Camilo Avilés has spent the past decade working across Chile’s energy sector, building expertise in policy, consulting, and large-scale project development. An industrial and electrical engineer by training, Avilés entered the field with a strong technical background and a mission of sustainability. What he soon realized was that, to make a real impact on reversing climate change, the entire energy system needed an overhaul.
Sustainability, Avilés says, “needs to be considered in every aspect of how we plan, invest, and govern. Only by doing so can we fully understand the scale of the climate challenge and respond in ways that protect people, ecosystems, and future generations.”
Now, as a student in the Columbia University School of Professional Studies M.S. in Sustainability Management program and a recipient of the 2025–2026 Luksic Scholarship for Sustainability, Avilés is working to advance equitable and sustainable energy development—bridging environmental, social, and economic goals—and to empower communities in Chile and Latin America to actively participate in the global energy transition.
What led you to work in the energy sector?
I first got involved in the energy sector while studying electrical engineering at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. At that time, Chile was starting a major shift toward renewable energy, supported by new regulations that encouraged the rapid growth of solar and wind and taking advantage of the abundant resources across the country. Seeing this change happen in real time made the energy transition feel urgent.
One of my professors, Hugh Rudnick, had a strong influence on my path. He showed me how power systems, environment considerations, and project development are closely connected, and how regulation can shape an entire energy system. That perspective drew me to the electricity sector and to the challenge of turning renewables from an idea into real projects.
How did you end up focusing specifically on green energy projects, and what have you learned about sustainability challenges through your work?
From the start of my career, I wanted to use my technical background to work on clean-energy projects that had real impact—not only on emissions but also on people and local economies. Over time, I realized that while decarbonizing the electricity sector is essential, it is not enough on its own. To address climate change properly, the entire energy system needs to change.
That understanding led me to the Chilean Ministry of Energy, where I worked on the development of the country’s national green hydrogen strategy. Since then, I have focused on developing more complex green energy projects that go beyond power generation alone. Moving between the private and public sectors helped me understand sustainability in a much broader way. I learned that it is not a purely technical problem but a systems challenge—one that sits at the intersection of climate policy, finance, environmental protection, and human well-being.
Why is sustainability important to you?
Sustainability helps us properly value the challenges society faces in responding to the climate emergency. It expands the way we make decisions by going beyond purely economic considerations and incorporating social, environmental, and even cultural dimensions. By doing so, it allows us to see problems more clearly and to acknowledge impacts that are often overlooked in traditional decision-making.
In practice, sustainability helps make hidden costs visible. When negative externalities—such as environmental damage—are not taken into account, we fail to see their real impact on society. But when tools like carbon pricing, regulation, or environmental standards are introduced, those impacts become measurable and harder to ignore. That, to me, is the essence of sustainability: creating frameworks that reflect reality more honestly and guide better choices.
Ultimately, sustainability matters because it needs to be considered in every aspect of how we plan, invest, and govern. Only by doing so can we fully understand the scale of the climate challenge and respond in ways that protect people, ecosystems, and future generations. Practiced well, sustainability is not a constraint—it is a pathway to creating more resilient and equitable outcomes for humanity.
Why did you decide to enroll in Columbia's M.S. in Sustainability Management program?
Columbia’s M.S. in Sustainability Management places students at the center of a global academic community that is deeply connected to real-world sustainability challenges through research, policy, and applied work. I wanted to expand my skill set to better understand how sustainability can be used in practice to address the complex challenges created by the climate emergency. Learning how to manage sustainability effectively is essential for turning broad goals into concrete solutions that can support the energy transition.
My professional experience in the energy sector has shown me that sustainability, when applied thoughtfully, can drive a just energy transition—one that protects the environment while also delivering lasting benefits for society. At the same time, the global energy system is increasingly shaped by geopolitical tensions and strategic decisions made by major economies. In this context, learning about sustainability science in the United States offers a valuable perspective on how sustainability is influencing energy decisions at a global scale.
What do you hope to do after completing your M.S. in Sustainability Management?
With my degree, I expect to transfer this global expertise into local contexts in Chile and Latin America, contributing to the development of equitable and transformative energy solutions that integrate sustainability into every stage of project design and implementation, while responding to the region’s unique needs.
I also want to remain closely connected to the network of experts and professionals I have built along the way, in order to integrate a global view of the complex challenges posed by climate change. Through this exchange, I aim to share progress on the development of new solutions in Chile and Latin America while continuing to learn from diverse experiences of how sustainability is being embedded into decision-making processes around the world.
About the Program
The Columbia University M.S. in Sustainability Management program, offered by the School of Professional Studies in partnership with the Climate School, provides students with cutting-edge policy and management tools to help public and private organizations and governments address environmental impacts and risks, pollution control, and remediation to achieve sustainability. The program is customized for working professionals and is offered as a full-time and part-time course of study.
The program fosters creativity and adaptability by equipping students with the skills to tackle real-world sustainability challenges through an interdisciplinary approach from the world’s premier sustainability academics, researchers, and practitioners. The up-to-the-minute curriculum and flexibility prepare graduates for careers in the dynamic and rapidly changing field of sustainability.
Learn more about the program here.
About the Scholarship
Columbia University School of Professional Studies is proud to offer the Luksic Scholarship for Sustainability for students in the Master of Science in Sustainability Management program. The scholarship, supported by the Luksic Foundation, covers the full cost of attendance, including tuition and living expenses. Students who have lived or worked in Chile and who are committed to working on sustainability efforts in the region are eligible for the scholarship.
