Lauren McCormack

St Cross MSc in Sustainability, Enterprise and the Environment Scholarship

Joining us from: San Francisco, United States

MSc in Sustainability, Enterprise and the Environment (2022)

My name is Lauren and I hold a BA from UC Berkeley in sociology with a minor in environmental studies. I have always wished to pursue an impact-driven career, and it was during my undergraduate degree at Berkeley that I decided I would dedicate my career to addressing climate change. I have since been involved in several environmental advocacy positions, including with Brightline Defense, Fossil Free Cal, the US Green Chamber of Commerce, and Citizens’ Climate Lobby. One of my proudest achievements is founding the ongoing UC Berkeley chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby, which organizes quarterly lobby visits with members of Congress and promotes civic engagement amongst students. In the year leading up to Oxford, I co-managed marketing and communications for a ClimateTech startup that optimizes how commercial buildings use energy. 

Here at Oxford, I have the opportunity to deepen my understanding of environmental issues and focus on the intersection of the private sector and sustainability. Because private enterprise has indeed contributed so much to climate change, it is therefore a crucial part of the solution. Following my master’s degree, I plan to become a sustainability consultant or climate risk advisor to help organizations transition to a net zero business model.

My research interests include carbon offsets governance, greenhouse gas removal technologies, and corporate net zero strategies. My dissertation will involve financial modeling of the greenhouse gas removal sector in the UK and EU. I am also currently assisting the Oxford Net Zero team with bridging the gap between sustainability research and industry practice.

I am so grateful to have received the St Cross MSc SEE scholarship and to be a part of the St Cross graduate community. It has been wonderful making new friends from all over the world and with a wide range of academic backgrounds. Thanks to the financial support of my scholarship, I can also enjoy a wider range of extracurricular activities and events that Oxford has to offer-- including playing for the Oxford University Lawn Tennis Club and joining the Oxford Union.