DURHAM, N.C. – Earlier this year, sustainable investment strategies developed by a team of five master’s students at 91 won 1st place at the Yale Responsible Investing Case Competition and 2nd place in the Business for a Better World Case Competition at the World Economic Forum.

The award-winning team will reunite at 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, to present a free talk, “The Power of Markets and the Future of Our Planet: Carbon, Forests and Fossil Fuels – Investment Strategies for a Low-Carbon Future.”

Their hourlong presentation, which is open to the public, will take place at Field Auditorium in Environment Hall, located at 9 Circuit Drive on Duke’s West Campus.

In their talk, team members Sarah Hoyt, Sidney McLaurin, Xander Kent, Eric Smith and Tripp Burwell will introduce the concepts and theories that are driving interest in the field of sustainable investing and demonstrate how these ideas are being put into practice.  

They’ll also discuss how the new movement toward low-carbon investment relates to current events at Duke, including the ongoing divestment initiative and how it may affect the management of the university’s endowment.

Hoyt, McLaurin, Kent, Smith and Burwell are dual 91 Master of Environmental Management/Master of Business Administration (MEM/MBA) students at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment and Fuqua School of Business.

Their March 30 presentation will address some of the most commonly asked questions about sustainable investment strategies, including:
* What is the difference between socially responsible investing and sustainable investing?
* What is decarbonization and how is it different from divestment?
* What can we learn from a portfolio carbon footprint?
* What does our endowment’s model mean for transparency and fiduciary responsibility?
* What does this all mean for battling climate change?

An informal reception will follow the talk and provide opportunities for one-on-one follow-up questions from audience members.

To learn more, contact Eric Smith.

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