## A New Leadership for Climate at MIT Evelyn Wang, a leading figure at MIT, is taking on the role of Vice President for Energy and Climate, leading the institute in the fight against climate change and the growing global energy demand. The appointment, announced by President Sally Kornbluth, underscores MIT's commitment to addressing these crucial challenges. Wang, already the Ford Professor of Engineering, brings extensive experience in thermal management, energy conversion and storage, as well as expertise in nano-engineered materials and water purification. Her innovations, including a device for extracting water from dry air, have received international recognition. ## Innovation and Collaboration: The Key to the Future Wang emphasizes the importance of innovation to overcome obstacles towards climate and energy solutions. MIT, with its tradition of research and development, is well-positioned to lead this transformation. However, Wang insists on the need for greater collaboration among MIT researchers and with other institutions, to address a problem that is too big to be solved by a single entity. Wang's approach involves uniting climate and energy, recognizing that they are two sides of the same coin. Addressing climate change requires reducing CO2 emissions from the energy sector, but also developing clean and sustainable energy sources. Wang calls for considering the environmental impacts of new energy sources and using artificial intelligence to optimize energy use and develop innovative solutions. ## A Holistic Approach for a Sustainable Future Wang promotes a holistic approach that involves different disciplines, from technology to policy, from finance to social sciences. The goal is to create systemic solutions that address the root causes of climate change and promote the well-being of communities. Wang encourages her colleagues to think big and develop targeted solutions for individual communities, which can then be replicated in other contexts. Despite the political and funding challenges, Wang remains optimistic and determined to lead MIT towards a more sustainable future. Her experience at ARPA-E has taught her the importance of collaboration and perseverance to transform ideas into concrete solutions. Wang invites everyone to be proactive and not be discouraged by the scale of the challenge, but to work together to build a future in which everyone wants to live.