The Fossil Fuel Divestment Student Network, also known as the Divestment Student Network (DSN), is a youth activist organization that trained and prepared students to engage in public action campaigns and protests to urge organizations, especially universities, to divest from the oil and gas industry. The organization has previously partnered with 350.org to organize student protests against President Donald Trump and promotes the left-of-center principle of intersectionality by arguing that racism, economic inequality, sexism, and other issues are all related to climate change. ^{1 2 3}

As of May 2024, DSN appeared to be inactive, with little activity since 2017. ^{1 4 5 6 7 8}

Activities

The Fossil Fuel Divestment Student Network (DSN) is a youth activist organization that trained and prepared students to engage in public action campaigns and protests to urge organizations, especially universities, to divest from the oil and gas industry. DSN connects its environmentalist advocacy with racial and economic justice and calls for students to become “lifelong organizers.” DSN claims “transitioning away from fossil fuels means transitioning towards justice.” ¹

DSN also promoted “50 Ways to Reduce Climate Change,” which included advocating for using public transportation, carpooling, and biking; establishing an environmentalist club at your school; hosting environmental workshops; and banning single-use plastics. ⁹

During the first Trump Administration, DSN joined with 350.org, a large environmentalist activist organization with presence in 88 countries, to coordinate a nationwide student walkout in protest of the what the organization called the “climate denial of the newly-inaugurated Trump administration.” DSN stated “there is no room for neutrality in the face of an administration that is threatening the very future of the planet.” DSN called for universities to provide moral leadership by divesting from the oil and gas industry. Further, DSN claimed President Donald Trump “stacks his cabinet with climate deniers [and] white supremacists.” ²

Beyond its focus on fossil fuel divestment, DSN supported what it calls “student struggles” against student loan debt and racial injustice. DSN featured only a single sub-group in its organization, the People of Color Caucus (POC Caucus), which was only open to students, alumni, and staff in the divestment movement “who identify as people of color” because such people “find ourselves on the margins of predominantly white spaces.” The POC Caucus stated that it resists “patriarchy and heterosexism in our relationships and movements,” that it wants to “build queer power,” and that “black liberation is fundamental to climate Justice.” ^{1 3}

Strategy

The Fossil Fuel Divestment Student Network published an outline of a “Long Term Strategy” process that was to be finalized by 2016. The strategy process centered around four in-person retreats of DSN members supported by Yotam Moram, the founder of the Wildfire Project. The Wildfire Project is a left-of-center social activist organization that itself is a project of the Movement Strategy Center, a nonprofit that supports left-of-center groups, including socialist organizations. ¹⁰

To facilitate participation in its long-term strategy process, DSN promoted professional essay writing and homework services to students, including a service called “Do My Homework.” DSN said that “IOF you have problems with your homework, then by requesting the service do homework for me you can be calm about your future.” ¹⁰

As of May 2024, DSN listed that its purpose was to “build mass, popular support” for an economic transition that combats climate change, however the organization never published a strategy. ¹⁰

Inactivity

As of May 2025, the Fossil Fuel Divestment Student Network appears to be inactive. The X account listed on DSN’s website, @studentsnetwork, was no longer operational. However, another account associated with the organization, @studentsdivest, was active until the fall of 2017. Likewise, the Facebook page for Fossil Fuel Divestment Student Network was active until July 2017. Additionally, the latest post on DSN’s “Updates” page on its website was dated January 2017. On LinkedIn, DSN founder Greta Neubauer was listed as the director of DSN from 2015 to 2017. ^{1 4 5 6 7 8}

Leadership

According to the Fossil Fuel Divestment Student Network’s website in 2025, the director of the organization is Greta Neubauer. According to LinkedIn, Neubauer was the director and co-founder of DSN from 2015 to 2017 when she became a research assistant in the Wisconsin State Assembly. In January 2018, Neubauer became a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly representing Racine, Wisconsin, a position she continues to hold as of June 2025. Previously, Neubauer was a summer fellow at 350.org. Neubauer graduated from Middlebury College in 2015. ^{11 8}

The senior campaign coach for DSN was Varshini Prakash. Prakash is one of the founding members of the Sunrise Movement, a left-of-center 501(c)(4) advocacy organization that endorses liberal and far-left Democratic Party candidates committed to environmentalism for public office. ^{11 12}

1. “About.” Fossil Fuel Divestment Student Network. Accessed May 29, 2025. https://studentsdivest.org/about/.
2. “Home.” Fossil Fuel Divestment Student Network. Accessed May 29, 2025. https://studentsdivest.org/.
3. “DSN People of Color Caucus.” Fossil Fuel Divestment Student Network. Accessed May 29, 2025. https://studentsdivest.org/poc_caucus/.
4. “@StudentsNEtwork.” X. Accessed May 29, 2025. https://x.com/search?q=%40StudentsNetwork&src=typeahead_click.
5. “@StudentsDivest.” X. Accessed May 29, 2025. https://x.com/StudentsDivest.
6. “DivestFossilFuels.” Facebook. Accessed May 29, 2025. https://www.facebook.com/DivestFossilFuels/.
7. “Updates.” Fossil Fuel Divestment Student Network. Accessed May 29, 2025. https://studentsdivest.org/updates/.
8. “Greta Neubauer (She/Her).” LinkedIn. Accessed May 29, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/greta-neubauer-05726811b/
9. “50 Ways to Reduce Climate Change A Guide for Students and Schools.” Fossil Fuel Divestment Student Newtork.” Accessed May 29, 2025. https://studentsdivest.org/50-Ways-to-Reduce-Climate-Change/.
10. “Long Term Strategy.” Fossil Fuel Divestment Student Network. Accessed May 29, 2025.  https://studentsdivest.org/lts/.
11. “Staff and Networks.” Fossil Fuel Divestment Student Network. Accessed May 29, 2025. https://studentsdivest.org/staff/.
12. Lange, Timothy. “Five Questions for Sunrise Co-founder Varshini Prakash about Climate Activism and a Green New Deal.” Daily Kos. December 9, 2018. Accessed May 29, 2025. https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/12/9/1818010/-Five-Questions-for-Sunrise-co-founder-Varshini-Prakash-about-climate-activism-and-a-Green-New-Deal.