Discovering EA as a Teenager

I first encountered Effective Altruism when I was 16 through my sister, who inspired me to join the EA conference in Berlin. The first talk I attended was by Johannes Ackva. I didn’t know it at the time, but it would end up influencing the course of my life. I was fascinated by the ideas and the people I met, though I felt quite young compared to everyone else, and felt like I did not fit in because of that. When I moved to Berlin at 19, I gave EA another try, started going to local meetups, and gradually became more involved. 

Using EA principles in policy work

Early on, I had a strong sense that I wanted to make the world a better place. At 15, I started engaging in the climate space, but I lacked a clear approach. Alongside my studies in physics at the Humboldt University of Berlin, I was part of the “Aktionsbündnis Klimaschutz”, advising the German government on climate policy. With WWF Youth Germany, I led international campaigns, met with politicians and decision-makers, and took part in international conferences. I also supported Fridays for Future in its early stages, helping the movement grow. 

Learning about Effective Altruism strongly shaped how I approached my work – first in campaigns and policy discussions, and now in my research. Thinkers like Peter Singer, William MacAskill, Julia Galef, Johannes Ackva, and Hauke Hillebrandt resonated deeply with me. Their reasoning about how to reduce suffering felt like the missing puzzle piece, providing the framework I had been searching for. Since then, I have tried to apply an Effective Altruism lens across all my roles – asking which interventions would make the greatest difference and how limited resources could be used most effectively.

Impact Through Climate Philanthropy

Today, I work as a Junior Researcher at Founders Pledge, focusing on climate philanthropy. Huge amounts of money are spent on climate, but much of it goes to well-known solutions in already crowded spaces. At the climate team at Founders Pledge, we look for crucial but overlooked climate solutions. We think about the counterfactual of our impact. Asking, e.g., what would have happened otherwise? Is my intervention truly additional? On my team, we identify and support these opportunities. This includes supporting organisations that shape clean energy and climate innovation policy, advancing areas like advanced nuclear and geothermal, carbon removal, and coal repowering, and funding analyses that recommend reforms at institutions like the U.S. Department of Energy and European clean tech policy.

Some personal thoughts

EA has also deeply shaped my personal life. Many of my closest friends are part of the community, and I find it fulfilling to be surrounded by people who care so much about the world and approach it with an evidence-based mindset. At the same time, it hasn’t always been easy. In a community of high-achieving people, I sometimes felt overwhelmed, struggled with imposter syndrome, and tied too much of my identity to my work. For a while, I even felt guilty about taking time off, believing that if people were suffering, I had no right to rest. Over time—through conversations, reflection, and reading, including pieces by Luisa Rodriguez and other 80,000 Hours posts — I’ve learned to take a gentler approach. I’m grateful for this shift, because today EA no longer feels like a source of pressure, but a wonderful addition to my life. Going forward, my goal is to help make EA more inclusive and to support others on their journey.