2024 NTA Climate Tax Fellowship Recipients

The NTA Climate Tax Fellowship provides conference travel funding for graduate students and early career MAs/PhDs/JDs whose research and professional interests lie at the intersection of tax and climate policy. The fellowship provides an NTA membership and supports the travel and participation of up to 6 students or early career professionals at the 117^th NTA Annual Conference in Detroit, Michigan, November 14^th — 16^th.

Postgraduate degree candidates (including JDs, PhDs, and Masters’ students) currently enrolled at an institution of higher education OR early career scholars within five years of completing their graduate degree with a demonstrated interest in issues at the intersection of tax and climate or environmental policy are eligible for the fellowship.

2024 Recipients

Susanna Blount is a third-year law student at New York University School of Law. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Government from Georgetown University. Her academic and professional interests include tax reform and the connections between tax law and public and social policy. While at NYU, Susanna has worked as a Summer Associate at Proskauer Rose LLP, served as a Research Assistant for Prof. Rebecca Kysar, and interned at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Before beginning law school, she worked as a Trial Preparation Assistant at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. After graduation, Susanna will begin as an Associate in the Tax Department at Proskauer.

Malcolm Gregory is a third-year dual-degree master’s candidate in Public Policy and Environmental Management at Duke University, with a focus on energy systems. His research centers on the technical challenges and opportunities associated with decarbonization, alongside the increasing adoption of industrial policies in the U.S. Additionally, he is currently in the preliminary stages of executing his master’s project which aims to identify effective methods for measuring, managing, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with Duke University’s investment portfolio and endowment(~$12B).

Malcolm participates in the Electric Power Research Institute’s (EPRI) Rotational Graduate Student Program, where he has conducted performance analyses on thermal batteries and contributed to advanced analytics supporting EPRI’s sustainability strategy and client engagement. Additionally, he has gained experience working with an energy advocacy non-profit and a boutique climate consulting firm in North Carolina. He is also very passionate about public service and serves on Durham NC’s Environmental Affairs Board and Planning Commission.

Robert McCarthy is a current Tax LL.M. student at NYU School of Law, where he also earned his J.D. in 2024. He graduated from the University of Virginia in 2018 with a degree in religious studies and public policy and taught 3rd grade before law school. He is planning to focus his career at the intersection of transportation, economic development, tax, and the environment. 

Boy Valentin Purba is a PhD student at the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University Bloomington. His research focuses on tax policy, tax administration, and development economics, with a particular interest in the intersection of tax and environmental policy. He holds a master’s degree in international development policy from Duke University. Previously, he served as a policy analyst and executive assistant to a minister’s advisor at the Ministry of Finance in Indonesia, where he contributed to development of tax policies, including carbon tax regulations. He also co-founded the Public Finance Study Forum in Indonesia, which facilitates discussions on current research in public finance. In his free time, Boy enjoys running and hiking.

Jamie Smith, originally from Lexington, Kentucky, is a third-year student at NYU School of Law. While in law school, Jamie has led the Environmental Law Society, worked as a research assistant for Professor Rebecca Kysar on tax policy, and served as a Notes Editor on the NYU Law Review. After graduation, Jamie will spend one year working for Sher Edling, a climate litigation firm, before clerking on the D.C. Circuit and D.C. District Courts.

2023 Fellows