Hobbies and interests
Tennis
Pickleball
Reading
Business
I read books multiple times per week
Joshua Doyle
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FinalistJoshua Doyle
1,925
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FinalistBio
Hello,
I am an incoming graduate student at the Harvard Kennedy School for the fall of 2023. This is my why:
Torrential rain came pouring onto the streets of Cologne, Germany. Filled with anxiety, I awaited my father’s return from a comedy show he had hosted in Frankfurt. I felt helpless when I received text messages describing blocked roads and ruined homes. Had the toll of climate change caught up with my family? And how many families around the world are facing such existential environmental threats? As the physical impact of climate change accelerates globally, I seek to apply my professional experience in a role at a national or transnational public agency designing climate regulations to achieve actionable change. I see the MPP degree at the Harvard Kennedy School as an opportunity to deepen my understanding of the complexity of the climate crisis from a policy perspective. Working in sustainability consulting for several years provided me with a unique view of the efforts taken by private corporates to decarbonize the world economy. In my MPP, I hope to complement my professional experience with theoretical and academic knowledge of environmental policy at a global scale. A graduate degree in public policy would allow me to unpack the climate crisis and achieve my goal of being part of a public agency where I can affect climate legislation that applies not only to a single institution but to entire industries.
Thank you for considering supporting my graduate school journey as I aim to scale the positive impact I can have through my work.
Joshua
Education
Harvard College
Master's degree programMajors:
- Public Policy Analysis
Macalester College
Bachelor's degree programMajors:
- Economics
Miscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Master's degree program
Graduate schools of interest:
Transfer schools of interest:
Majors of interest:
- Public Policy Analysis
Career
Dream career field:
Public Policy
Dream career goals:
Tennis Professional
Local Tennis Club2012 – 20186 yearsMarketing Intern
Renesas Electronics2015 – 2015Operations Analyst Intern
Sun Country Airlines2016 – 2016Research Analyst
Minnesota Office of Higher Education2016 – 20171 yearSustainability Analyst
EY2018 – Present6 years
Sports
Tennis
Varsity2014 – 20184 years
Awards
- Macalester College Male Athlete of the Year
Research
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic Innovations Scholar2017 – 2018Public Policy Analysis
Ernst & Young — Senior Analyst2018 – Present
Arts
Macalester College
Acting12014 – Present
Public services
Volunteering
College MAP — Mentor2019 – PresentVolunteering
Kings County Tennis League — Volunteer2018 – Present
Future Interests
Advocacy
Politics
Volunteering
Philanthropy
Career Search Scholarship
It was 9pm on a Friday, and our project team had turned in the deliverables for a major financial institution to set decarbonization goals for its commercial lending portfolio. In mere three months, we had calculated baseline financed emissions, evaluated climate scenarios, and documented GHG emissions reduction targets to model the transition of energy-intensive sectors to a low-carbon economy. With the Chief Sustainability Officer, the results of our analysis were championed around the organization. Even though I felt tremendous accomplishment in the work we had delivered, certain aspects of the project eluded me. What was the scientific basis for the climate scenarios we had identified, and would our deliverables convince business leaders to accelerate decarbonization efforts? After several years of working in an industry that rewards the fast delivery of solutions, I would cherish the opportunity to learn about climate change from well-rounded perspectives I have not been exposed to during my day-to-day work. The MPP degree will provide time for deeper exploration of all the aspects I have yet to understand regarding an inherently global and multifaceted issue. In addition, an interdisciplinary focus of the MPP will strengthen my ability to design, advocate and implement environmental policies that apply not only to a single institution but to entire industries.
Working in EY’s consulting practice over the past four years, I’ve realized that the delivery of analysis does not necessitate its implementation by a client. Without regulatory oversight, even the most thorough report on how a financial institution can help accelerate the energy transition by investing in renewables does not require that institution to take action. By moving into a legislative role, I could promote sustainable business practices at a much greater scope and scale than during my previous work at EY. Rather than advising one client on their transition to becoming more sustainable, I would actively design and reinforce laws that incentivize entire industries to accelerate their net-zero pathways. As legislation on climate change is reviewed and contested over the next decade, I want to serve as a policymaker that can help strengthen countries’ existing climate frameworks and policies using the quantitative skills acquired in a policy-oriented degree.
The MPP curriculum at the Harvard Kennedy School will facilitate this transition and allow me to become a successful regulator of sustainable business that can apply behavioral analysis, quantitative methods, and economic theory toward effective policymaking. A core curriculum dedicated to these foundational areas would complement the quantitative skillset I developed during the last four years at EY. With a focus on policy assessment, my work has taught me to evaluate the social and economic impact of tax policy changes and financial products using econometric and statistical analysis. However, the results of these evaluations have been primarily used by clients to advocate for policy change. An MPP would reinforce my quantitative competencies and prepare me to lead the development, advocacy, and implementation of public policies incorporating statistical analysis and economic perspectives.
Today, the effects of climate change are impossible to overlook as news coverage of the flooding in Pakistan fills the evening news. Even though I had felt consternation regarding how my career would positively impact decarbonization efforts, I now feel motivated to pursue a career that can have an indelible impact on the regulatory side of climate legislation. An MPP degree will equip me with the skills needed to pursue a role where I can enact change through my professional work.
I Can Do Anything Scholarship
Through my graduate school education, I aspire to become a policy analyst hat can incentivize entire industries to accelerate decarbonization efforts and reduce the negative impact of climate change - help me get there.