To organize the inaugural Symposium on Climate Innovation and Finance, Nishant Dass, the Charles M. Stone Professor of Finance and Director of the Financial Economics Institute (FEI) at CMC, drew inspiration from the strategic vision guiding the College’s Kravis Department of Integrated Sciences and the new Integrated Sciences major.
In particular, Professor Dass was drawn to one of the new major’s themes, “The Planet” (the other two themes are human health and the brain), “because the climate crisis feels like the most pressing challenge of our generation. As we welcome the first cohort of students majoring in Integrated Sciences, we saw this as the perfect opportunity to begin a meaningful conversation on climate,” he said.
“I am optimistic that our society will ultimately develop innovative solutions to tackle this issue,” Professor Dass continued, “but as a financial economist, I also recognize that every innovation must make economic sense. Without that, it remains just a theoretical idea. By focusing on both scientific innovation and the economics behind it, we were able to leverage the strengths of our college community to create a platform for impactful discussions and solutions.”
Held on Friday, April 4 in the Athenaeum, the FEI Symposium hosted more than 140 “thought leaders, industry experts, and emerging voices” and explored “the critical intersection of climate action and financial innovation.”
We asked Professor Dass to share with us some of the Symposium’s highlights.
How does fostering collaboration and conversations among leaders in climate innovation and finance align with your goals at FEI?
There are two reasons why fostering these conversations on Climate Innovation and Finance was important to us at FEI. First, the mission of FEI is to provide unique research, curricular, and extracurricular opportunities for our students in the field of financial economics. Economics is the engine of growth, and finance is the fuel on which that engine runs. As such, all topics that touch on the subject of economic growth are intellectually relevant to us at FEI. Climate is one such important topic because it will have a wide-ranging impact on the global economy. Second, as the director of this research institute, I believe that creative research ideas often emerge at the intersection of different fields. This gathering of experts that we put together was designed to facilitate cross-disciplinary dialogue and create an environment that is conducive to innovative research.
Can you describe some of the opportunities for CMC students that arose from convening the Symposium?
We were able to bring together academics, innovators, and industry experts from several European countries as well as multiple U.S. states. The panelists represented three distinct intellectual clusters: the ocean-centered “Blue Economy,” clean energy, and finance. This geographic and industrial diversity led to rich, dynamic discussions, making the conversations both informative and engaging for the students.
This exposure provided students with valuable insights into real-world challenges and solutions, enriching their academic experience beyond the classroom. It also inspired them to think critically about the intersection of science, policy, and economics in addressing the climate crisis. The conference created invaluable networking opportunities, allowing students to connect with leading experts and practitioners in the field.
Additionally, the program featured presentations from students in the Climate Practicum course, who are working on data-intensive projects with three Swedish companies. As a result, our students were not only consumers of knowledge but also contributors to the content at the Symposium.
Do you have any personal highlights from the Symposium to share?
Yes, there were several moments that truly stood out to me. First, the keynote on the “Blue Economy” by Vanessa Scott, Director of Innovation at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, was absolutely awe-inspiring. It was incredibly heartening to witness the human ingenuity driving innovative solutions to some of the planet’s toughest challenges, as well as the deep commitment people have to preserving our world for future generations.
Second, the contrast between European and American policy and regulatory approaches to climate issues was particularly thought-provoking. The differences in perspective not only sparked rich discussions but also highlighted the diverse ways in which nations are tackling the climate crisis.
Finally, it was especially rewarding to see pioneering companies led by our own alumni (including CMC Trustee John Shrewsberry ’87 P’24 and Todd Thomas ’89) represented at the Symposium. It was a proud moment for all of us at CMC, knowing that our alumni are making such an impactful difference in the world of climate innovation and finance.
What’s next?
The second FEI Symposium on Climate Innovation and Finance is definitely coming in Spring 2026, so stay tuned! The feedback from our panelists and speakers was overwhelmingly positive; they were excited by the rich discussions sparked at the inaugural event and are eager to return next year to continue these vital conversations. In fact, many of us in the audience were left wanting more, eager to dive deeper into the topics that we began exploring. I’m looking forward to partnering with our colleagues in Integrated Sciences to build on the momentum from this year and putting together another dynamic and impactful Symposium in 2026.
We have the opportunity to explore a partnership with the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, which is internationally renowned for its expertise in climate. However, this is not something that FEI can accomplish alone. To fully leverage this opportunity, we will have to build a coalition that spans multiple academic departments and research institutes of CMC. I am excited about the possibilities that such a collaboration could present for our students and faculty.