Lara Kowalcyk is the School Bus Electrification Intern with the Electric School Bus Initiative hosted by the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities. She currently supports the technical assistance and policy teams to advance the transition to electric school buses and drive meaningful change.

Prior to joining WRI, Lara interned with the National Parks Conservation Association as a Clean Air Data, where she organized and analyzed national emissions data to support Federal Register comments on the Regional Haze Rule. She also completed an NIEHS Fellowship at the University of Chicago, researching indoor air pollution while collaborating with communities in the Chicagoland Area to address local environmental health concerns.

Lara graduated from Wellesley College in December 2023 with a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies and Mathematics. She is currently pursuing her Master's of Public Policy with a concentration in International Environmental Policy at George Washington University. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring new coffee shops and hiking.