HOW TO APPLY Criteria for Graduate Admission to ERG Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Graduate Division Admissions Requirements International Applicants Admissions Process Application Materials Faculty Advisors ERG Admissions FAQ CRITERIA FOR GRADUATE ADMISSION TO ERG The Energy and Resources Group seeks students who have excelled academically, whatever their discipline; who show an ability […]
ERG has a small core faculty but a much larger group (100+) of affiliated faculty. Affiliated faculty are based in other departments on campus or at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and share ERG’s commitment to shared learning and interdisciplinary work. They are advisors, mentors, or employers to ERG students, and serve on master’s project, […]
Public Policy & Energy Resources Group Energy and Resources Group (ERG) and the Goldman School of Public Policy (GSPP) offer a concurrent degree program that integrates the strengths of public policy analytical tools with the interdisciplinary knowledge and expertise in energy and resources. The intersection of ERG and Public Policy disciplines is the nexus for training […]
The faculty of ERG currently consists of seven core professors of Energy and Resources (David Anthoff, Duncan Callaway, John Harte, Dan Kammen, Lara Kueppers, Catherine Koshland, and Isha Ray), one adjunct professor (Margaret Torn), and more than one hundred affiliated faculty members holding appointments in a wide range of departments across the Berkeley campus. ERG’s […]
Please note: This is a full list of ERG course offerings; not all courses are offered each term. For current course offerings, please refer to the online Schedule of Classes. ENERES 98/198 – Energy DeCal Daniel Kammen (Instructor of Record); class conducted by undergraduate students Introduction to energy topics and explore the social, environmental and […]
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at ERG Equity and inclusion are at the heart of our mission to provide education and research for a sustainable and just society. We aspire to be an inclusive community with diverse ideas, races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, ages, abilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. We celebrate diversity in scholarship, teaching, community […]
Equity and inclusion banners in Sproul Plaza — a project initiated, designed, and temporarily installed by the ERG Diversity Student Committee. (C. Hyun, January 2017) Equity, inclusion, and diversity (EID) planning at ERG The mission of ERG is a sustainable environment and a just society. ERG actively promotes intellectual, racial, ethnic, and gender inclusion. […]
ERG Admissions FAQ Deadlines and Timeline Letters of Recommendation Standardized Tests Which Degree Admissions Assessment and Decisions Essays ERG Program Contacts with Faculty Advisors and ERG Students Fees and Funding International Applicants Deadlines and Timeline When does the application open? First week of September 2020 What is the application deadline? Tuesday, December […]
Energy and Resources Group is an interdisciplinary program that attracts students with many different interests and backgrounds. Our Masters and PhD students find job positions in a variety of industries following graduation from ERG.
Housed in 310 Barrows Hall on the south side of the Berkeley campus, ERG facilities include office space for core faculty members, visitors, students, and staff, a reading/seminar room, and a student lounge. The ERG computing system consists of PC and Macintosh microcomputers, several printers and scanners, linked with each other through a server and […]
Areas of Interest Climate Change Ecology Energy Governance Water International Climate Change ERG CORE David Anthoff David Anthoff is an environmental economist who studies climate change and environmental policy. He co-develops the integrated assessment model FUND that is used widely in academic research and in policy analysis John Harte John Harte’s research interests span ecological […]
COST OF ATTENDANCE Please see the UC Berkeley Registrar’ Fee Schedule for the current cost of attendance in UC Berkeley graduate academic programs. ERG is an academic program and does not charge any additional professional fees. Tuition and fees include health insurance, student services fees, and other mandatory fees. Concurrent ERG/Public Policy students will […]
Give Big to ERG on Thursday, March 12 during UC Berkeley’s annual Big Give fundraiser! Big Give is UC Berkeley’s annual fundraising blitz—24 hours when we celebrate all of the moments that make Berkeley such a big deal by sharing the love on social media, supporting all of our favorite schools and programs, and competing […]
Ecology and global change are the primary topics of research in the Harte Lab. Among the goals are: to characterize ecological feedbacks to climate change, to predict effects of global change on biodiversity, and to develop fundamental theory that predicts the structure of ecosystems across spatial scales.
The purpose of the ERG Master’s program is to educate the next generation of interdisciplinary leaders. Specifically, students are taught the range of methods and subjects they should be able to understand, advance, and critique to address critical issues stemming from the interaction of humans and the environment. To that end, the requirements for the […]
Summer 2021 Curriculum ERG’s minor and certificate require a minimum of five courses and 15 total units of coursework, typically completed over two summers (or for a UC Berkeley student, a summer and a fall semester). All minor or certificate students must take EITHER Energy and Society or Climate Change Economics. UC Berkeley undergraduates may […]
ENERGY AND RESOURCES GROUP PROGRAMS Ph.D. – Doctor of Philosophy in Energy and Resources Master’s Degree – Two-year program in Master of Science (M.S.) or Master of Arts (M.A.) in Energy and Resources Concurrent ERG/Public Policy Master’s Degree – Three-year program in Energy and Resources (M.S. or M.A.) and Master’s Degree of Public Policy (M.P.P.) […]
ERG's newsletters featuring updates on faculty, commencement speakers, awards and ERG Ph.D., Master's and minor students.
The Society, Environment and Economics Lab works on the economics of a wide range of environmental, energy and resource issues. Our work spans theoretical, empirical and numerical modeling approaches. We engage in rigorous academic research and actively participate in current policy debates.
The Energy and Resources Group summer instructors understand the complex and interdisciplinary nature of sustainability. All have significant experience teaching and/or professional experience in the subject areas of their courses. For course descriptions and schedule, visit our Summer Curriculum and Schedule page. Instructors listed may be subject to change. SAMUEL EVANS Course: Climate Change Economics […]
Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Learning Minor vs. Certificate? Enrollment and Course Logistics UC Berkeley Graduating Seniors Financial Aid & Scholarships Housing High School Students Career Applicability Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Learning What is the difference between synchronous vs. asynchronous instruction, and online courses vs. remote instruction courses for Summer 2020? Courses originally offered online (i.e. […]
The Minor and Certificate in Sustainability provides a comprehensive understanding of the most pressing issues facing the world today. The program offers a practical and relevant interdisciplinary approach at the intersection of environmental, economic, social, political, and cultural issues. Students complete courses in: Global and local environmental change The science, engineering, economics, and policy […]
John Harte is a physicist turned ecologist. His research interests span ecological field research, the theory of complex systems, and policy analysis. Current interests include applying insights from information theory to the analysis of complex ecosystems and empirical investigation of climate-ecosystem feedback dynamics.
Dr. Jones is an Earth scientist who works at the interface of human and environmental systems. His research uses quantitative models and data analysis to understand climate change and human-Earth system interactions at decision-relevant scales. He also collaborates with social scientists and interacts closely with stakeholders to understand how science can effectively provide actionable insight […]
Lara Kueppers is an Associate Professor in the Energy and Resources Group, with a Faculty Scientist appointment at Berkeley Lab. She is an interdisciplinary environmental scientist, whose research focuses on ecological responses and feedbacks to climate change.
Professor Ray’s research interests are water and development; technology and development; common property resources; and social science research methods. Her research projects focus on access to water and sanitation for the rural and urban poor, and on the role of technology in improving livelihoods.
My interests range from the integration of renewables into existing grids,the possibility of indigenes (especially women) in rural communities producing their own power or at least understanding its workings and the interaction between science and policy making in developing countries. I would love to study in the Renewable & Appropriate Energy Laboratory (RAEL) or the […]
Operation, Cost, and Environmental Impact of Self-Driving Electric Taxi Fleets (MS ’18) Transportation has long been dominated by the personal gasoline-powered automobile, but breakthroughs in electric vehicles, shared mobility, and automation promise to disrupt the sector. Gordon’s research focuses on leveraging these disruptions to maximize both social and environmental sustainability, drawing on insights from a […]
Dennis has focused his career on technology and sustainability policy in emerging and developing economies. His research interests include technology and innovation policy and impacts to resource and rural development, technology transfer and the political economy of land use management. He has led programs with the Paris based International Energy Agency, as an official of the […]
Kate’s PhD research examines the role of climate change in exacerbating water stress and food insecurity in urbanized and highly irrigated basins in the Andes mountains. Her research builds upon work in Chile analyzing water security implications of glacier retreat as a Fulbright Fellow and the distributional impacts of rural-to-urban water transfers for her MSc […]
John’s research is primarily concerned with macro-energy systems analysis. He is interested in the life cycle characteristics of renewable energy systems, with a current focus on the carbon drawdown potential of BECCS and other product pathways in the bioeconomy. He is also interested in the qualitative changes implied by future energy pathways by way of […]
Taryn Fransen is a PhD student with the Energy and Resources Group and a Senior Fellow at the World Resources Institute. Her research interests center on the design and implementation of deep decarbonization strategies. Taryn came to Berkeley from a career in climate policy, during which she served most recently as an advisor to the […]
Effects of Electricity Consumption and Rate Design on Solar Plus Storage-enabled Grid Defection (MS ’19) Will’s primary research interests involve assessing the opportunity for distributed energy resources to participate on the electric system while investigating their technical impact on the grid. Prior to joining ERG, he worked for the Brattle Group’s utilities group in Boston […]
Roosevelt Elk in the Klamath Mountains: Integrating Track and Sign, Spatial Ecology, and Visual Communication (MS ’18) Adam is interested in how climate change and biodiversity loss can be mitigated through agriculture, forestry, and conservation strategy. Prior to joining ERG, Adam worked with an early stage agriculture technology company called TerViva where he conducted research […]
The Value of Connectivity: A Case Study of Cellular Networks in the Rural Philippines (MA ’18) Anushah studies internet accessibility and security. Her interest in these topics grew from experiencing difficulties accessing critical online services while working on development projects abroad. She has since been investigating disparities in website availability worldwide and the role of […]
My research interests lie at the intersection if climate change, conservation, and agriculture in the West. About 50% if future viable wildlife habitat in California will be in private, food-producing land; meanwhile, agricultural activity contributes up to one-third of our global greenhouse gas emissions. I’m excited by the “triple-threat” potential—for reducing atmospheric carbon, mitigating climate […]
Oliver is a concurrent ERG/MPP student at UC Berkeley. His research and policy interests lie at the intersection of climate change, conservation, and natural resource management in California and the American West. Prior to joining ERG, he was a graduate fellow at the Strategic Growth Council in the Governor’s Office of California. A lifelong student […]
Stephen is a PhD Candidate at UC Berkeley’s Energy & Resources Group and a Researcher at the Energy Institute at Haas. His work lies at the intersection of economics, public policy and data science. His research interests are centered on the energy sector and the environment, with a particular focus on electricity markets. His primary […]
Seigi is really, really into drinking water access. He is particularly passionate about mulling over why and how drinking water disparities have emerged in California (hint: systemic racism and classism). He hopes these interests and beliefs will translate well into academic publications. The majority of his free time is spent climbing in Yosemite, throwing pottery, […]
Jose Daniel was born in San José Costa Rica, received his B.Sc. and Licentiate in Electrical Engineering from the University of Costa Rica in 2009 and 2012 respectively, his M.Sc. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Waterloo, Canada in 2014, and his M.S. in Energy and Resources from the University of […]
Sophie Major is an interdisciplinary PhD candidate, studying and researching across the disciplines of political theory, environmental politics, and Indigenous studies. Their dissertation examines the marginalization of Indigenous people and Indigenous knowledge in political theory discourses and asks if and how political theorists ought to engage with Indigenous political thought. Incorporating original ethnographic work with […]
Jill is interested in studying market outcomes, reliability concerns, and community planning objectives as they relate to electric grid decarbonization. Specifically, she’s interested in understanding how valuing community-level costs and benefits of zero-carbon energy options in investment models could better inform potential solutions. Prior to joining ERG, Jill worked for the Brattle Group’s energy practice, […]
Evaluation of Social Networks and Measures of Empowerment Among Adolescent Girls in Uttar Pradesh, India (MS ’19) Gauthami’s research interests focus on how social networks influence health behaviors and decisions around access and use of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructures and its implications on the health and dignity of women and children in developing […]
Managed Workplace Charging of Electric Vehicles as a Grid Asset (MS ’18) Phillippe is an MS student at ERG. His research interests are in the integration of distributed energy resources and the decarbonization of the electricity sector. In 2005, Phillippe enlisted in the US Navy where he worked on an aircraft carrier as a nuclear […]
Sobol Sensitivity Analysis for Integrated Assessment Models: Supporting Result Characterization (MS ’19) Lisa is interested in using computer science to explore issues related to the economic impacts of climate change, and to support research and policy-making in this area. She currently works on software development of the Mimi package to support the construction and use […]
Julia studied economics and Spanish at UC Berkeley as an undergraduate, and realized her interest in energy and environmental issues while a research assistant at the UC Energy Institute. After consulting in the energy and finance sectors, she worked at Pacific Gas & Electric forecasting electric generation and its cost for customer rates. For the […]
Who Governs a Sustainable Neighborhood? Planning a Community-scale Retrofit in Oakland, California (MS ’18) Emma’s interests are at the intersection of climate change adaptation, environmental justice, and science and technology studies, with a focus on renewable energy technology adoption in under-resourced communities. She received her B.A. in Geography and B.S. in Environmental Sciences at UC […]
Tropical Forests and the Allocation of Carbon to Reproduction (MS ’20) Rachel is interested in the social, ecological, and geophysical dynamics of agro-forestry coffee and cacao systems in the tropics. Her aim is to couple participatory research of agro-forestry management choices with mathematical modeling and statistical analysis to understand how changes in management influence ecosystem […]
An Examination of an Enhanced Remote Sensing Method for Detecting Agents of Forest Disturbance (MS ’20) Marshall’s research looks into the connections between forest dynamics and water. He uses remote sensing data and open-source modeling tools to explore how disturbances affect forest structure and forest hydrology. He is also broadly interested in climate, conflict, and […]
Mining Data on Reclaimed Coal Mines: a Machine Learning Approach to Assessing Habitat Suitability (MS ’18) Hilary received her B.A. in Government and Biological Sciences, with a concentration in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in the latter, from Cornell University, where she graduated in 2015. At ERG, Hilary is interested in exploring the science-law nexus and […]
Rot is Hot: Home Composting in Alameda County (91 MA) Research Interests: How do we make the shift to sustainable economy and society? Compost, ride a bike, eat, buy, and grow organic food. The search continues for new ways to promote this shift, and have FUN!
The Costs of Environmental Degradation (’78 M.S.) Emission Sources Contributing to Acid Precipitation in the Western United States (’86 Ph.D.)
Targeted Efficiency: Using Customer Meter Data to Improve Efficiency Program Outcomes (PhD ’14) Sam’s works focuses on tools to scale up and improve the performance of energy efficiency programs in support of renewable energy integration and climate mitigation goals. His work combines insights from building science, behavioral sciences, and engineering to interpret patterns in building […]
Samuel Carrara holds a Bachelor Degree and a Master Degree in Mechanical Engineering (Major: Energy and Mechanical Plants) and a PhD in Energy and Environmental Technologies, all from the University of Bergamo, Italy. After working as an engineer in the gas turbine field, he is now a researcher at Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM), Milan, […]
Mind the Gap: Bridging Strategies for Universal Energy Access (PhD ’19) Since graduating as an electronics engineer in 2004, JP Carvallo has been working, studying, and researching different aspects of the energy field. His current interests relate to varied topics in sustainable development for less industrialized economies, with a geographical focus in Latin America and Asia. […]
On Rate Regulation in Modern Electricity Sectors (PhD ’17) Felipe was a Ph.D. Candidate with ERG. His research seeks to improve the understanding and organization of energy systems, leveraging methods, and concepts developed in fields including operations research, microeconomics, and industrial organization. Felipe’s work puts a particular emphasis on the development and application of data […]
Dr. Chafe works at the intersections of public health, air pollution, climate change, and energy use. She holds a PhD from the Energy and Resources Group (ERG), as well as an MPH from UC Berkeley. She has been a researcher/consultant for entities such as the World Health Organization, the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, […]
At times the problem of understanding phenomena is one of seeing. That is why Danielle explores new ways of demystifying complexity through visual representation. She seeks new techniques to illustrate often-forgotten, yet fundamental dependencies between human society and the natural world. One such technique is terrestrial laser scanning (also known as LIDAR), which she used to create a 3-D model of her ecological study site in the Sierra Nevada. This along with her seedling research seeks to inform the uncertain future of resource management.
Assessing Instream Flow Standards Under Climate Change Implications for State-Level Policy in the U.S. (MS/MPP ’17) Rebecca completed a Master’s degree in both the Energy and Resources Group and the Goldman School of Public Policy (MA/MPP). Her research interests focus on the sustainable use of water resources, integrating work in ecology, equity, and climate change […]
Michael Cohen puts the power and complexity of the grid into students' hands via a video game. We asked Michael about his innovative project and his unique experience at ERG. "In addition to developing the game itself, I am working with teachers at local high schools to develop curriculum around it and try it out with their students this year. I hope to not only create a solid educational product but also gain some insights into how technology can be used to support learning about complex systems in general."
Getting Serious About Water Wheeling in California: Learning from the Experience of the Natural Gas and Electric Industries (01 MS) Research Interests: Removing impediments to water markets and transfers in the Western U.S. Focused on how experience in restructuring of the natural gas and electric industries can encourage more active water markets. In particular studying […]
Katie’s interests are in community forestry, natural resource conflict management, cultural dimensions of ecosystem management and place studies. She graduated with a BA in Anthropology from Davidson College (2010) and focused undergraduate research on sense of place in Southern Appalachian coal communities. Katie previously worked as a field educator for the Teton Science Schools in […]
Common Resources, Private Benefits: Shifting Access in Mexico’s Community Forests (’08 MS)
Julian’s interests lie in the relationships between water use and economic development, focusing on modeling and governance. Mr. Fulton’s previous research includes water use in the transportation sector, conservation strategies among California utilities, and European flood management policy. He recently completed a Fulbright Fellowship in the Netherlands and holds an M.S. in Civil and Environmental […]
Investigating Innovation Practice: Cross-disciplinary Studies in International Development (PhD ’18) As a NSF, Chancellor’s, and InFEWS Fellow in the Energy and Resources Group (ERG), Pierce investigates frameworks, methodologies, and contexts for evaluating innovation for social change. By understanding how socially-minded organizations integrate, support, and channel innovation-incentivizing processes to generate value for end consumers, he characterizes […]
Decision Support for Multi-benefit Urban Water Infrastructure (PhD ’18) Sasha Harris-Lovett received a PhD from the Energy and Resources Group in 2018. Her dissertation research focused on urban water and wastewater management, decision analysis for socio-environmental problems, and collaborative environmental planning. She is dedicated to making science accessible to students, policy-makers, and community members. She […]
Understanding and Reconciling Global Temperature Records (PhD ’19) Zeke is an energy systems analyst and data scientist with a strong interest in climate science and policy. He is currently the VP of Energy Science at Essess, Inc, an energy efficiency startup that develops vehicle mounted thermal imaging systems, a research scientist at Berkeley Earth, and […]
Reshaping the relationships in Ungula’s electricity sector: the advent of the prepay meter (MS ’15) Presumptions and Precarity: Probing Electricity Infrastructure (PhD ’20) Veronica Jacome is a PhD student in the Energy and Resources Group (ERG) and holds a BS in Engineering Physics from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. At ERG, Veronica focuses on the […]
Ready-to-use? Bridging the Climate Science Usability Gap for Adaptation (PhD ’19) Kripa’s research interests are in the field of climate change adaptation and climate-resilient planning. Her PhD focuses on improving the ‘usability’ of climate science for adaptation decision-making, particularly for water resources management and agricultural planning. She uses qualitative and participatory research methods to understand […]
Mitigation Banking: Protecting Resources or Minimizing Enforcement Costs? (’87 M.S.) Population Differentiation in Tree-Ring Growth Responses of White Fir (Abies Concolor) to Climate: Implications for Predicting Forest Responses to Climate Change (’93 Ph.D.)
Josiah Johnston grew up in a rural part of the Ozark Mountains. He is great at construction and swinging a pick. Between college and grad school he lived in Baltimore for five years. When Josiah left for grad school, he was a tenured researcher in a genetics lab and had a seat on the board […]
Chris Jones is lead developer at the CoolClimate Network, an applied research consortium at UC Berkeley’s Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory that supports the development of comprehensive, socially integrated carbon footprint management tools and programs for individuals, schools, businesses and communities. His primary research interests intersect the fields of industrial ecology, environmental psychology, and climate […]
Financial Incentive Policies to Promote End-Use Solar Technologies in a Restructured Electricity Industry: Comparing the Costs (’97 M.A.)
Joe’s broad research interests include sustainable consumption and pro-environmental behavior change. His dissertation explores the linkages between psychological well-being and the environment, arguing that happiness and sustainability are synergistic concepts and that delving into how people use their time is a practical means of concurrently pursuing both goals. Joe’s own happiness has historically been pursued […]
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Ann Kinzig Ph.D. ’94 Professor in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University Perhaps more than most alumni, Ann Kinzig’s intellectual path has traversed ERG’s interdisciplinary bounds, grappling with the physical, life and social science aspects of the world’s ecological and social problems during, and especially after, her time at ERG. […]
"23% fewer women than men are online in developing countries. If no concerted effort is taken, that internet gap is going to grow. When women see role models—people doing things—it enables them and empowers them to think, 'Well, I can do that as well.' And, accessing the internet and using technologies exposes them to an entirely new world," says ERG Alum, Dr. Renee (Kuriyan) Wittemyer. She is Intel's Director of Social Impact.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: SHARAD LÉLÉ Ph.D. 1993 Senior Fellow, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (Bangalore) Sharad Lele never intended to become an academic. And even though his resume is chock-full of scholarly publications, he still believes that applying the interdisciplinary academic knowledge gained at ERG defines ERG’s crucial role. After all, he says, […]
Hongyou is a concurrent MS-MPP student in ERG and the Goldman School of Public Policy. She also works at the China Energy Group of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Her research focuses on industrial energy assessments, industrial energy efficiency, low carbon policies, and introducing international best practices to China. Her previous work also include tool […]
The Economic Costs and Potential of Increased Water-Use Efficiency in California’s Residential Sector (’02 M.A.)
Adrienne works on climate change adaptation and mitigation in the public and private forests and wild lands of California. She is interested in understanding how the natural resources in these areas, particularly water, are affected by climate change. How can we manage our forests and wild lands in order to reduce both the magnitude of […]
Andrea graduated from UC Merced with a BS in Applied Mathematics on Engineering Mechanics and a minor in Writing. During her time at UCM, Andrea interned for UCM Facilities as a Building Efficiency Intern aiding in UCM’s goal to meet a Triple Zero Challenge of zero net energy, emissions, and waste by 2020. Since graduation, […]
Measuring California’s Energy Service Affordability (MS ’19) Christian is fascinated by energy end-uses’ effect on communities’ economic and political well-being. While his formal scientific background is in biorenewable resources, his focus is on the sustainable development of holistic energy solutions based on socioeconomic, geographic, and natural resource characteristics for communities both domestic and developing abroad. […]
Reducing Photovoltaic System Costs by Use of Energy-Efficient Appliances (’85 M.A.)
Erica’s niche is fire, particularly in the ecologically sensitive region of French Polynesia. She has already been trained as a physicist, but her curiosity draws her to ecology. ERG has become a unique place for Erica to explore her aspirations in the biological sciences alongside those who have successfully trekked through similar transitions. Read in her own words how Erica has fine-tuned her fascinations while at ERG.
Development and Tests of Two Null Theories of Ecological Communities: a Fractal Theory and a Dispersal Assembly Theory (’04 PhD)
Monkgogi (who goes by MK) was born and raised in Botswana and recently graduated cum laude with her BA from Scripps College in Environment, Economics, and Politics. Personally, MK has worked extensively with and for underrepresent students in higher education through numerous leadership roles, mentorships, and volunteering opportunities. Access to and visibility of underrepresented students […]
Demand-side Knowledge for Sustainable Decarbonization in Resource Constrained Environments: Applied Research at the Intersection of Behavior, Data-mining, and Technology (PhD ’18) Links: Personal Website Life at ERG Blog Posts ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Ph.D. 2017 During his time as an ERG Ph.D. candidate, Diego worked on developing information and communication solutions and ubiquitous data products for reducing […]
The Implications of Time-of-Use (TOU) Electricity Rates Upon California’s Grid Load, GHG Emissions, Costs, and Potential for the Electric Space Heating and PEV Market (MA ’14)
Microbial Communities in Confiers of Klamath National Forest (MS ’19) I’m a first years master’s student and received a B.S. & B.A. from UC Berkeley in Integrative Biology and Molecular Environmental Biology. Prior to coming to ERG, I worked on quantifying rates of nitrogen fixation by bacteria associated with conifer foliage in Western U.S. forests. […]
Environmental, Economic, and Social Trade-Offs of Hydropower Relicensing (MS ’16) Joseph is interested in the social, environmental, and economic trade-offs in energy development, and in particular the social conflicts arising around utility-scale wind farm siting and hydropower relicensing. His master’s research focuses on the relicensing of the Yuba River Development Project, a large hydropower project […]
Jess studies the impact of and adaptation to climate change on Latin America’s coasts. Currently, she travels on her 39-foot sailboat, Oleada, down the Pacific coast of Mexico and Central America, through the Panama Canal, and into the Caribbean to document local climate knowledge through GIS mapping and personal narratives. You can follow her journey […]
John Romankiewicz is an MS/MPP candidate in the Energy & Resources Group and Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley. He is the VP of Membership for the Berkeley Energy and Resources Collaborative and a leader of the Cleanweb Berkeley community, through which he has organized clean energy hackathons on campus. Prior to grad […]
Creating a Smooth Pathway From Innovation to Commercialization within the California Public Interest Energy Research Program (’01 M.S.) Research Interests: Performance of policy and technical analyses to increase awareness of global warming in a solutions oriented campaign to reduce energy use in California. We are pressuring public entities to increase the use of energy efficiency, […]
Classes of Ecotoxicological Tests: Their Advantages and Disadvantages for Regulation (’81 MS)
The Impacts of Real-Time Selling and Net Metering on Life-Cycle Costs for Residential Fuel Cell Systems (’01 MS)
At ERG, I am exploring the barriers to renewable projects that are stalled or abandoned in emerging markets and potential solutions. By striving to answer that question, I hope to help move electricity sector development forward — especially in East Africa.
Decarbonizing Residential Space and Water Heating in California (PhD ’17) Imran Sheikh is interested in creating business-led solutions to environmental problems, with a particular focus on energy efficiency. His current research interests are around using smart meter and internet-connected thermostat data to better target energy efficiency investments. Prior to graduate school he was a consultant for […]
Growing Environmental Literacy: On Small-Scale Farms, in the Urban Agroecosystem, and in School Garden Classrooms (PhD ’20) Alana Siegner graduated from Tufts University in 2012 with a double major in Environmental Studies and International Relations. She was the Local Outreach Chair of the Tufts-Engineers Without Borders chapter, and spent 3 summers traveling to Uganda to […]
The world is witnessing a rapid advance in renewable energy with China as one in the forefront. However, adding enough renewable energy to satisfy China's growing power needs is quite complex. ERG Ph.D. candidate, Froy Sifuentes, focuses on the challenges of integrating wind power to help make China's grid cleaner. Read on and learn more about Froy and his work (and fun) at ERG.
Subsurface Controls on Carbon Dynamics in a Changing Arctic Ecosystem (PhD ’18) Terrestrial Biological Carbon Dioxide Removal: An Ecological Perspective (MS ’12) Lydia’s research takes her to the Alaskan Arctic, where she studies soil carbon turnover and greenhouse gas emissions. Her primary interests are mechanisms of soil carbon stabilization, soil microbes, and methane. She loves […]
Private Cost of Public Action: Costs to Western Coal Producers of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (’82 M.S.)
"In a sense, we’re going through a transition here. The industry is going through a transition that we’re only seeing the beginning of,” says Dr. Cyrus Wadia (PhD’08). Cyrus knows about transitions. He has been a policy advocate, business entrepreneur and scientific innovator for clean energy and human welfare prior, throughout and since his time at ERG. He has not only observed but has been part of the change in the world’s switch to solar. His multiple hats and his work on the frontline edge of policy, economics and science made him a perfect fit for the interdisciplinary program at ERG.
M.S. 1986 – A Vehicular Power Plant Application of the Monolithic Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Ph.D. 1995 – Fan-Lizhi’s Big Bang: Science and Politics in Mao’s China ERG alumnus Jim Williams, now a professor at the University of San Francisco, is a global thought leader in the area of low-carbon energy systems. At USF his focus is on […]
Alternative Windpower Ownership Structures: Financing Terms and Project Costs (’96 MS) Public Goods and Private Interests: The Role of Voluntary Green Power Demand in Achieving Environmental Improvements (’02 PhD)
In the tradition of Barad and Haraway, I practice Science and Technology Studies (STS) “from the inside”, drawing on my own natural science training to inform the theoretical frameworks I develop. My interdisciplinary outlook is grounded in training, publication, and research in hydrology, aquatic ecology, and fluvial geomorphology, as well as in social science and […]
In a recent MIT Technology Review article, alumna Barbara Haya raises concerns of Amazon's carbon offset programs, providing research depicting that such programs can significantly overstate carbon reductions. She states that this could potentially result in Amazon exaggerating progress towards its goal of "net zero" emissions. "Under the rules for the reduced harvesting practice, landowners would generally only need to account for a 10% leakage rate in their calculations. This suggests that even if the family forest projects do draw down significant additional carbon, much of the benefit could be wiped out by larger harvests elsewhere, limiting the real-world climate benefits," Haya states.
COVID Wastewater Epidemiology for the Bay Area Project (COVID-WEB) is a pop-up lab dedicated to monitoring Bay Area sewage for COVID-19, with ERG alumna Sasha Harris-Lovett as one of the several UC Berkeley scientists and researchers heavily involved with the project. The lab analyzes 30 samples each week, contributing valuable data to health officials keeping track of outbreaks in neighborhoods lacking in COVID tests and health care. "Having a regional wastewater monitoring system is like having a fire lookout on a mountaintop,” says Harris-Lovett in the Berkeley News. “We want to be able to see smoke and marshall resources to put out the fire before it becomes an inferno."
In a new Berkeley study “2035 – The Report: Plummeting Solar, Wind, and Battery Costs Can Accelerate Our Clean Energy Future,” ERG professor Dan Kammen comments that its findings of the U.S. being able to achieve 90% carbon-free, “clean” electricity could become a reality. "That goal – 90% carbon-free electricity by 2035 – can be achieved without increasing consumer electricity costs 'at all,'" Kammen states. "Solar, wind, and storage costs have fallen so significantly that even conservative leaders, conservative states, districts, countries can legitimately look at renewables, and actually economically need to look at renewables, as their next purchases.”
ERG PhD student Esther Shears recently published her work in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Her publication, titled "Improving data access democratizes and diversifies science", focuses on how critical data access is for empirical research and the diversity of scientific research. Shears shares a two-sentence summary from the abstract of what she found from her analysis, stating that "Scientists who start using Landsat data after access is improved tend to focus on previously understudied regions close to their home location and introduce novel research topics. These findings suggest that policies that improve access to valuable scientific data may promote scientific progress, reduce inequality among scientists, and increase the diversity of scientific research."
In a recent article for The Guardian, ERG Alumnus Zeke Hausfather speaks on climate predictions and adjusting forecasts for global warming — including the best and worst case scenarios.
ERG Professor Lara Kueppers recently co-authored a research paper titled "Pervasive shifts in forest dynamics in a changing world". The research focuses on how global warming negatively impacts forests around the world, "resulting in shorter and younger trees with broad impacts on global ecosystems." Furthermore, the paper was picked up on various media sources, including Forbes, Science, Berkeley Lab, and others.
ERG Alumnus Daniel Sanchez was recently featured in Breakthroughs, the magazine of the Rausser College of Natural Resources, for his work as a Cooperative Extension specialist. Along with other featured specialists, the article focuses on their work on "tackling climate change's impacts on Californians."
ERG professor Dan Kamen along with eight other UC Berkeley faculty members has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS), "a 240-year-old organization honoring the country’s most accomplished artists, scholars, scientists and leaders."
ERG Professor Dan Kammen has recently been featured on various news media sources, including The Guardian, KQED, San Francisco Chroncicle and more to discuss how Covid-19 has emphasized the need to fight climate change.
ERG PhD student Julia Szinai, ERG Alumnus Anand Gopal, and two other co-authors from Lawrence Berkeley National Lab have recently published a collaborative research paper on ScienceDirect.
In a recent article published by Nature, ERG Alumnus Zeke Hausfather suggests that using a more-realistic baselines for emissions would make for better policy in fighting global warming.
ERG MS/PHD student Stephen Jarvis, in collaboration with economists Olivier Deschenes and Akshaya Jha, had their research paper cited in the Forbes article titled "As The Costs Of Germany’s Nuclear Phase Out Mount, Little Appetite For A Rethink".
Several ERGies recently contributed articles to an IEEE Special Issue on "Electricity for All: Issues, Challenges, and Solutions for Energy-Disadvantaged Communities."
Carla Peterman, an ERG alumna, brings her numerous experience in public service for her new position in Southern California Edison (SCE), one of the nation's largest electric utilities.
Recent ERG Alumnus, Zeke Hausfather (PhD '19) was quoted in the New York Times last week, with two correspondents reaching out to the climate change expert for commentary.
Recent ERG alum Noah Kittner (MS ’15, PhD ’18) and professor Dan Kammen, along with Stanford postdoc Rafael Schmitt and UC Berkeley professor of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Matt Kondolf, published an article this week in Nature. They argue that solar and wind energies are key to maintaining both environmental and human health in […]
A recent article from UC Berkeley’s Blum Center considers the lessons learned from the trial run of Next drop, an application intended to help residents of Bangalore, India optimize their time dedicated towards collecting water. NextDrop was designed to alert households in Bangalore when they should expect to receive water, based off of real-time data […]
Governor Gavin Newsom’s office has released three appointments to the new Commission on Catastrophic Wildfire Cost and Recovery, which includes ERG alumna Carla Peterman (PhD ’17). Peterman served as a commissioner on the California Public Utilities Commission from 2013 to 2018. She will be joined on the five-person commission by former California Insurance Commissioner David […]
InFEWS fellowships are granted to students whose PhD research aims to provide lasting environmental solutions and alleviate poverty in the world’s poorest regions. The Blum Center for Developing Economies recently sat down with four of its current InFEWS fellows to talk about the global challenges they are addressing, including ERG PhD student Chris Hyun: “I […]
“So while President Macron has highlighted the need for funds to invest in clean energy, that is not actually what was planned,” Mr. Kammen said.
It is with a very heavy heart that I have to pass on the news that University of California Berkeley Energy and Resources Group (ERG) core faculty emeritus Gene Rochlin passed away this weekend.
Nature Energy recently published research by ERG PhD Student Jonathan Lee and Professor Duncan Callaway quantifying the cost of reliability for decentralized solar and battery systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. Their research finds that falling costs of solar photovoltaics and lithium-ion batteries is enabling decentralized solar plus storage systems to be increasingly cost-competitive with traditional electricity […]
In an article examining the costs of carbon pollution "outsourcing" this week, The New York Times featured a report co-authored by ERG student Cecilia Springer.
The Energy and Resources Group has announced two new courses this fall addressing current, timely topics in energy and environment. Registration is open.
ERG alumnus Patrick Gonzalez (PhD ’97) has been selected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to be a lead author for a chapter about freshwater ecosystems in their next milestone report, “Climate Change 2021: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability.” The IPCC is the scientific panel that produces the authoritative reports on human-caused climate change, […]
Congratulations to ERG alum Jesse Ribot, who received the 2018 John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship in the field of Geography and Environmental Studies. The award aims to further the development of scholars and artists by assisting them to engage in research in any field of knowledge. Jesse Ribot is an Africanist scholar specializing in rural […]
This week, the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced the recipients of their Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). The program recruits high-potential, early-career scientists and engineers and supports their graduate research training in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. 2,000 winners were selected from more than 12,000 applicants who came from all 50 U.S. states, as […]
“Gamechangers. Engineers. Innovators. Researchers. Entrepreneurs. These are just a few of the words that describe the outstanding women of the Blum Center ecosystem. In honor of National Women’s History month, the Blum Center recognizes the outstanding work, achievements, and global impacts of these trailblazing women.” This month, ERG Professor Isha Ray was recognized as a […]
A team of scientists at the University of Utah as well as several other universities decided to take a closer look at the effects of expanding suburban communities near Salt Lake City, UT over the past decade. The atmospheric researchers found that “carbon dioxide emissions increased as suburban areas developed to the southwest of Salt […]
Mexico City is one of the most congested cities in the world, and it’s taking a toll on the health of its citizens and the environment. Sergio Castellanos, a postdoctoral scholar with Energy and Resources Group, along with Dan Kammen and other researchers from UC Berkeley and the National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change […]
Recently, scientists from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that 2017 was among the warmest years in history. While the two agencies approach global temperature measurements differently, both confirmed that “the 2017 results make the past four years the hottest period in their 138-year archive.” ERG’s Zeke Hausfather, a PhD student studying climate […]
The David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship is a renowned postdoctoral program designed to support early-career scientists tackling the world’s most pressing conservation challenges. Throughout their research, the fellows partner with a major academic institution as well as an “on the ground” organization to bridge the gap between theory and application. This week, The Society […]
The European Union has set ambitious goals for its renewable energy portfolio in order to drastically reduce emissions by 2030. However, the current version of its plan essentially allows for the deforestation and burning of trees, as a coal alternative, in order to produce energy. A recent report published in The Guardian, co-authored by ERG […]
In a recent Nature article, ERG Professor Dan Kammen comments on the potential establishment of a California-based climate change research institute. The proposal is backed by all University of California campuses, Stanford University, the California Institute of Technology, amongst others. The leading panel of researchers hopes to have a proposal to the California state legislature prepared […]
In a Climate Science & Policy Article co-authored by Nicky Sundt, an ERG alum (MA ’79), former ERG chair John Holdren criticizes the “red-team/blue-team” exercise proposed by EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt and DOE Secretary Rick Perry, amongst others. He claims that the exercise would serve not to reach a consensus on climate change, as Pruitt […]
Noah Kittner and Dan Kammen's new paper, "Energy storage deployment and innovation for the clean energy transition," was published in Nature Energy on July 31, 2017
We are pleased to announce the appointment of the new Energy and Resources Group Chair, Professor Daniel M. Kammen. His appointment began July 1, 2017. Daniel Kammen is a Professor of Energy with appointments in the Energy and Resources Group, The Goldman School of Public Policy, and the Department of Nuclear Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. […]
“The fossil-free economy is already profitable.”
"Safe drinking water and sanitation are indispensable to sustain life and health, and fundamental to the dignity of all.”
ERG Ph.D. candidate Grace Wu is featured in this IEEE Spectrum article on a tool called Multicriteria Analysis for Planning Renewable Energy (MapRE)
ERG associate professor Duncan Callaway co-authored this post with ARE associate professor Meredith Fowlie for the Energy Institute at Haas blog on grid dis-integration and the potential economic effects of grid defection.
ERG PhD students Ranjit Deshmukh and Grace Wu discuss their research on cost-efficient renewable energy solutions to meet Africa's energy demands with Berkeley Lab.
The Energy and Resources Group is delighted to announce the arrival of new core faculty member Lara Kueppers.
Daniel Kammen comments for Scientific American on the opportunities scientists think they can seize with the appointment of Trump's climate skeptics.
ERG professor Daniel Kammen is quoted in two Scientific American articles on the COP22 and his reactions Trump's victory.
Nine experts, including ERG Professor Daniel Kammen, reflect on where researchers should direct their efforts during the next US administration.
ERG Professor Daniel Kammen discusses how renewable energy offers a road out of poverty, while coal condemns people to it.
ERG Professor David Anthoff discusses climate change at the international level for Berkeley's C&R Breakthroughs magazine.
ERG professor Dan Kammen commented for the Washington Post on the uncertainty of negative emissions as a viable fix for the planet's warming.
ERG PhD candidate Jalel Sager, coauthored an article on President Obama's visit to Laos this week.
ERG professor Dan Kammen spoke on a Cornell University panel on the potential of nuclear power to address global climate change.
The New York Times featured ERG PhD student Nate Aden in an article on Decoupling Economic Growth from Carbon Emissions.
ERG Professor Daniel Kammen has been appointed as one of five U.S. Science Envoys by the US State Department.
ERG is offering four of its most popular courses this summer! Enroll Today!
ERG PhD student Zeke Hausfather examines threats to the Clean Power Plan that the EPA might have overlooked.
The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris has begun and will continue until December 11th. Energy and Resources Group faculty, students and alumni will be playing an active role at the conference and the many peripheral activities.
ERG Professor John Harte was featured on Environmental Health News speaking of how the implementation of sustainable energy will play an important role in future food security.
ERG Professor Daniel Kammen was featured in two magazine publications regarding Obama's Clean Power Plan and the impacts it might have on the U.S. population.
ERG & RAEL students present and engage at scientific conference “Our Common Future under Climate Change” ahead of COP21
ERG Professor Duncan Callaway and and ERG student Michael Cohen's (MS '12) release report on Economic Effects of Distributed PV Generation on California's Distribution System.
How Zimmerman (MS'08), ERGies and colleagues started to "save the planet" by getting Cal capped
ERG core and affiliated faculty present at conference, “Reducing Inequality in a Sustainable World.”
"We wanted to help policymakers and members of the general public understand that household heating with biomass is a complicated issue," says ERG PhD candidate Zoë Chafe.
Look who's Ms. April... PhD candidate in calendar produced by ERG alum to inspire young girls toward science and math.
Paper published in Nature by Daniel Feldman and other LBL scientists, including ERG core faculty Margaret Torn.
Which way forward for the social cost of carbon? Environmental economists explain next steps in Science Magazine.
UC faculty, alumni and student activists say it's time to take divestment seriously. Professor Kammen gives insight into why in the East Bay Express.
Watch White House scientists, including Dr. Cyrus Wadia (ERG MS'06, PhD'08), talk about the White House's shift toward renewables.
Rebekah Shirley (ERG PhD) and Professor Dan Kammen show how small-scale energy can work in the Pacific Islands.
Watch Sunita Narain's "thought provoking and disturbing" conversation during ERG's 20th Annual Lecture co-hosted with the Center for South Asia Studies.
From the bottom up : how small power producers and mini-grids can deliver electrification and renewable energy in Africa
ERG's Kammen and Haas' Wolfram don't exactly see eye-to-eye on energy in NPR interview.
Jalel Sager (PhD candidate) and Austin Cappon (Minor) head to Nairobi, Kenya to pick up UN prize for a sustainable energy development project in Vietnam.
ERG Ph.D. student and co-founder of StreetLight Data, Laura Schewel, talks about startups in the Bay Area in the October 14, 2013 issue of the New Yorker.
Reshaping the relationships in Ungula’s electricity sector: the advent of the prepay meter (MS ’15) Presumptions and Precarity: Probing Electricity Infrastructure (PhD ’20) Veronica Jacome is a PhD student in the Energy and Resources Group (ERG) and holds a BS in Engineering Physics from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. At ERG, Veronica focuses on the […]