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.

Daniel Kam­men is the Class of 1935 Dis­tin­guished 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.

Dr. Koshland’s research is at the intersection of energy, air pollution and environmental (human) health emphasizing mechanistic approaches as well as a systems perspective. It is conducted at multiple scales, from mechanistic analyses of combustion products in flow reactors to control strategies in urban airsheds to studies of human health.

Lara Kueppers is an Assistant 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.

Kelsey is interested in how global economic and climate policies influence national environmental governance and impact vulnerable communities, particularly in developing economies and conflict environments. At ERG she looks forward to exploring interdisciplinary approaches to developing energy policies and project implementation that are rights-based and community-driven. Kelsey spent the last 10 years advocating on related […]

Richard applies computational and mathematical techniques to better understand the complex interface of society and the environment. His work includes developing (a) in silico models to exlore ecoevolutionary interactions over long time scales and (b) high-speed algorithms for understanding landscape use and evolution. A recipient of both the DOE CSGF and the NSF GRFP fellowships, […]

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 variety of disciplines to understand how people might interact with these new […]

An interest in the human dimensions of climate change – in particular, in understanding the dynamics of power and agency in responses to climate change – has always been at the heart of Ella’s work. She graduated from McGill University with a B.A. Joint Honors in Environmental Studies and Economics in 2016, where she studied […]

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 […]

As a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellow, Ian develops tools to extract information from remote sensing imagery and climate data. He uses that information to drive improvements in forecasts of the impacts of climate change on water – both oceans and freshwater. In parallel to impact analysis work, Ian’s interests also span […]

Bodie’s interests lie at the intersection of health, environment, and energy access. To date, Bodie has primarily focused on modernizing cooking in South Asia and Sub Saharan Africa. This work has taken him from rural villages building mud “chulhas” to high-tech cookstove manufacturing and testing facilities. Presently, he is working to understand the social, economic, […]

Jess Carney is interested in understanding how sustainable energy integration impacts power grids and electricity markets. She received her undergraduate degree at Johns Hopkins University in 2018, where she majored in Environmental Science and minored in Applied Mathematics and Statistics. She has held internships at the Independent System Operator or New England (ISO-NE), studying environmental […]

Jack Chang is interested in researching new strategies for communicating sustainability policy and science, as well as for improving renewable energy development and environmental governance in developing countries. He has worked as a journalist for two decades in California, Washington, D.C., Latin America and China, for companies such as The Associated Press, McClatchy and The […]

A native of Utah, Nick holds a BA in Environmental Studies from Westminster College in Salt Lake City. He has focused his career on real-time environmental monitoring, previous working at Oberlin College and Lucid on energy and resource monitoring. Prior to ERG, he lived in China, first as a Henry Luce Scholar in 2015 focused […]

Yoshika has a B.S. and M.S. in Environmental Engineering from Stanford University. She combines methods from environmental engineering and public health to study safe water and sanitation, with a focus on South Asia. In particular, she is interested in implications for gender equity and improvements in maternal, neonatal, and child health. Her previous work has […]

John is interested in the geographic dimensions of environmental politics and policy. As an undergraduate researcher, he used geospatial tools to connect the environmental history of North Georgia to observed changes in land use. As a Masters candidate, his research explored the politics of distributed solar energy in conservative-leaning states. He is also very interested […]

Nick earned his BS in Hydrology along with a minor in Environmental Policy from UC Davis in 2013. Since graduating, he spent over three years working for the Stockholm Environment Institute based in their Davis, CA office participating in watershed modeling and management projects for river basins in California, Perú, and Ecuador. He then worked […]

Frank grew up on the central New Jersey coast, completing a B.A. in Political Science with a concentration in Environmental Policy & Sustainability from the Richard Stockton College. He went on to earn an M.A. from Columbia University’s Climate and Society Program, focusing on atmospheric science and international economic development. Upon graduation Frank worked on […]

Isa is a MS/PhD student in the Energy and Resources Group. She is interested in the impact of renewable energy on rural electrification, global development, and the domestic energy sector. Previously, Isa gained experience on both the technical and applied sides of renewable energy. She researched innovative energy materials at Duke University and the National […]

Nancy Freitas grew up in Tucson, Arizona and received her B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Arizona (UA). She worked in environmental conservation with Peace Corps Paraguay and then helped run the Bio/Diversity Project, a STEM outreach and education program, at the UA. At ERG Nancy’s research focuses on how carbon cycling in […]

Jess’s research is motivated by fundamental questions about the way we value environments and urgent questions regarding the equitable distribution of clean water in complex environments. In this vein, she is currently researching (1) ecosystem and biodiversity valuation in the European context, drawing on science & technology studies, ecological economics, and geography and (2) affordability […]

Anaya is a PhD student in the Energy and Resources Group (ERG) at UC Berkeley. Prior to joining ERG, Anaya attended the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University where she earned a Master of Science in Agriculture, Food and Environment and a Certificate in Water Systems. As an InFEWS and DS421 […]

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 and business development to expand the adoption of novel, sustainable crops on marginal land. This work exposed […]

Hilary is interested in developing innovative conservation tools for the lands and waters in the Western United States using applied science, policy, and community engagement. She graduated Duke University in 2012 with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Policy. Over the past five years, she has worked for the Gunnison Public Lands Initiative on […]

Through whatever I do, I want to help create a better society and a better environment. Though I’ve been involved in a variety of projects in the water and sanitation sector, I have recently published about my study on street-level bureaucracy of intermittent water supply in India (where I followed water valvemen around by foot and […]

Kripa earned a BS in Botany from the University of Delhi, and a Masters in Environmental Studies from TERI University. Since 2007 to 2012, she worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in their Climate Change and Sustainability division. There, she managed several Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Climate Change advisory assignments for international organizations, corporate clients, and […]

At ERG, Jessica is focusing on learning advanced methods to comprehensively evaluate the ecological, economic, and societal impacts of development pathways in and beyond the energy sector. She joins ERG from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, where she has led analysis projects to provide technical assistance to emerging economies as they transition to cleaner, advanced […]

Eli is an Ecological Economist working toward the development of a metric combining the elements of sustainability, efficiency, and welfare as core values. He is interested in the potential of re-framing and quantifying value beyond the market mechanism in order to address the most profound problems we face as a species. Most recently, Eli was […]

Catherine received a BA in Economics from Dartmouth College, with a minor in Environmental Studies. Prior to coming to ERG, she worked on issues related to U.S. energy policy and integrated assessment modeling at the Joint Global Change Research Institute. At ERG, she is interested in using statistical techniques to explore the impacts of climate […]

Jonathan studies transitions in electric power systems and electricity markets, specifically microgrids and distributed energy resources, the role of new technologies in grid planning, and the effects of the physical structure of power systems on social equity. He is interested in both industrial contexts and unelectrified rural areas, and has done electrification work in Nicaragua, […]

Inspired by ecological economics, Niklas is focused on global governance of production and consumption. At ERG, he is combining data analysis with case studies to examine the apparel industry’s attempt to improve environmental outcomes and to acquire political legitimacy. Niklas is a part of a NSF NRT for data science, and has contributed to data-based […]

Jason is interested in optimization and control of distributed energy resources to support renewable energy integration into the electricity grid. He works at Lawrence Berkeley National lab researching wholesale electricity market integrated demand response and electric vehicles, particularly to provide fast reliability services. He graduated with from University of Michigan with an MS in Natural […]

Margaret is pursuing an MS/MPP with ERG and the Goldman Policy School. At Berkeley, she hopes to focus on demand flexibility (a key aspect of greening the power grid) and electric vehicles (the future of transportation), and ideally on how the two intersect. She is coming to Berkeley from Rocky Mountain Institute, where her interest […]

Laura is deeply passionate about reducing food waste. From digging through trash to looking inside of people’s refrigerators, Laura researches household-level food waste in the United States with a focus on measurement and behavior. Her research goes beyond the “what?” and “how much?” to understand why people waste food in households. Using both qualitative and […]

Adam returned to graduate school after nine years of legal practice specializing in environmental, energy, and natural resources litigation. His research interests – ranging across the environmental, energy, and natural resources sectors – include public policy analysis and development, public administration and management, environmental politics, regulatory development, and legal and environmental philosophy. Adam holds an […]

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. I’m broadly interested in the dynamics of community-level responses to […]

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 […]

Jenny grew up in Fresno, California, and graduated from Stanford University with an interdisciplinary environmental science and policy degree in Earth Systems. She has supported community-led social justice movements through philanthropy, policy, organizing, and research, most recently at the grassroots nonprofit organization Community Water Center. Previously, Jenny worked at the Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation and […]

Lisa is interested in using computer science to explore issues related to the economic impacts of climate change. She has spent the past three years working at an environmental consulting firm called Industrial Economics Inc. where she leveraged data analysis, computer programming, and GIS to work on projects related to the economic affects of climate […]

Laura studies the environmental impacts of transportation in the developed world. She focuses on new methods of data collection and analysis to better understand the various levers behind driving behavior, the effectiveness of policies to reduce driving, and the interaction of freight and driving-for-shopping. Laura has been a Berkeley Fellow and a Research Fellow of […]

Esther’s research centers around climate finance mechanisms and environmental justice at a global scale. She is also interested in integrated assessment models and the impact of climate change on the future landscape of the coffee and tea industries. Prior to beginning her graduate studies at UC Berkeley, she worked for the U.S. Department of Justice […]

Samira is a PhD student in the Energy and Resources Group and researcher at the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory. Her research focuses on development for stateless people and migrants, most recently on energy access and the development priorities of UN agencies and NGOs in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. As a researcher at […]

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 work on an EWB clean water storage project. Before coming to ERG, Alana served for 2 years […]

Jesse is a student in the concurrent Master’s degree program at ERG and the Goldman School of Public Policy. His research focuses on the political economy of energy transition. He graduated from Brown University with a degree in Anthropology focused on Latin American Studies, and spent the next 7 years working as a labor and […]

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 […]

Elif is interested in the relationship between energy infrastructure and economic growth in developing countries. She holds a B.S. in Earth Systems from Stanford University and an MSc in Environmental Economics from the London School of Economics, where she studied as a Fulbright fellow.   LinkedIn elif_tasar@berkeley.edu

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 Berkeley in 2011, and her undergraduate research focused on critical approaches to GIS technology […]

Valeri Vasquez is a PhD student with the Energy and Resources Group (ERG) and a Moore/Sloan Fellow at the Berkeley Institute for Data Science (BIDS). Her research interests include the use of mathematical models to examine drivers of infectious diseases. Prior to graduate school, Valeri focused on international and domestic climate and energy issues at […]

Tzipora’s is interested in water resources and the role of technology in promoting sustainability, especially in the developing world. Prior to ERG, she worked as a process engineer at Cambrian Innovation Inc, a clean-tech wastewater treatment startup based in the Boston area, where she designed, developed, and deployed energy-positive wastewater treatment systems for the food […]

Cody applies statistical and econometric models to the electricity sector and studies how we can consume electricity more efficiently. Going forward, Cody is interested in applying economic concepts to emissions markets in order to minimize damages to society and the environment. Prior to joining the ERG community, Cody was a Senior Research Analyst with The […]

Marshall’s interests lie in environmental governance and ecology, in particular, the relationships among regulatory structure, conflict, and ecosystem outcomes. Before ERG, Marshall was the content manager for a Taipei-based startup working on the demand side of the energy efficiency and renewable transition equation. At ERG, he hopes to build on his background as a writer […]

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 the factors – political, economic, and social – that inform the translation of science into legislation. […]

Peter’s research focus areas are information technology approaches to energy development, understanding markets for demand-side energy technology, and energy technology policy. Outside of academics, he contributes to the Lighting Global program, which supports the market for modern off-grid lighting in the developing world. Peter’s work for Lighting Global includes technical and engineering support, policy development, […]

Consumer Desire and the Environment: The Case of Light Trucks (98 MS)

Energy and Materials Implications of Passive Solar Heating Technologies (77 M.S.) Conservation vs. Energy Supply: An Economic and Environmental Comparison of Alternatives for Space Conditioning of New Residences (87 Ph. D.)

Regulation of Environmental Impacts of Hydroelectricity Production: The United States and Costa Rica (89 MS)

Nkiruka has expertise in solar grid integration and climate policy in California, and in electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. She draws from engineering and urban planning disciplines to envision how the renewable energy transition could lead to equitable socio-technical systems. She also holds a master’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from […]

Fuel from the Savanna: The Social and Environmental Implications of the Charcoal Trade in Sub-Saharan Africa (’05 PhD)

Expertise and Uncertainty in Environmental Regulation: An Analysis of California’s Smog Check Program (02 PhD)

Resource Endowments of the San Francisco Bay Region Prior to European Settlement: Baseline Data, Interpretation, and Observations Relevant to the Potential for Environmental Restoration (80 MA)

Economic Valuation of the Environmental Impacts of the Kayraktepe Dam/Hydroelectric Power Plant in Turkey: An Exercise Contingent Valuation and Benefit-Cost Analysis (’95 M.S.) Prospects for Local Community Participation in the Management of the Goksu Delta Protected Special Area in Turkey (’98 Ph.D.)

The Costs of Environmental Degradation (’78 M.S.) Emission Sources Contributing to Acid Precipitation in the Western United States (’86 Ph.D.)

Uncle in the Valley: State Capacity and Rural Restructuring in the Tennessee Valley (’94 M.A.) New South, New Nature: Regional Industrialization and Environmental Change in the Post-New Deal American South (’02 Ph.D.)

Renewable Energy Systems in Rural Eritrea – Concepts for Three Wind-Powered, Village-Scale, Clean Development Mechanism Projects (MA ’05) Building an International Administrative Law of Expertise: Law and Science in the International Regulation of Trade, Health and the Environment. (PhD ’13)  

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.

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."

Andrew does applied empirical research at the intersection of international development and the environment. His goals center on the provision of rigorous evidence to inform policies aimed at enabling sustainable human development in a carbon-constrained and warming world. His PhD work centers on a randomized-controlled trial on the impact and adoption of biochar – a […]

Lara is interested in the relationship between social inequalities and the environment, including how environmental and social stressors interact to impact health. Her work seeks to better understand the disproportionate burden of pollutants and climate change risk faced by low income communities of color in the U.S., and to develop tools to help policy-makers address […]

The Geopressured Geothermal Resource of the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast: A Technology Characterization and Environmental Assessment (’80 M.A.)

REDD Hot: How One Community Defends its Forest One Carbon Credit at a Time (MS ’14) Tanya was born and grew up in Bulgaria. She came to ERG after a career in Army medicine and an environmental science degree from University of London. For her masters project, she is interested in how environmental protection laws […]

Alex Dolginow is a Master’s degree candidate interested in understanding appropriate design and conditions for ‘environmental markets,’ such as trading of carbon, water, and conserved land. He hopes to combine economic, policy, and technical approaches to analyze such markets in places like Brazil and Indonesia. Prior to Cal, Alex worked as a strategy consultant with […]

Commoditizing Carbon: Social and Environmental Implications of Trading Carbon Emissions Entitlements (MA 94) The Agrarian Question and the Institutionalization of Groundwater Exchange in Gujarat, India (PhD 98)

Community-based Environmental Protection: Watershed Restoration in the Waimanalo Ahupua’a (’00 M.S.)

Transportation Energy Use in Bolivia: Environmental Implications, Policy Perspectives (MS ’96)

Is All Research Created Equal? Institutional Credibility and Technical Expertise in Environmental Policymaking at US EPA (02 PhD)

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 […]

The Distribution of Air Pollution, By Income and Race (’90 M.S.) Race, Class, and Outdoor Air Pollution: The Dynamics of Environmental Discrimination from 1970-1990 (’93 Ph.D.)

Shifting Environmental Trends: A Life-Cycle, Consumption-Based Approach to Environmental Indicators (’04 MA) Rule by Aesthetics: World-Class City Making in Delhi (’10 PhD)

Environmental Consequences of Hydroelectric Development: The Issue of Size (’80 M.S.) Regional Water Availability and Global Climatic Change: The Hydrological Consequences of Increases in Atmospheric CO2 and Other Trace Gases (’86 Ph.D.)

Life of Sugar: Developing Lifecycle Methods to Evaluate the Energy and Environmental Impacts of Sugarcane Biofuels (PhD ’11)

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 current best practices for developing novel products, agnostic of geographic, […]

The Global Environment, A Curriculum for Secondary Schools (’90 M.S.) The Energetics of Advanced Integrated Wastewater Pond Systems (’98 Ph.D.)

A Critical Analysis of the Environmental Impact Assessment for Costa Rica’s Siquirres Hydroelectric Project (MS ’97) Can Household Consumers Save the Wild Fish? Lessons from a Sustainable Seafood Advisory (PhD ’10)

Sasha Harris-Lovett is a PhD candidate in the Energy and Resources Group and a NSF Graduate Research Program Fellow. Her research focuses 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. Outside of school, she works […]

Science and the People: The Use of Technical Information about Air Pollution by Local Environmental Groups (’97 M.S.)

Renewable Energy Landscape of Indigenous Nations in the United States, Canada, and Australia (MS ’12) Lindsay is from Teec Nos Pos, Arizona located on the Navajo Nation. She’s interested in developing renewable energy projects for economic development that adheres to core philosophies by a Nation. Lindsay’s research work includes effective regional electricity planning in the […]

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: ARNE JACOBSON Ph.D. 2004 Professor in the Department of Environmental Resources Engineering at Humboldt State University   From his post at Humboldt State University, Arne Jacobson passionately extends his PhD research addressing the real-world barriers to providing clean energy for poor people in developing countries.  In so doing, he plays a critical role […]

Trade and the Choice of Environmental Law (’03 MS) A Seasonal Perspective on Regional Air Quality in Central California (’08 PhD)

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 […]

Environmental policy making; balancing short-term pressures with long-term needs; climate changes policies; economics; decision analysis; ecology.

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 […]

Aquarian Transitions: Technological Change, Environmental Uncertainty, and Salmon Production on North America’s Pacific Coast (’00 Ph.D.)

Noah is an MS/PhD student at ERG. After graduating with a BS in Environmental Science from UNC-Chapel Hill, Noah was a Fulbright Fellow at the Joint Graduate School for Energy and the Environment in Thailand researching technical and policy aspects of solar electricity and sustainability assessment. He has installed solar panels in Mexico and conducted […]

Reduce, Reuse, Regulate: Repurposing the Clean Air Act to Limit Power Plants’ Carbon Emissions (MS ’14) Alison will graduate in Spring 2014 with an ERG M.S. and a J.D. from Berkeley Law. She’s interested in using legal tools to instigate the clean energy revolution, including novel applications of existing law (especially the Clean Air Act […]

A Review of EPA’s Evaluation of the Environmental Impacts of New Source Performance Standards for Fossil Fuel Power Plants (’78 M.A.)

"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, […]

Morgan Levy is a postdoctoral researcher currently investigating hydrological, climatological, and environmental determinants of disease in the Environmental Health Sciences Division of the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley. Morgan holds a PhD (2016) and M.S. (2012) in Energy and Resources, and a M.A. in Statistics (2013) from UC Berkeley. Morgan’s […]

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT This ERG alumni spotlight features one of the first ERG graduate students, David Marcus (MA’77), and is written by ERG alumna, Sarita Sarvate (MS’78). The piece is the first of a series of stories on the achievements and journeys of alumni, showcasing their life after ERG. Small is Beautiful by Sarita Sarvate (MS’78) One summer […]

Exposure to Motor Vehicle Emissions: An Intake Fraction Approach (02 MS) Inhalation of Vehicle Emissions in Urban Environments (05 PhD)

Peter Marsters is a Master’s candidate at ERG focusing on the environmental impacts of unconventional fossil fuel developments. He came to ERG from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado where he focused on water issues related to unconventional fossil fuel development. His previous experience includes several years at the Woodrow Wilson Center’s China […]

Sustainable Energy Scenarios for Rural Mexico: An Integrated Evaluation Framework for Cooking Stoves (’90 M.S.) Socioeconomic and Environmental Implications of Fuelwood Use Dynamics and Fuel Switching in Rural Mexico (’95 PhD)

Questioning Sustainability: Environmental and Social Aspects of Reforestation in Northwestern Costa Rica (’97 MA) Environmental Enforcement and the Rule of Law in Brazil (’04 PhD)

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions, System Flexibility Requirements, and Drivers of Storage Deployment in the Western North American Power System through 2050 (PhD ’14) Ana’s PhD research is in modeling electricity systems with high penetration levels of intermittent renewable energy to identify technological and policy alternatives for cost-effective emission reductions. While her work focuses on the […]

Environmental Justice? An Analysis of Air Pollution and Power Plants in California (’04 MA) Bordering on Water Management: Ground and Wastewater in the United States-Mexico Transboundary Santa Cruz Basin (’09 PhD)

Sunlight Through the Clouds: Economic and Environmental Effects of Centralized and Dispersed Photovoltaic Power Systems in Electric-Utility Applications (’83 Ph.D.)

Biomass as an Energy Resource: An Economic and Environmental Investigation (’82 PhD)

From Environmental Security to Peacemaking: A Case Study of the Nile River Basin (’10 MS)

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.

State, Industry, and the Environment in Vietnam: Obstacles and Opportunities for Industrial Development (’95 M.S.) Community-Driven Regulation: The Political Economy of Pollution in Vietnam (’99 Ph.D.)

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 […]

Education, Public Issues, and Everyday Relevance: Making the Links in the Development of a Middle School Life Science Curriculum (99 MA) Grounds for Action: Community and Science in Environmental Justice Controversy (05 PhD)

Environmental Pollution and Cancer in California: Evaluating the Significance of Risks under Proposition 65 (’88 M.S.)

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 waste in cities of Latin America. “People at ERG looked like misfits. They seemed like people who could not be placed […]

Responses to Environmental Injustice in the Siting of Hazardous Waste Facilities: Public Participation and Legal Strategies (’92 M.S.)

Autumn Petros-Good received her B.S. in Engineering from Harvey Mudd College in 2009, and her M.S. from ERG in 2011 and her PhD from ERG in 2015. She worked on characterizing the potential for energy storage to change the electricity landscape, and has previously worked with the Nature Conservancy on investigating the relationship between large-scale […]

Going Green Bites Back: The Intended and Unintended Consequences of the New Corporate Environmentalism (’98 M.A.)

Global Environment and Energy End Use in China (’93 MS)

An Evaluation of the Triple Bottom Line Business Case For Reshoring Manufacturing (MS ’14) Emily Quesada received her B.A. in Communication from the University of Pennsylvania in 2003. She subsequently served as Marketing and Graphic Design Manager at 3 Phases Energy, now known as 3Degrees. In that capacity, she helped businesses and utilities communicate their environmental […]

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 […]

Disincentives for Energy Conservation in the Electric Energy Sector of Djibouti, East Africa (85 MS) Markets, States and Environmental Policy: The Political Economy of Charcoal in Senegal (’90 Ph.D.)

Landing on the Sun! How to Make Residential PV Price-Competitive in the U.S. with Lessons Learned in Germany (MS/MPP ’12) Socio-Economic and Engineering Assessments of Renewable Energy cost Reduction Potential (PhD ’17) Joachim (Jo) Seel completed his Ph.D. at UC Berkeley’s Energy and Resources Group. His research focuses on electricity market design and on the integration […]

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 […]

Rebekah Shirley believes that there is more than one path to a bright, energy secure future. Developing nations strive to connect more and more of their communities to energy. Many have emulated the fossil fuel intensive model of developed nations, but Rebekah believes that this is not necessarily the only way.

Understanding Urban Food Access (’05 MS) Governing Change: An Institutional Geography of Rural Land Use, Environmental Management, and Change in the North Coastal Basin of California (’10 PhD)

Wilderness, Race, and African Americans: An Environmental History from Slavery to Jim Crow (’05 MA)

International Environmental Agreements, With Three Examples (’78 MA)

Unocal Corporation’s SCRAP (South Coast Recycled Auto Project): An Experiment in Corporate Environmental Initiative (’91 MS)

Water Quality Monitoring for Effective Regulatory Enforcement: A Review of Options for the NPDES Program in the San Francisco Bay Region (’90 MA) Redefining Environmental Management Problems: The Shift in Dredging Management in San Francisco Bay 1967-1994 (’95 PhD)

Monica obtained her Masters in 2015 from the Energy and Resources Group. She is interested in electric vehicle adoption, alternative energy policy, and sustainable energy development. Her research involves modeling the dollar value of grid services provided by electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging equipment infrastructure markets. Monica works part-time at the California Public Utilities […]

Integrated Assessment of Environmental Impacts: A Regulatory Approach to the Problem (’79 MA) The Potential Effects of Acid Deposition on Aquatic Ecosystems of the Sierra Nevada, California (’83 PhD)

The Threats to Biological Diversity in California (’90 MS) Environmental Controls Over Methane Flux from Ecosystems and the Potential for Feedbacks with Climatic Change (’94 PhD) See Faculty Profile

The Geopressured Geothermal Resource of the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast; A Technology Characterization and Environmental Assessment (’80 M.S.)

Closing the Material Loop:  Investigating the Dynamics of, Motivations for, and Obstacles to Material Recycling through a Case Study on Product Recovery and Demanufacturing in the Computer Industry (’99 MS) Greening Under the Radar:  Mid-range Analysis of Environmental Practitioners as Agents in Corporate Change (’08 PhD)

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: 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 […]

Environmental Quality, Economic Growth, and Democracy: A Theoretical and Empirical Examination of the Linkages (’02 PhD)

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)

Maggie’s research focuses on reducing the environmental impacts of transportation by decreasing both the amount that people drive and the per-mile emissions of personal vehicles. Her work focuses on California’s ground-breaking laws to cut the greenhouse gas impacts of driving. Maggie holds an M.S. in Energy and Resources and a B.A. from Claremont McKenna College. […]

Inspired by the possibility of ecologically-bounded growth, Grace is interested in water and land use impacts of energy technologies; water management that sustains agriculture, energy production, and biodiversity; and the role of policy analysis in decision-making. She is currently merging life cycle assessment, GIS, and optimization methods to anticipate non-GHG environmental impacts of electricity generation. […]

Challenges and Opportunities for Corporate Fleet Transitions to Lower-Carbon Fuels (MS ’14) Svetlana is interested in the intersection of public policy and corporate social responsibility, as well as in the psychology of sustainable behavior. During the summer of 2013, she consulted for a large company’s sustainability department as a member of the Environmental Defense Fund […]