Leading scholars, government officials and industry executives from around the world came together the second week of March at CERAWeek, the energy field’s leading annual conference. A dozen University of Chicago students got to witness the action firsthand as part of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth’s first annual cohort to attend the week-long conference. The cohort, hailing from the College, Law School, Booth and Harris, heard about the latest advancements in the energy field and perspectives on the future of energy technologies, policy, economics and more.
Students learned not just from the audience of exclusive talks, but also face-to-face from energy experts.
“The networking opportunities were invaluable,” said CERAWeek delegate Amir Ali Rajani, a master’s student at the Harris School of Public Policy. “Engaging with professionals from diverse backgrounds not only expanded my knowledge but also opened doors for future collaborations. These connections will be instrumental in shaping my career and will also serve as a resource for fellow students exploring the energy sector.”
The conference’s packed agenda provided plenty of panels for attendees of all backgrounds. Katie Kloska, a PhD candidate in chemistry, particularly enjoyed the opportunity to learn about emerging clean energy technologies. Experts with backgrounds in industry and academia shared the potential benefits and challenges facing innovations in hydrogen and carbon capture.
“Many climate technologies face uncertain pathways to scale, and CERAWeek highlighted both regulatory and technical challenges, as well as potential avenues to deployment,” said Kloska. “It also emphasized the role large corporations play in not just decarbonizing their own industries, but in scaling and commercializing nascent decarbonization technologies such as direct air capture (DAC), nuclear, and energy storage.”
Zahra Fitriana Suhirta, a student at the Law School, took more of an interest in the discussions focused on energy policy and regulations.
“While the technology and business of the world are leading the current transition phase, the key takeaway that I reflected on strongly is how to fill the missing gaps of implementation, which could further accommodate the fast-paced development of the energy transition without making the global stakeholders left behind, nor setting aside the supply and demand side of the world in catching up with the alteration,” Fitriana Suhirta said.
The cohort left CERAWeek with new perspectives and future-building relationships.
“The knowledge gained and connections made at CERAWeek will one day help me become a more strategic and impactful leader in the energy industry,” said Tommaso Calcagno, a master’s student at the Booth School of Business. “And, of course, I enjoyed a true Texas experience by attending the rodeo and state fair!”
With the inaugural 2025 cohort, CERAWeek joins the COP climate conference on the Institute’s annual student conference agenda.