In 2016, Marinna Teixeira graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a degree in Environmental Sciences and a minor in French. Having emigrated from Brazil at a young age, Marinna was the first woman in her family to graduate from university and has achieved profound accomplishments since. After joining the UMass iCons Program as a freshman, she befriended peers who dreamed of professional accomplishments like hers. As a member of the third iCons cohort, the Third Axis, her participation in the undergraduate program fell under the Renewable Energy track where she pursued her interest in climate change mitigation.
During her senior year, Marinna dedicated significant effort to completing her Commonwealth Honors College thesis and her iCons senior project, focused on microorganisms capable of digesting antibiotic-treated waste milk, with Dr. James Holden, professor in the UMass Amherst Department of Microbiology.
Marinna’s efforts in renewable energy and climate change were not limited to the classroom but prospered through her nonprofit and startup internships during her undergraduate years. Through her iCons program studies, she found herself prepared to participate professionally in the renewable energy industry.
After working in the Innovation and Industry Support division of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, she eventually gravitated to her current company: Greentown Labs in Somerville, MA. At Greentown Labs, Marinna is the Director of Programs, overseeing accelerator programs that fast-track mutually beneficial partnerships between climatetech startups and corporations.
On Wednesday, September 25, Marinna spoke to current iCons students about the particulars of her career journey and how the iCons Program has helped her become the confident professional she is today. Not only does she work directly with climatetech startups, as the Director of Programs, but she is also in constant communication with scientists, entrepreneurs, and business leaders. Communication between non-converging fields is a difficult task, but with skills she gained through her iCons courses, Marinna flourishes in the climatetech industry.
The UMass iCons Program was a transformative experience for Marinna, as it provided her with foundational skills so that she would succeed professionally. Marinna mentioned she used to quiver at the thought of public speaking or presentations to large audiences. After iCons pushed her beyond her comfortable limits to practice creative analytic skills and public presentations, she now feels comfortable public speaking in front of hundreds of people. Marinna attributes her confidence to the UMass iCons Program, challenging as it was, and is thankful for how it urged her professional growth.
“There are so many [foundational] pieces that iCons laid for me that are super applicable to my work, even ten years later.”
Marinna received the 2024-2025 Mahoney Alumni Award in recognition of her growth since graduating from UMass Amherst and the iCons Program. Her professional excellence in renewable energy is exemplary of how iCons can inspire growth for students who aim to transcend in their desired field.
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