? Growing up in a farming community, I've seen firsthand how sustainability is not just a choice but a necessity for our survival and prosperity. It's about preserving the harmony between nature and human innovation, ensuring that the soil that fed our ancestors can nourish future generations too.
ABOUT: Currently working as a postdoc at Environmental Health department, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. My areas of expertise are air pollution toxicology particularly focused on chemicals of emerging concern. I have my PhD on inhalation exposure effects of atmospheric emissions and air pollutants.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? Our next generation deserves clean air, water and a healthy life. We can do this by countering the effects of climate change associated problems and adapting to sustainability solutions in our daily life.
ABOUT: Before joining Sloan, Linda served as a management consultant, specializing in strategic transformations and product strategy for Fortune 500 technology companies. Linda also managed corporate grant funding at her company for local nonprofit organizations, working to improve environmental access and impact in underprivileged communities. Driven by her commitment to social impact and corporate responsibility, she chose to further her education by pursuing an MBA and is actively working towards certificates in Sustainability and Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Outside of academics and career, Linda is an avid outdoors enthusiast, runner and hiker, most recently climbing Half Dome in Yosemite National Park!
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? In our increasingly interconnected world, addressing global challenges in sustainability requires substantial collective action and innovative solutions to keep up with the rapid pace of climate change. Establishing enduring and sustainable processes is crucial for safeguarding the well-being of our planet for future generations.
ABOUT: Lipika Kapoor is a second-year MBA student at MIT Sloan with a focus on the intersection of technology and finance to develop sustainable solutions. Before Sloan, she advanced data-driven decision making among policymakers in India and worked on poverty alleviation strategies, covering water conservation for agricultural use, food fortification, and early-childhood education. Her current interest centers on using artificial intelligence to foster a sustainable future. Lipika also hosts the BetterAI podcast and is co-authoring a paper on Ethics in AI for the Scientific Policy Review, underscoring her commitment to ethical advancements in technology.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? Sustainability is a non-negotiable commitment to the earth's future generation, ensuring a world that's not just survivable, but fully thriving for generations ahead.
ABOUT: Marissa is a first year MBA student at MIT Sloan. Her background is in product design and user research, most recently leading design at Stripe Climate / Frontier. She is interested in carbon management and the intersection of climate, tech, and design.
ABOUT: Aoying Huang is a member of the Sloan MBA Class of 2024 and serves as the Co-President of the MIT Asia Business Conference. Additionally, she has been elected as a 2024 Siebel Scholar. Prior to Sloan, she worked as a Product Manager for Microsoft's Azure Cognitive & Applied AI Service and as a Senior Product Manager at Gartner, focusing on digital experience. She will join Samsung’s Global Strategy Group in South Korea post graduation. Aoying completed a double major in Sociology and Applied Mathematics-Economics at Brown University.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? Exploring ways to ensure the world we live in remains livable, both materially and socially.
ABOUT: Jinia Sarkar is a second year M.S. Environmental Health student at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Prior to this program, she graduated from Georgetown University with a B.S. in Human Science and worked at a healthcare consulting company, Advisory Board, where she pursued best practice research on service line strategy and sustainability at hospitals and health systems. Her current research focuses on understanding flood events and its impacts on mental health, as well as tools physicians can use to address climate impacts on patients. In her free time, Jinia enjoys playing her clarinet and baking.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? As someone who has witnessed her hometown face two 1,000-year floods in the span of two years, Jinia is passionate about decarbonization and natural resources conservation towards mitigating climate change.
ABOUT: Kathleen is part of Harvard University’s sustainability family and is excited to be a part of this year’s summit. She has been in the financial sector for over a decade and is currently serving as an Investor Relations Senior Analyst at NRG Energy. This career journey has fostered a deep commitment to create a collaborative world between finance and sustainability.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? Sustainability is an integral part of our future. It is our pathway to ensure we live in a more resilient and equitable world. Our planet has been vulnerable for quite some time and with the evolution of sustainability efforts globally, more people are now realizing that sustainability is not just a trend, but a necessity.
ABOUT: Tunca Alikaya is 2024 Executive MBA candidate at MIT Sloan School of Management. He is currently scaling up SLB's (formerly Schlumberger) corprate start up Celsius Energy, focusing on geothermal heating and cooling technologies in the Northeast U.S. With over a decade of experience at Schlumberger, Tunca has worked in fifteen countries across five continents, in core oil & gas well construction businesses. His commitment to energy transition, and decarbonization is rooted in this rich global management experience. Tunca is deeply passionate about advancing deep climate technologies.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? With a background in energy sector, I understand the critical need for sustainable and clean energy. And I personally can contribute to energy transition to fight against climate change.
ABOUT: Pincha is an MBA candidate at MIT Sloan School of Management, with a focus on Finance and Sustainability. At Sloan, she is involved in several leadership roles, including VP positions in the MIT Impact Investing Initiative, MIT Sustainability Conference, and Asia Business Conference. Her work experience includes a researcher role at a sustainability think tank, focusing on sustainable financial practice, and strategic roles at a major bank, leading significant migrations and digitization projects. Pincha is also the founder of the Route volunteer network, demonstrating her commitment to social impact. Her work embodies strategic insight, a dedication to sustainability, and a passion for creating positive change in the finance sector
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? Given the pressing climate challenges, I believe that prioritizing sustainability is essential, not optional. Stakeholders should adopt a long-term perspective in their decision-making processes to address these global issues effectively
ABOUT: Sungmoon Lim is a Master in City Planning Candidate, where she conducts research on decarbonization policies affecting the built environment with MIT's Sustainable Urbanization Lab. Sungmoon is also a member of the Schwarzman School of Computing, where she studies the relationship between computing and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the climate justice implications of mining minerals, manufacturing hardware, and running data centers. Prior to MIT, she worked at the nexus of sustainability and technology at Google, the United Nations, and Smart City Expo. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from Stanford University. She hopes to make cities more equitable, sustainable, and joyful, particularly for aging populations.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? Climate change is a moral issue as it is an environmental, political, and economic one.
ABOUT: Hind is a 2025 MBA candidate at MIT Sloan School of Management. Before joining MIT, Hind had a rich experience working at Saudi Aramco, where she undertook various positions with a focus on technology and digitalization, ultimately culminating in her role as the Head of Digital Investment and Venturing. Passionate about navigating the dynamic intersection of business and technology, Hind is concurrently pursuing the Sustainability Certificate and Enterprise Management Certificate at MIT. Beyond academia and corporate endeavors, Hind finds joy in sports, reading, and exploring new places with family and friends.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? A noble way of giving back to our universe.
ABOUT: A current first year Master in City Planning student, I intend to study and implement equitable sustainable urban development responsive to the climate crisis. Prior to MIT I worked in construction project management in the greater Washington, DC area executing LEED-certified healthcare and commercial building projects. I have previously contributed to management of NYCHA’s recovery and resiliency program to restore housing developments damaged by Hurricane Sandy in New York. Similarly in Louisiana I worked with New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity leading construction of new affordable homes post-Hurricane Katrina as an AmeriCorps Direct National Service member. My undergraduate education in architecture at the University of Virginia inspired a career engaged in addressing critical societal challenges by way of innovative design thinking and purposeful building practice. Outside of work and school I enjoy running and backpacking to reconnect with the natural environment.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? Understanding the built environment’s immense contribution to CO2 emissions, I see an urgent need to assess and improve its environmental performance, renovate existing buildings through deep green retrofits, and construct new developments incorporating sustainable materials and energy efficient designs to mitigate climate impacts.
ABOUT: I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University. Following this, I commissioned in the US Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer with a specialization in Nuclear Propulsion. I served in the Navy for six years, onboard the Guided Missile Destroyer USS Spruance, and the Nuclear Aircraft Carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, both homeported in San Diego, CA. After I separated from the Navy, I worked at ASML, a semiconductor technology company, in the integration department for four years before coming to Sloan.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? Amidst global sustainability challenges, MIT’s distinctive resources provide an unparalleled opportunity for impactful learning and involvement in the sustainability community. I hope to learn as much as I can during my time here, so I can make a substantial impact on sustainability practices in the business world.
ABOUT: I am an MBA candidate at MIT Sloan, holding a B.S. in Environmental Sciences. My background includes over four years as an Engineer Officer in the U.S. Army, with roles such as Task Force Engineer and Platoon Leader. Alongside my studies, I am a part-time Product Manager at Strella Biotechnology, a company dedicated to improving fruit ripeness prediction to minimize waste and enhance quality. Additionally, I am a certified Sustainability Associate with the International Society of Sustainability Professionals. My personal interests in CrossFit and snowboarding provide a dynamic balance to my professional and academic commitments, offering both physical challenges and outdoor adventures.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? My path to sustainability awareness began during my service in the U.S. Army in the Middle East, a setting that starkly exposed me to environmental degradation, water scarcity, and social inequality. These experiences shaped my deep interest in exploring and contributing to the complex nexus of urban sustainability, social justice, and environmental responsibility, propelling me towards a dedicated involvement in this essential field.
ABOUT: Ameyo is a dynamic first-year MBA candidate at MIT Sloan, blending her rich experiences from Google with a fervent passion for sustainability and community service. Ameyo's dedication to environmental sustainability and food security is profound. She actively volunteers with Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, championing food recovery and waste reduction efforts.Ameyo's leadership extends onto her campus roles, notably leading the Food and Agriculture Club and serving as the operations director for a significant (un)conference, highlighting her leadership skills and her commitment to energy and sustainability matters. Along with her expertise in corporate sustainability and sustainable consulting, underlines her passion for fostering a more sustainable future. Keen to delve into climate solutions and engage with fellow thinkers at MIT, Ameyo is on a quest to make substantial contributions to the sustainability of the food system and corporate sustainability initiatives.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? I'm on a mission to contribute meaningfully to the food system by reducing food waste and combating food insecurity. I believe in the power of sustainable practices to create a healthier planet and more equitable communities, and my efforts focus on transforming food systems for lasting environmental and social impact.
ABOUT: Over the past three years, I have been deeply involved in climate change initiatives at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington D.C., working closely with policymakers and government officials to foster awareness and drive meaningful action against climate change. My role has encompassed a broad range of activities, from collaborating with research agencies to identify gaps in climate change knowledge, to partnering with governments to assess the economic impacts of natural disasters. A key achievement in my career was leading the development and launch of an unprecedented IMF study that assesses climate mitigation policy preferences across twenty-eight countries, a project unveiled by the IMF's Deputy Managing Director in Singapore. This paper has gained international recognition, cited by influential bodies such as the World Economic Forum and Bloomberg News. With ambitions to further my education with an MBA from MIT Sloan, my goal is to pivot towards advising businesses on integrating sustainable growth practices with climate change mitigation and risk management strategies. Leveraging my extensive experience in advising governments and my research into individual behaviors, I aim to bridge the crucial gap between corporate objectives and the pressing global sustainability agenda.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? Sustainability merges my commitment to future generations with my expertise in climate policy and economic growth. Through my work at the IMF and research, I've seen the tangible impact of sustainable practices. Pursuing sustainability in business is the next step in addressing global challenges and driving meaningful change.
ABOUT: Sara’s most recent role has been as a Childhood TB National Program Manager at the Indus Hospital and Health Network, Pakistan. Prior to this role, she worked on projects including TB Reach 3 and 4, and the DR-TB Contact Screening and Infection Treatment, a collaboration with Harvard Medical School. She was also the manager for NGO Schools Program and Dental Health Program at Naya Jeevan, a micro-health insurance firm providing health coverage for the urban-poor in Pakistan. Sara received her dental degree from Altamash Institute of Dental Medicine, and MBA in Health and Hospital Management from Institute of Business Management.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY? Owing to our rapidly growing population, in the future more resources will be needed in order to accommodate for it and, unfortunately, the resources that we take benefit of now are not all renewable.