Five students who decided the numbers were missing something.
We kept running into the same gap in our UChicago economics classes: the models we were taught didn't seem to account for the natural resources our society depends on. So we founded Antaeus and started building ones that do.
Antaeus: strength through contact with the earth
In Greek mythology, Antaeus was a giant and wrestler who drew his power from constant contact with the ground. He was unbeatable in single combat until Hercules realized the source of his strength, lifted him off the earth, and defeated him mid-air. Our mission is to help protect modern society from a similar fate.
We use the myth as a working metaphor. Our economies have started to lose touch with the value of their natural resources, and our job is to try our best to keep that connection and put it back in the ledger instead of lifting it out of frame.
Founded at the University of Chicago
Antaeus Research Group was founded together by five UChicago students studying economics, environmental science, and public policy in the college and at the Harris School. We came to the project from different angles, several of us focused on clean energy finance, others in climate modeling and ecological analysis, and some in venture capital. However, we all share the same conviction that the tools of mainstream economics are undercounting the cost of environmental change, and that undercounting has consequences for policy decisions and our future.
A foundation for climate-inclusive economics
Our first project models the health and productivity cost of rising heat in Cook County. This is a concrete, local test of the idea that climate externalities belong in the economic forecast. We see it as a foundation for methodologies and analysis we can extend to other regions and other climate impacts as the project grows.
- Publish research rigorous enough for peer review and policy use
- Build partnerships with advisors and mission-aligned organizations
- Extend the model beyond Cook County as capacity grows
Meet the founders.
The five of us founded Antaeus Research Group in 2026, and we are working on it day in and day out.
Alethea Oakley
Junior · Economics, Environmental Science & Human RightsAlethea interns with Marathon Capital on clean energy financing and internal operations. She was on the winning team of the 2026 climate case competition, building a plan for Illinois to reach 100% clean energy by 2045 using economic and energy consumption modeling alongside policy and equity research. She's also researched Chicago transit and vacant lots, biogeochemical cycling in the Indiana dunes, and prediction market incentivization, working in R, GIS, and Excel.
Mateo Beauvineau
Sophomore · Economics & Molecular EngineeringMateo is a 2025 NOAA Young Changemakers Fellow. He interned at Clear Solar Corporation, an early-stage startup building electrodynamic dust shields to mitigate solar panel soiling, this summer. He's an experienced website and media creator and is building his programming and modeling skills.
Gabriel Thomas
Junior · Economics & Environmental ScienceGabriel worked in venture capital and consulting in the renewable energy sector before transitioning to climate economics research. He's currently working with Enterprise Neurosystems on an ecological analysis tool to better evaluate natural capital and incentivize conservation. He builds Python-based economic and climate simulation models.
Sam Straus
Master's Student · Public PolicySam leads project management and resource coordination for Antaeus, helping translate the group's research agenda into milestones, deliverables, and a working project structure.
Aarini Sheth
Sophomore · Climate & Sustainable Growth, EconomicsAarini is one of the Institute of Climate and Sustainable Growth's India Summer Fellows, interning at Advait Energy Transitions Limited as a Business Development Intern. Within Antaeus, she leads on logistics, literature review, and external engagement.
Want to work with us?
We're actively looking for advisors, funding partners, and mission-aligned organizations to help take our first project from infrastructure to publication and impact.