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

Iran Conflict Heightens Cyber Threats to U.S. Energy Infrastructure

An audio version of “⁠Iran Conflict Heightens Cyber Threats to U.S. Energy Infrastructure⁠,” a new Commentary by CSIS's Leslie Abrahams and Lauryn Williams. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Leslie Abrahams and Lauryn Williams — April 2, 2026

Audio Briefs

Iran Conflict Heightens Cyber Threats to U.S. Energy Infrastructure

As the Iran conflict intensifies, U.S. energy infrastructure faces escalating cyber threats from nation-state actors. Scale, age, and regulatory fragmentation leave the sector uniquely exposed. A successful attack would cascade across the entire U.S. economy.

Commentary by Leslie Abrahams and Lauryn Williams — April 2, 2026

Powering National Renewal and Reinvigorating the Grid

Please join the CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program for a discussion exploring where today’s approach to grid planning and investment is falling short, the risks of underbuilding transmission, and how to ensure infrastructure investments strengthen reliability while prioritizing affordability and economic growth.

Event — February 24, 2026

Powering the Future: The U.S. and Indian Energy Landscape in 2030

India and the United States are both experiencing a surge in electricity demand and facing growing challenges in ensuring affordability, integrating renewables, and grid modernization. These parallel transitions create a pivotal opportunity for collaboration—how can the two countries share lessons and strategies to build power systems that are resilient, reliable, and ready for the future? 

Event — February 3, 2026

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 CSIS Scholars — 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 CSIS Scholars — November 25, 2025