Leslie Abrahams

Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, Energy Security and Climate Change Program
Leslie Abrahams

Dr. Leslie Abrahams is a leading expert in energy systems, clean technology innovation, and climate policy. As deputy director and senior fellow with the Energy Security and Climate Change program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), she provides strategic insight at the intersection of energy security, emerging technologies, and decarbonization pathways. Prior to joining CSIS, Leslie served as assistant director for clean energy and energy systems innovation at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy where she helped shape federal energy policy and advance technology deployment. She previously served as a policy fellow with Elemental Impact where she focused on climate finance and emerging clean energy technologies. She was also previously the director of energy systems analysis at Clean Air Task Force where she led research on decarbonization pathways and scaling clean energy infrastructure to manage risk and uncertainty. Leslie holds a doctorate in engineering and public policy and civil and environmental engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and a BS in chemical engineering from Washington University in St. Louis.

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Audio Briefs

Experts React: Progress and Setbacks at COP30

An audio version of “Experts React: Progress and Setbacks at COP30,” a new Commentary by CSIS’s Leslie Abrahams, Jane Nakano, Noam Unger, J. Stephen Morrison, Katherine E. Bliss, Mathias Zacarias, Ray Cai, and Alexis Burns. This audio was generated using text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Leslie Abrahams, Jane Nakano, Noam Unger, J. Stephen Morrison, Katherine E. Bliss, Mathias Zacarias, Ray Cai, and Alexis Burns — November 25, 2025

Audio Briefs

Experts React: Progress and Setbacks at COP30

COP30 showcased noteworthy progress while exposing persistent roadblocks in global climate diplomacy. CSIS experts react to the conference’s most significant outcomes and their implications for the future of climate, energy, health, development, and the COP process at large.

Commentary by Leslie Abrahams, Jane Nakano, Noam Unger, J. Stephen Morrison, Katherine E. Bliss, Mathias Zacarias, Ray Cai, and Alexis Burns — November 25, 2025

Federal Statistics For Economic Security

Join the CSIS Economic Security and Technology Department for a workshop on the future of the U.S. federal statistical system—bringing together leaders from government, business, and academia to explore how trusted data can strengthen American economic security and competitiveness.

Event — November 6, 2025

AI for the Grid: Opportunities, Risks, and Safeguards

Artificial intelligence is reshaping both energy demand and energy solutions. This report explores how AI solutions can strengthen U.S. grid reliability, efficiency, and growth, while identifying safeguards to manage the risks of integrating advanced digital tools into critical infrastructure.

Report by Joseph Majkut and Leslie Abrahams — September 22, 2025

U.S. Clean Tech Exports Are the Key to Long-Term U.S. Economic Growth

Global clean tech investment is surging despite U.S. policy reversals. Without strategic reforms, the United States risks ceding long-term economic and geopolitical gains to competitors, shaping the future of energy value chains.

Commentary by Leslie Abrahams and Joseph Majkut — August 11, 2025

Audio Briefs

U.S. Clean Tech Exports Are the Key to Long-Term U.S. Economic Growth

An audio version of “⁠U.S. Clean Tech Exports Are the Key to Long-Term U.S. Economic Growth,⁠” a new Commentary by CSIS’s Leslie Abrahams and Joseph Majkut. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Leslie Abrahams and Joseph Majkut — August 11, 2025

Audio Briefs
Audio Briefs

Experts React: Unpacking the Trump Administration’s Plan to Win the AI Race

An audio version of “⁠Experts React: Unpacking the Trump Administration’s Plan to Win the AI Race⁠,” a new Commentary by CSIS’s Navin Girishankar, Kirti Gupta, Matt Pearl, Philip Luck, James Andrew Lewis, Leslie Abrahams, Sujai Shivakumar, Erin L. Murphy, Noam Unger, and Madeleine McLean. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Navin Girishankar, Kirti Gupta, Matt Pearl, Philip Luck, James Andrew Lewis, Leslie Abrahams, Sujai Shivakumar, Matthew S. Borman, Noam Unger, Madeleine McLean, and Carol Kuntz — July 25, 2025

Audio Briefs