Salata Climate Policy Summer Internship Program
Program Description
The Climate Policy Summer Internship Program is run by the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability in collaboration with climate-focused legislative offices at the Massachusetts State House. In 2025, the program will facilitate the placement of up to eight Harvard undergraduate or graduate students. Successful applicants will work with participating legislative offices whose policy agenda addresses climate, environmental, or sustainability issues in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The program provides professional development opportunities for Harvard Students to explore career pathways at the intersection of climate, policy, and public service.
Past & Current Legislative Offices
Information Sessions will be held from 2:00 – 2:30 PM on February 4, February 11, and February 18
Program Features:
Funding: Students selected for an internship through this program will receive a $4,500 stipend.
Housing Assistance: The Salata Institute does not offer housing to students through this program. Qualifying students may be eligible for additional funding to cover housing expenses. Students are responsible for securing their own housing for the duration of the internship program.
Programming: Students selected for the program must participate in bi-weekly programming engaging climate policy practitioners, Harvard faculty, and other educational opportunities. Programming is mostly Zoom-based and occasionally in-person.
Program Hours and Duration
15-20 Hours/week for 10 weeks starting May 26, 2025 – August 8, 2025
All internships will be primarily in-person.
*Depending on the legislative office, some flexibility around start/end dates may be available.
Program Qualifications
- Undergraduate or graduate student at Harvard University
- Must be returning as an enrolled student during the Fall term following the internship period
- Students must be able to secure housing in the Greater Boston area for the duration of their internship
- Must be able to commute into the Massachusetts State House (24 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02133)
- Must have access to a laptop or personal computer
- Undergraduate applicants must comply with Harvard College’s Summer Funding Policy
Application Instructions:
- Application Deadline: February 20, 2025 (11:59 PM)
- Application Limit: Students should not apply to more than 2 legislative offices
Timeline: Each Legislative Office will review applications and conduct interviews with potential candidates in late February. Internship offers will be extended in March 2025. The Salata Institute does not guarantee an internship placement for all students who apply through the program.
About the Massachusetts State Legislature:
Legislative sessions in Massachusetts are 2 years long. A new legislative session starts on the first Wednesday in January of the odd-numbered years (2025, 2027, etc.) All formal business of the first year of the session concludes in November of that year. The legislature then sits in an informal session until the first Wednesday of January of the second year (2026, 2028, etc.) when the second year of the session begins.
Students working at the Massachusetts State House should anticipate different kinds of work depending on when their internship takes place relative to the legislative session cycle.
Year 1: Written testimony, attend hearings for bills, develop infographics, support work related to budget debate, etc.
Year 2: Research on current bills, research for new bills for the next session, tracking legislation, tracking amendments, attend briefings, etc.
Learn about the legislative process in Massachusetts.
2025 Participating Legislative Offices:
Representative Jeffrey Roy, 10th Norfolk
Priority Areas: Electric Vehicle and Heat Pump Expansion; Cost of and Financing the Clean Energy Transition; Reliable Clean Heating and Power Generation; Clean Energy Education and Workforce Development
Chair Roy’s priorities include policies that expand the deployment of EVs and heat pumps by removing barriers to customer adoption. Chair Roy also expects to advance policies to thoroughly understand the costs of the green transition and how to keep this transition affordable for Massachusetts ratepayers. Chair Roy also plans to advocate for the increased programmatic and financial support for technical and vocational school programs that prepare students to be part of a robust clean energy workforce. Finally, Rep. Roy is interested in policy that ensures our clean sources of heating and power generation can be counted on to power the Massachusetts’ economy reliably.
Representative David LeBoeuf, 17th Worcester
Priority Areas: Economic Justice, Health Equity, Water Resource Management
Representative LeBoeuf’s climate change policies are centered on economic justice and health equity. He has spearheaded efforts to make public transportation fare-free in Central Massachusetts and is the lead sponsor of legislation to electrify public buses. His office is currently working with international partners to launch an electric vehicle apprenticeship program focused on making sure low-income communities are not left behind as we transition away from fossil fuels. Rep. LeBoeuf’s district is a designated environmental justice community, and he is working locally to mitigate heat islands, remediate brownfields, reduce childhood exposure to lead, and managing water resources.
Representative Joan Meschino, 3rd Plymouth
Priority Areas: Natural and Working Lands, Building Decarbonization, Climate Finance, Drought Management
Interns working in Rep. Meschino’s office provide daily legislative and communication support and will be asked to apply their academic research and writing skills in a specific policy area in support of the Representative’s work, focusing on current climate legislation. Representative Meschino’s climate-related priority areas include natural and working lands, building decarbonization, climate finance, and drought management.
Representative Steven Owens, 29th Middlesex
Priority Areas: Transportation Electrification, Clean Energy
Representative Steve Owens is currently starting his third term as the State Representative for the 29th Middlesex District, which includes most of the City of Watertown and parts of West Cambridge and North Cambridge. Last session, he served as the House Vice-Chair of the Joint Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Management as well as the House Chair of the Clean Energy Legislative Caucus. Representative Owens prioritizes bills that will transition the Commonwealth to a clean energy economy through transportation electrification and the phasing out of natural gas as a heat source as well as measures that protect the environment and individuals’ data privacy.
Senator Fernandes, Plymouth and Barnstable District
Priority Areas: Renewable Energy, Eco-Tourism and Developing a Blue Economy, Resource Protection, Clean Water.
Description: Senator Fernandes is dedicated to addressing climate change and driving economic growth through clean energy and innovation. In 2017 he passed legislation recommitting the State of Massachusetts to the Paris Climate Accord. Senator Fernandes also created the state’s first Ocean Acidification Commission, and advocates for renewable energy, including offshore wind. He supports developing a Green Bank for clean energy projects and envisions his district as a leader in the Blue Economy. A strong proponent of clean water, he backed the Cape and Islands Water Protection Fund, securing over $1 billion for wastewater infrastructure, and helped triple the septic system tax credit to protect waterways. His work promotes both sustainability and economic resilience. Interns will assist with research, writing policy memos, compiling press clippings, and authoring press statements. They may also create graphics, attend briefings, and perform administrative tasks such as phone calls and data entry.
Representative Lewis, 7th Middlesex
Priority Areas: Climate and Health, Renewable Energy, Flood Mitigation
Representative Jack Patrick Lewis has consistently supported legislation addressing climate change, including efforts to expand green energy jobs and offshore wind projects. As co-chair of the House Progressive Caucus, he championed the passage of bills to invest in renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions. Lewis has also worked to protect local communities by securing funding for flood mitigation projects and promoting smart-growth initiatives. In the 2025-2026 legislative session, Representative Lewis will prioritize legislation to improve health outcomes for communities affected by adverse environmental conditions and climate impacts.
Interns in the office will engage with the Legislative Director, Chief of Staff, and Representative Lewis to support climate-related legislation. Representative Lewis brings a strong background in social justice, public service, and community advocacy to his work.
Representative Shand, 1st Essex
Priority Areas: Coastal Zone Resilience, Nature-Based Solutions, Flood Mitigation and Adaptation, Clean Water, Sustainable Building Materials, Climate Justice
Representing the coastal communities of Newburyport and Salisbury Representative Shand’s climate work focuses on building resilience by advancing critical climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. Her key legislative efforts include innovative housing solutions, coastal zone management and protection, and nature-based solutions. Representative Shand has advocated for legislation to mitigate the impacts of climate change through critical salt marsh and wetland restoration. Her office also prioritizes important water quality improvements, especially in the Merrimack River which experiences elevated pollution levels that impact the health of the communities in her district. Interns working in Representative Shand’s office will gain valuable hands-on experience, working closely with her staff and the Representative to learn the policymaking process in Massachusetts.
Representative Tommy Vitolo, 15th Norfolk
Priority Areas: Clean Energy Transition, Climate Action and Resilience, Environmental Justice
Representative Tommy Vitolo advocates for climate action, sustainability, and clean energy. With a Ph.D. in systems engineering from Boston University, he has focused his Legislative work on reducing carbon emissions, promoting renewable energy, and addressing the impacts of climate change on all communities. Before his legislative work, Rep. Vitolo was an associate at Synapse Energy Economics, where he worked to retire coal plants, cut pollution, and transition to clean energy systems. While at the State House, Rep. Vitolo has championed initiatives like adding solar panels to public buildings, barring fossil fuels from new developments, promoting bike lanes to support sustainable living in his community of Brookline, and updating regulations to promote the transition to clean energy. His work reflects a strong commitment to community-driven solutions and meaningful reforms to combat environmental challenges.
Questions? Contact: oona_gaffney@harvard.edu