Nikki Beittenmiller

What is your area of focus? What are your post-MBA career goals?

I am concentrating in energy with a focus on public and private investment in energy transition across the energy value chain. After completing my MBA, I’ll be joining Quanta Services as a member of the energy transition strategy and corporate development team.  

How would you describe ClimateCAP, and why did you attend?

ClimateCAP is the leading national organization bringing together business leaders and MBA students with an interest in the intersection of climate and business.

I followed ClimateCAP even before starting business school, and once I got to Rice I was excited to finally participate. The summit is an awesome networking and learning opportunity. The discussions and workshops helped me connect what I was learning in class to real-world business problems. Beyond the summit, ClimateCAP offers additional resources for MBAs interested in climate, such as their MBA Academy and Fellows program.

Attending the conference two years in a row has proven to be an invaluable way to build a national network of like-minded MBA connections working in diverse end sectors and functions. 

Who were this year’s notable speakers? What are some of your key takeaways?

Hard to pick from the phenomenal speaker lineup, but I was particularly invested in the panel conversation with Jeff Blau, CEO of Related Companies, and Ryan Brown, COO of energyRe. Every part of the energy transition relies on the buildout of new energy infrastructure, and it was exciting to hear about new transmission projects that are trying to accelerate that step in the process. 

It was also a special treat to have Michigan’s Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist close out the event as keynote speaker. Here in Houston, it can be easy to get caught up in the Texas perspective on energy transition, so it was great to learn about some of the ways that Michigan is carving its own path toward energy transition leadership. 

What ideas relating to your career did ClimateCAP spark?

Between the diversity of the speaker lineup and connecting with other MBAs who are going into roles across diverse end sectors and functions, the conference served as a timely illustration of how industry-agnostic climate change can be. While the specific business implications may differ from one company to the next, the lessons learned in one sector can provide inspiration and models for others. For example, the breakout session “Artificial Intelligence x Climate” offered insight into how AI applications initially developed for cloud computing have led to new means of predicting climate-related events, helping individuals to prepare for and respond to major climate events. 

Aside from ClimateCAP, how else can Rice Business students engage with climate action and sustainability efforts?

First and foremost, join the Rice Business Cleantech Association! Not only does the club offer great resources for Rice MBA students interested in embarking on climate-oriented careers, but it’s also a close-knit community of students pursuing diverse projects and extra-curricular endeavors with a climate and sustainability angle.

Between the diversity of the speaker lineup and connecting with other MBAs who are going into roles across diverse end sectors and functions, the conference served as a timely illustration of how industry-agnostic climate change can be. While the specific business implications may differ from one company to the next, the lessons learned in one sector can provide inspiration and models for others. For example, the breakout session “Artificial Intelligence x Climate” offered insight into how AI applications initially developed for cloud computing have led to new means of predicting climate-related events, helping individuals to prepare for and respond to major climate events. 

How can ClimateCAP discussions be applied to entrepreneurship and business in Houston?

Houston is already showing the world how diverse stakeholders can come together to collaborate and innovate on solutions for some of the toughest climate problems. It is so exciting to see energy majors supporting and investing in cleantech startups coming out of places like Greentown Labs. To put ourselves on track to achieve our climate goals, we’ll need to continue supporting this kind of creative collaboration across the industry.