As a research analyst for Marsh McLennan, Ferguson examined how the private sector can manage climate risk. Her work included researching and writing about the impacts of climate change on health.
At the Yale, Ferguson is pursuing a joint degree at the Yale School of the Environment and Yale School of Management to further her understanding of how to build, manage, and finance organizations that accelerate the transition to clean energy.
“We need to be able to work across silos, so I saw the importance of being a bridge between these worlds,” she said.
This summer, she worked at the Environmental Defense Fund, researching how developers of energy projects have worked with communities to create frameworks for local benefits. She views this as crucial to ensuring equity in the clean energy transition and securing meaningful community buy-in for clean energy projects.
“We are pursuing an unprecedented transformation of the energy system, and not only are outcomes important, but also the processes by which we get there,” Ferguson said. “Are diverse stakeholders at the table and participating in decision-making? Are benefits and burdens equitably distributed? This is how we move forward.”