Ethics and innovation meet at HDS climate panel

Harvard Divinity School Dean Marla F. Frederick convened a panel discussion, “How Social Values Impact Climate Innovation,” on Oct. 21 that investigated the interconnections of ecology, climate technology innovation, interdisciplinary climate work, and questions of ethical and religious values.

The panel featured Etosha Cave, co-founder and chief science officer of Twelve, a carbon transformation company pioneering climate technology. Twelve uses electrochemistry to convert carbon dioxide into sustainable replacements for petroleum-based products — from furniture and apparel to carbon-neutral jet fuel — all without fossil fuels or emissions. 

Co-sponsored by the Office of Development and External Relations (DER) and Religion and Public Life (RPL), the event was inspired by Frederick’s visit last year to Twelve in Silicon Valley. On an alumni engagement trip to California, Frederick went on a tour of the company’s headquarters with another of the event’s panelists, Kurt Keilhacker, M.T.S. ’07, a member of the HDS Dean’s Council and general partner at the firm Elementum Ventures, a deep tech venture capital fund that invested early in Twelve. Along with her fascination with the scientific and technological breakthroughs that are revolutionizing the energy sector, Frederick couldn’t help but see connections to the work done at HDS. 

“While on the tour of Twelve, I was struck by the intersections of ethics and ecology when learning about this industry breakthrough,” said Frederick. “These are intersections that some of our faculty address in their research about climate and care for nature.” 

Cave and Keilhacker were joined on the panel by one such faculty member, Nikki Hoskins, M.Div. ’12, assistant professor of religion and ecology at HDS. The discussion was moderated by Terrence Johnson, M.Div. ’00, Charles G. Adams Professor of African American Religious Studies at HDS and director of RPL.