ABOUT
Now in its 10th year, the MIT Energy & Climate Hack brings opportunities for learning, problem solving, and networking to the forefront as teams develop rapid, innovative solutions to the problems in energy and climate that our society faces today.
With challenges written for a myriad of fields and with our participants specializing across so many different disciplines, there is great opportunity for students and sponsors alike to apply their skills and learn something new.
In brief, participants will be presented with challenges from companies addressing pressing needs related to energy and the climate, and break out into teams. Those teams will then have two days to hack the challenge they’ve been assigned and present their solution to company representatives, fellow hackers, and judges. The presentations will be in the form of a short PowerPoint presentation. The judges will rank solutions and presentations and winning teams will receive prizes in various categories.
OUR TEAM
Jayant Wunnava
Co-Managing Director, Operations & Finance
Jayant is a first-year MBA candidate at MIT Sloan with an interest in early-stage climate-tech entrepreneurship. Prior to Sloan, he worked across manufacturing and operations topics at McKinsey & Co. and Merck in energy, chemicals, and biopharmaceuticals. In his free time, he enjoys long-distance running, reading biographies, and eating extra dessert. He holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Rutgers University - New Brunswick.
Most excited about industrial decarbonization.
Becca Sandercock
Co-Managing Director, Internal & External Sponsorships
Becca is a second-year MBA candidate at MIT Sloan. She is also the Co-President of the Sloan Design Club and a DJ for MIT's non-commercial radio station. Last academic year, she was a semifinalist in the international Turner MIINT impact investing competition. Prior to Sloan, she led strategy and insights generation at clothing rental service Nuuly.
Most excited about circular systems, waste mitigating technologies, and materials innovation.
Jennifer Turliuk
Co-Managing Director, Marketing & Communications
Jennifer Turliuk is an entrepreneur, climate tech investor, author, speaker and technologist. She is Practice Leader, Climate and Energy AI at the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship and a MIT Sloan Fellow. Recently, she was Partner of Climate Capital Syndicate (one of the most active funders of climate tech startups), and Partner and Co-Instructor of Climate Angels (an educational program about climate tech angel investing). Previously, she co-founded an education company, bootstrapped to self-sufficiency, raised VC funding, and exited through acquisition. She has been a board member, consultant, and mentor for entrepreneurs. She graduated from Queen’s University and Singularity University’s Global Solutions Program (at NASA Ames). In her spare time, she enjoys musicals, dancing, mindfulness, and wind sports.
Most excited about advanced grid solutions.
Karen is a 3rd year PhD student in the EECS department conducting research in the scale-up of flexible solar cells. On the sustainability front, she is also a graduate student fellow with the MIT Office of Sustainability. When she’s not on campus you can catch her hiking in Middlesex Fells, painting landscapes, or baking pastries!
Karen Yang
Operations
Most excited about integrating solar arrays into homes and businesses traditionally off limits to silicon panels to accelerate decarbonization.
Andrew Acevedo
Operations
Andrew is a sophomore undergraduate in ChemE interested in renewable energy and sustainable materials. He was raised in California and grew up loving to explore state parks, go to the beach, and enjoy nature. His main missions in life are to make a positive impact on the environment and fight climate change.
Most excited about seeing use of renewables as the dominant method of energy production in the world.
Gordon Lichtstein
Operations
Gordon is a first year undergrad planning to major in EECS and mathematics. He is passionate about the application of technology to environmental sustainability and policy.
Most excited about environmental education.
John Velosa
Operations
John is a MIT Sloan Fellow MBA, 2025. He holds a bachelor's in mechanical engineering and a master’s in oil & gas engineering. With over 15 years of experience in the energy sector, he specializes in transmission, measurement systems, decarbonization, and data management. He is passionate about sustainability, energy transition, and leveraging my industry knowledge to drive impactful change in the sector.
Most excited about sustainability and energy transition.
Logan Hammond
Internal Sponsorships
Logan is an undergrad class of 2025 in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Nuclear Engineering. He is interested in energy and how it can be generated and used in cleaner more efficient ways.
Most excited about seeing how new energy production methods can be partnered with industry ideas to make them viable.
Aakriti Dhital
Operations, Finance Director
Aakriti is a master of finance student at MIT Sloan with a strong interest in sustainable finance and ESG research. She is passionate about leveraging finance to combat climate change. She brings hands-on experience in climate modeling in venture capital and has prior experience in financial data analytics at the World Bank Group.
Most excited about financing climate resilience.
Olivia Chen
Internal Sponsorships
Olivia is an undergraduate junior studying mechanical engineering. She’s passionate about energy and product development. Looking forward to the upcoming hack!
Most excited about the unique and diverse solutions from this upcoming hack.
Jensen Coonradt
External Sponsorships
Jensen is an undergraduate freshman at MIT studying electrical engineering and computer science. Jensen believes in the power of technology to combat enviornmental degredation. He received the national $7,500 Lemelson-MIT-InvenTeam-Grant to design, program, and construct my concept of an algae biofiltration system to combat climate change while improving indoor air quality. Currently, he is conducting algae-based research at the Sea Grant Lab and real-world testing to improve his system.
Most excited about applying biological solutions to combat the climate crisis, like algae biofiltration and worm vermicomposting!
Jing Cao
External Sponsorships
Jing is a 3rd year undergrad at MIT majoring in computer science.
Most excited about renewables!
Andrew Chu
External Sponsorships
Andrew is a third-year undergraduate at Harvard studying chemistry and physics. He is interested in critical minerals, electrochemistry and materials for energy. He does research in the Yet-Ming Chiang group at MIT and previously worked at VC-backed battery startup Feon. Andrew is excited about research and commercialization of solutions for industrial decarbonization!
Most excited about electrochemistry for decarbonization!
Rachel Burton
External Sponsorships
System Design & Management - 2026
Most excited about industrial decarbonization.
Kalin Le
Marketing
Kalin is a third year undergraduate at MIT studying mechanical engineering and computer science. She spends a lot of time outdoors running, hiking, and trying new sports. Her love of nature has led to her commitment of preserving the environment and combatting climate change. If she isn’t spending her free time outside, she is likely drawing, painting, or doing a jigsaw puzzle.
Most excited about decarbonizing transportation.
Na Chen
Communications
Na is a first-year MBA student at MIT Sloan with a passion for shaping the future of mobility. Prior to Sloan, she worked at KPMG, advising clients on strategic financial planning with a focus on the mobility sector. Before starting her MBA, Na interned with Supernal, an eVTOL startup, where she supported the corporate strategy team in investor fundraising efforts to advance the company's vision for future mobility.
Most excited about future mobility.
Asmi Pareek
Communications
Asmi is a sophomore studying Computer Science, Economics, and Data Science (6-14).
Most excited about renewable energy transition.