Voices of Tomorrow: Insights from LanzaJet’s Summer Interns

By Megan Camacho, 2024 Corporate Affairs & Marketing Intern, LanzaJet

When my friend and I stepped out of the University of Illinois’ student union one winter day, the first thing we noticed was how warm it was. At that exact hour it was 76°F (24°C), which ended up being that day’s peak temperature — and it was February.

Similar temperatures spun warm tales across the Midwest that day, especially in my hometown Chicago. I never thought I’d see a New York Times headline like In Chicago, It’s Summer in February, about a city notorious for harsh and biting winters.

Climate change is a hot topic in global discourse. As more countries and industry leaders accept the invitation to meet the growing challenges of climate change, the urgency to find sustainable solutions is more critical than ever. And every problem starts with tackling the root.

Aviation is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonize. The aviation industry is currently responsible for up to 3% of all global CO₂ emissions, and up to 5% of total climate impacts when considering non-CO₂ emissions such as contrails. This is equivalent to more than what the entire country of France emits in a single year. As the chief mode of transport for travelers and commerce alike, the world depends on aviation to keep it running. So, what kind of solutions out there exist to decarbonize it?

This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to see one of these solutions in action at LanzaJet. From a young age, I’ve known I’ve always wanted to pursue a career that allowed me to help the environment. Working to develop the global scalability of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) has amplified that passion.

LanzaJet is one of the world’s leading producers of SAF, and it is actively forging a path forward to help the industry meet the tremendous demand for SAF. My time at LanzaJet was nothing short of exhilarating, providing me a front-row seat to the exciting and rapid advancements of SAF in not just the U.S., but around the world. 

As a Corporate Affairs & Marketing Intern, I gained a comprehensive understanding of the company’s business objectives and the interactions that occur along each part of the value chain. One of my primary responsibilities involved conducting market research and analyzing industry trends to support LanzaJet’s strategic initiatives. This role was incredibly rewarding, as I learned a great deal about the industry’s trajectory toward sustainability. Through these endeavors, I even discovered my own university’s growing involvement with SAF and the efforts to produce it.

My other projects included strategic messaging and internal/​external communications, which have provided me with a holistic view of how LanzaJet runs – as well as how crucial a company’s positioning is when interacting with stakeholders and investors. With a solution as nascent as SAF, upholding strong and positive relationships is crucial. Seeing LanzaJet secure strategic investments from big names such as MUFG and Airbus as well as a place in TIME’s 100 Most Influential Companies list during my time was simply surreal, and it’s incredible to realize that it’s only upward from here.

I wasn’t alone on this journey. With my marketing tasks came interactions with the rest of the departments that breathe life into LanzaJet’s mission. Alongside me were fellow interns from diverse backgrounds, such as chemical engineering, project development, and political science, each bringing unique insights and experiences to the table. Their perspectives enriched my understanding of our work at LanzaJet, and together, we witnessed firsthand the impact of next-generation solutions.

“Seeing the growth of LanzaJet firsthand has made me realize that there is a place for people of all fields of study to transition away from fossil fuels,” said process engineering intern Chantal Korde. ​“Witnessing everyone’s hard work and contributing to it has been a very fulfilling experience, and I am excited to see what is next in store for the company and the industry.”

For Emily Mittenthal, a political science and environmental studies major at the University of Washington, interning in LanzaJet’s regulatory affairs department has inspired her to think more seriously about pursuing a career in policy.

“The idea of transitioning from studying these topics to actually working on them felt intimidating,” she said. ​“However, interning at LanzaJet has shown me that my passion is achievable in the real world. From a policy standpoint, it has been inspiring to see that our team is not just looking to comply with policies and regulations but pushing for ones that will help the company achieve its goals of producing SAF and preserving this earth for generations to come.”

So, we have a solution. The technology is in place and we’re maintaining solid relationships with stakeholders. How do we ensure the mission keeps going, and that the aviation industry is ready to meet the demand for SAF?

As CEO Jimmy Samartzis puts it, it’s all in the people– from the folks down in Soperton, Georgia to project managers in the UK. Great companies understand that putting people first is the cornerstone of cultivating a success-driven environment and fostering innovation. By prioritizing the well-being, development, and satisfaction of their employees, these companies create a supportive and empowering atmosphere where individuals feel valued and motivated. When employees know they are appreciated and their contributions matter, they are more likely to go above and beyond, driving the company towards greater achievements. LanzaJet does just that.

Project development intern Sebastian Hawkes, whose team’s responsible for overseeing the early and middle stages of creating a plant, told me that seeing everyone around him working towards the same goal of providing a sustainable fuel source for the world was ​“exciting.”

“The valley between the amount of fuel used to the amount of SAF produced worldwide is enormous,” he said. ​“I hope to see LanzaJet bridge this valley and shape the way SAF is viewed and made. This is an industry where we are all still learning, and it takes the right leadership to ensure that this path is followed in a thoughtful way.”

The dynamic everyone shared was quite special, and with the world of SAF seeming daunting and full of unrealized potential, a dedicated effort is vital. Not to mention, the company is growing fast — we’ve seen over 50 new faces join our team since the start of 2024. But even as the company continues to grow, LanzaJet retains the tight-knit culture that the interns and I found incredibly hospitable. 

“I felt incredibly welcome stepping into LanzaJet’s headquarters in Deerfield, Illinois for the first time, and since then the energy never once dipped,” said fuels & logistics intern Shane Tarjan. ​“Everyone’s passion for SAF and desire to see it succeed is quite contagious.”

A fan-favorite of this summer’s intern class was Breakfast Clubs with LanzaJet’s executives, where we sat down in a roundtable discussion and exchanged questions, life advice, and how delicious the donuts were. Everyone at LanzaJet comes from different places, and it’s inspiring to see everyone unite to make SAF happen.

This summer, we learned so much about sustainable fuels. Knowing that our internships have wrapped up should elicit bittersweet feelings, but in fact, I am left with the desire to learn more. Maybe it was the technical jargon from my engineering intern friends that left me curious, or discussing the differences in regulatory framework between the U.K. and the U.S. with my team, but nevertheless, I am excited to see SAF grow.

No matter where life takes me career-wise, interning at LanzaJet has inspired me to commit to the mission of protecting our beautiful planet and pushing the boundaries of innovation. Because for me, someday is now.

Megan Camacho is an environmental economics & policy student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.