Rudra has always been fascinated by the natural sciences from a young age. At Scotland’s University of Edinburgh, her undergraduate ecosystems research included collaborations with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) and the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. During Rudra’s graduate studies at Imperial College London, she further explored the human impacts on Earth’s biogeochemical cycles. This led her to work for a research team focused on energy systems and innovation at the University of Oxford’s Environmental Change Institute.After three years in Oxford, Rudra returned to Edinburgh for an interdisciplinary Ph.D., where her work focused on developing Carbon Management technologies and exploring their prospects in the Global South through technology transfer and international climate frameworks.

As Deputy Director of Carbon Management and Hydrogen at Third Way’s Climate and Energy Program, Rudra’s work portfolio encompasses policy aspects of Carbon Capture Utilization & Storage (CCUS), Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) and hydrogen production technologies. In addition, she currently serves on the Department of Energy’s CDR Roadmap Advisory Council and has been appointed by the White House to serve as Vice Chair of the Non-Federal Lands CCUS Permitting Task Force. Previously, she ledthe Climate Change Working Group at Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security (WCAPS), a non-profit organization committed to promoting diverse perspectives within US foreign policy and national security.

When Rudra is not working, she escapes to a galaxy far, far away, with the Mandalorian and their child, Grogu.