Fuqua Kicks Off This Year’s ClimateCATALYST Program

The very first ClimateCAP Summit, held at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business in 2018. Courtesy photo

For many incoming MBA students, the weeks before classes begin are spent doing things like shopping for textbooks, moving into apartments, or squeezing in one last vacation. They’re also spent prepping for the upcoming year.

A growing number of climate focused MBAs used that time to get ahead this year through ClimateCAP’s ClimateCATALYST program – a free multi-day virtual program running July 21-23.

In this program, incoming and current MBA students received an intensive introduction to climate strategy before the semester even begins. Last year, students from 81 business schools around the world took part, and this year’s program was expected to be even larger.

Last year’s ClimateCATALYST program session. Courtesy photo

BUILDING CLIMATE LITERACY FROM DAY ONE

Jessica Wingert, program lead for the ClimateCAP Initiative at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, says the program was designed to give students a baseline before student life starts getting busy.

“There is a widely recognized academic benefit to getting exposure to these complex climate and business topics before getting on campus,” she says. This was developed by Wingert and ClimateCAP co-founder Katie Kross with input from partner schools and MBA students.

“We saw this as a great way to not only start the climate conversation with incoming students, but also to help them begin to build a community with other MBAs from around the world who are interested in the same issues.”

Over three days, ClimateCATALYST participants built their understanding from the ground up, beginning with the fundamentals of climate science and business risk before exploring topics like climate policy, reporting frameworks, and the energy transition.

This year’s program also tackled one of the biggest conversations in business today: artificial intelligence. In an AI x Climate session, Columbia Business School economist Gernot Wagner will examine how AI can accelerate climate solutions and decarbonization efforts while also exploring the technology’s growing energy demands and unintended consequences.

The program also featured a panel on climate investing featuring investors from multiple stages of the funding ecosystem, all intended to give students a broader look at where climate innovation is headed.

A screenshot from last year’s ClimateCATALYST program. Courtesy photo

PREPARING MBAs FOR CLIMATE-FOCUSED CAREERS

To support students further, ClimateCATALYST leadership also built in three dedicated career sessions to help students understand recruiting in the climate sector.

Wingert was especially looking forward to the session on climate policy with Elizabeth Doty.

“The world was in a different place when we discussed policy last year, and I am looking forward to her take on how climate policy can drive the energy transition in our current environment,” Wingert says.

Whether graduates ultimately work in finance, consulting, operations, or entrepreneurship, Wingert believes climate literacy is becoming a core business necessity.

“As the world around us continues to change, it has become increasingly important that all MBA graduates, regardless of their role or industry, need to understand climate and its broader economic and social implications to succeed in their careers,” she says.

DON’T MISS MEET DUKE FUQUA’S MBA CLASS OF 2027

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