Introducing the Abrams Climate Academy’s inaugural cohort of Climate Action Fellows

32 fellows partner with leading organizations to advance climate solutions across business sectors.
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Kellogg
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south facing aerial morning shot of the Global Hub in Evanston
At Kellogg, social impact and sustainability are deeply ingrained in our community.

The Kellogg School of Management proudly welcomes the Abrams Climate Academy’s inaugural cohort of Climate Action Fellows. The pioneering initiative equips Northwestern graduate students with the tools, experience and interdisciplinary perspective needed to lead on climate mitigation and adaptation. 

Established in 2024 through a generous gift from Wendy and Jim Abrams via the Eleven Eleven Foundation, the Abrams Climate Academy offers a yearlong fellowship that blends rigorous academic training with hands-on project work. Fellows gain a deep understanding of the planetary crisis — its science, impacts and solutions — while working directly with leading organizations to tackle real-world climate challenges. 

This first cohort includes 32 students representing seven graduate programs across four Northwestern schools: Kellogg School of Management, McCormick School of Engineering, Pritzker School of Law, and Medill School of Journalism. Fellows hail from more than eight countries and bring professional experience from both public and private sectors, including organizations such as Amazon, Citibank, FTI Consulting, Honeywell, KPMG, McKinsey, Michelin, SoftBank, the U.S. Marine Corps and Walmart. 

“We are deeply impressed by the credentials, experience and commitment these fellows bring. The greatest strength of our program lies in the diversity and moral ambition it embodies. We’re excited to see the impact they’ll make at the Abrams Climate Academy and far beyond.”
Matthew Roling
Executive Director, Abrams Climate Academy

Throughout the year, fellows will collaborate with seven mission-driven project partners to address novel and urgent climate challenges: 

  • Carbon Capture Inc.– A company that utilizes an emerging technology to directly capture carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere (direct air capture) attempting to understand how voluntary and regulated carbon markets can help grow their business.  
  • Gener8tor Capital – A climate tech accelerator and venture capital fund exploring additional opportunities to finance climate tech entrepreneurs.  
  • LanzaJet – A sustainable aviation fuel company exploring unique opportunities to monetize their environmental attributes.  
  • Oatly! – A plant-based “dairy alternative” producer looking for new tools to further reduce their environmental impacts. 
  • Ocean Wise – An ocean conservation NGO exploring novel frameworks to measure the carbon footprint of seafood.
  • The Farmlink Project – A non-profit focused on reducing food insecurity and food waste that is seeking better tools to match farmers and food banks.
  • Investment bank (confidential) – A global investment bank that is looking for support measuring and managing the carbon footprint of its investment portfolio. 

Fellows will be supported by dedicated project budgets, subject matter experts and an advisory board, chaired by Wendy Abrams. The advisory board is composed of global leaders in clean energy, climate policy and sustainability. Beyond the classroom, the program includes team-building activities, guest lectures and exclusive site visits, including tours of both Argonne National Laboratory and The Nature Conservancy’s ecological restoration efforts at the Nachusa Grasslands.

Academically, fellows will engage in coursework covering climate science, policy, financial tools for decarbonization, climate risk, greenhouse gas accounting and leadership strategies for driving systemic change.

The Abrams Climate Academy exemplifies the school’s commitment to interdisciplinary, socially responsible leadership. By opening the program to graduate students across Northwestern, Kellogg is fostering a new generation of climate leaders — prepared not only to understand the crisis but to act on it.