Kerra

PROJECT

One of the two summer 2026 Energy Impact Fellowships will be hosted by Kerra.

Kerra is creating keratin-based materials from waste wool, diverting agricultural waste while supporting rural communities and building the foundation for a global keratin economy. Over the summer, fellows will develop a clear environmental and commercial picture of waste wool valorization by (1) building an emissions baseline for the current waste-wool system and quantifying reductions enabled through keratin extraction and material pathways, (2) mapping regional wool supply and modeling the economics of aggregation, transportation, and distributed sourcing, and (3) analyzing the regulatory and carbon accounting frameworks that shape agricultural by-product aggregation and eligibility for climate incentives (including carbon credit revenue streams). The team will synthesize findings into recommendations on high-opportunity regions, supply-chain strategy, and policy-enabled pathways for scaling impact.

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CANDIDATES

Undergraduate students (any year or major) who have a passion for renewable energy and who enjoy working on projects that have tangible social value. Some relevant technical and project management experience or skills would be a plus. Creativity, curiosity, resourcefulness, and the ability to work in collaboration with others are paramount.

PROGRAM BENEFITS

This immersive 8-week summer program will include:

  • Project management experience in a collaborative team setting
  • $8,500 stipend
  • Mentorship
  • Training in sustainable energy and sustainability concepts and processes

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Research Goal

The central research question of this fellowship is: How can keratin waste-to-value pathways reduce emissions, unlock climate incentives, and scale within global agricultural and regulatory systems?

Kerra is creating keratin-based materials from waste wool, diverting agricultural waste, supporting rural communities, and helping establish a global keratin economy. We need a deeper understanding of these three areas: 

  1. The environmental impact of waste wool and keratin extraction
  2. The economics of building a global, distributed supply chain
  3. The regulatory systems that govern carbon accounting and aggregating agricultural by-products. 

Job Descriptions

Technical LCA Fellow (Civil Environmental Engineering / Data Science/ Earth Systems) 

This fellow will lead the analytical components and help quantify the environmental impact of wool as a supply source. They will: 

  • Compile a methane emissions database for sheep in specific regions
  • Quantify the emissions from waste wool in the current system without our solution in place.
  • Assess the potential reduction in emissions when waste wool is valorized, and our solution is in place.
  • Proficiency in Simapro or an alternative LCA software is a bonus. 
Technical/ Economic Fellow (Economics/ Management Science/ Data Science/ Earth Systems) 

This fellow will research the economics of our supply chain and the development of a circular keratin economy. They will: 

  • Map out wool supply in various regions, focusing on the economics of aggregation and transportation
  • Model a cost structure of waste sourcing across regions Identify cost-efficient opportunity areas
  • Build off of the LCA fellow’s work on quantifying emissions, investigating if we’re eligible for carbon credit revenue streams, and quantifying potential revenue streams from carbon credits 
Social & Policy Fellow (International Relations/ Public Policy/ Earth Systems/ Political Science) 

This fellow will lead the team’s research on regulatory frameworks and stakeholder dynamics. They will:

  • Identify key stakeholders and policy constraints in sourcing logistics
  • Research region-specific regulatory incentives, agricultural policy frameworks and other stakeholder dynamics
  • Evaluate which end-market applications and sectors have the strongest policy support, lowest adoption barriers, and largest environmental upside to help us identify where Kerra can deliver the greatest impact and commercial return

Fellows will present their findings and recommendations in a final report and presentation to company leaders, fellowship sponsors, and other relevant stakeholders.

Apply Here