Pages (14 results)
TopCourses
All Course Offerings 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 ... Continue Reading »
Programs
ERG Program Directory The information below is a directory of ERG programs. Please read through and contact us at erggrad@berkeley.edu for graduate program questions and ergdeskb@berkeley.edu for all other questions. ... Continue Reading »
Publications
“Biodiversity Scales from Plots to Biomes With a Universal Species-Area Curve” John Harte, Adam B. Smith, and David Storch“Carbon Cycle Uncertainty Increases Climate Change Risks and Mitigation Challenges” Paul A. ... Continue Reading »
Research at ERG
Through teaching, mentorship and research projects, ERG supports a diverse suite of basic and applied projects. The goal of this engagement is to understand, inform, and transform the knowledge and ... Continue Reading »
Faculty by Primary Interest
Areas of Interest Climate ChangeEcologyEnergyGovernanceWaterInternational 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 ... Continue Reading »
Master’s Degree Curriculum Requirements (MA or MS)
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 ... Continue Reading »
Environment & Economics Lab Society
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.
Summer Instructors
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. ... Continue Reading »
Equity Diversity
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 ... Continue Reading »
Affiliated Faculty
ERG has a small core faculty but a much larger group of affiliated faculty. Affiliated faculty are based in other departments on campus or at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, ... Continue Reading »
Undergraduate Minor in Energy and Resources
The Minor in Energy and Resources offers undergraduates basic knowledge and skills to address issues arising from the interaction of social, economic, political, technical, and environmental factors shaping our world. ... Continue Reading »
Minor/Certificate in Sustainability — Courses
Summer 2022 Curriculum ERG’s minor and certificate require a minimum of five courses and 15 total units of coursework, completed over one or two summers (or for a UC Berkeley ... Continue Reading »
Open Positions
Join the ERG Team The Energy and Resources Group is a collaborative community of graduate students, core faculty, nearly 200 affiliated faculty and researchers across the campus, and over 600 ... Continue Reading »
Awards
Student Awards ERG students have been recognized nationally and internationally for their research. Below, you can find a selection of recent awards received by ERG Masters and PhD students. CAL ... Continue Reading »
Faculty (4 results)
TopMeg Mills-Novoa
Assistant Professor
Meg Mills-Novoa is a human-environment geographer who researches the enduring impacts of climate change adaptation projects. She is jointly appointed to the Energy and Resources Group and the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management.
- climate change adaptation
- critical development studies
- Deforestation
- Latin America
- participatory mixed methods
- political ecology of global change
- water justice
Youjin Chung
Assistant Professor
Youjin Chung is Assistant Professor of Sustainability and Equity with a joint appointment in the Energy and Resources Group and the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management.
Isha Ray
Professor
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.
Daniel M. Kammen
Professor
Daniel Kammen is the 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.
- Africa
- Asia
- Energy Access
- Energy for Community Development
- Energy Supply
- Energy Transmission
- Latin America
- Life-cycle Impacts of Transportation
- Low-carbon Energy Systems
- Smart Grid
Students (21 results)
TopAnjali Katta
MA
Anjali Katta (she/her) is a Masters student in the Energy Resources Group. She is interested in environmental, climate, and economic justice on both local and international scales. She has a ... Continue Reading »
- climate
- development
- energy
- Energy Democracy
- Environmental / Climate Equity
- environmental justice
- Internationalism
- just transition
María Villalpando Páez
PhD
María is interested in exploring rural and peasant women’s role in the advancement of food sovereignty and in understanding the complex negotiation processes between communities, individuals, and the environment in ... Continue Reading »
Elena Bell
MS
Elena is a first-year MS student at ERG. Elena is interested in advancing economic development solutions to incorporate equitable environmental and social outcomes. Prior to joining ERG, Elena worked at ... Continue Reading »
Javiera Canales Valenzuela
MS
My principal interests are the development of sustainable urban systems that improve quality of life for people and work in harmony with the natural environment through the utilization of clean ... Continue Reading »
Catherine Van Dyke
MA
Catherine is a second year Master’s student at ERG studying California agriculture and climate change. Her research focuses on water governance, resource allocation, and equity for farmers and ranchers in ... Continue Reading »
Samuel Miles
PhD
Sam Miles is a Ph.D. student in the Energy and Resources Group, and in the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Lab at the University of California, Berkeley. His research focus is ... Continue Reading »
- Agriculture
- climate
- development
- economics
- energy
- Mini-grids
- Productive uses
- sanitation
- transportation
- Urbanization
- water
Annelise Gill-Wiehl
MS, PhD
Annelise Gill-Wiehl is currently an NSF Graduate Student Researcher and an MS/Ph.D. Candidate in the Energy & Resources Group at the University of California, Berkeley, co-advised by Dr. Dan Kammen ... Continue Reading »
Julia Longmate
MS, PhD
Julia’s research focuses on the performance and usability of climate model outputs at decision-relevant scales. She received her S.B. in Environmental Engineering from MIT in 2016 where she studied the ... Continue Reading »
Cristina Crespo Montanes
MS, PhD
Focusing on innovations in renewable energy infrastructure and the potential impacts of such technology in the energy markets, my main interest lies in mechanisms to enhance reliability of fully renewable ... Continue Reading »
Gbemisola Akinsipe
MS, PhD
Gbemi is a MS/PhD student in the Energy and Resources Group. Her primary research revolves around electricity systems planning and markets in Nigeria and West Africa with a focus on ... Continue Reading »
Jess Kersey
MS, PhD
Jess Kersey is a fourth-year PhD student broadly interested in technology, regulation, and policy to improve energy access and climate adaptation efforts across multiple geographies including East Africa, Latin America, ... Continue Reading »
Jessica Katz
MS
Siting Renewable Energy in a Changing Climate: A Reimagining of BLM’s Solar Energy Zones (MS ’20) At ERG, Jessica is focusing on learning advanced methods to comprehensively evaluate the ecological, ... Continue Reading »
Micah Elias
MS, PhD
Payment for Watershed Ecosystem Services: Effectiveness, Efficiency, and Equity (MS ’20) Micah Elias earned his B.S. in International Agricultural Development from UC Davis in 2012. After graduating he worked with ... Continue Reading »
Kelsey Alford-Jones
MA
Exploring Linkages Between Development Finance and Socio-Environmental Conflict: A Case Study of IDB Lending to Institutions for Energy and the Environment in Guatemala (MA ’20) Kelsey is a PhD candidate, ... Continue Reading »
Gauthami Penakalapati
MS, PhD
Evaluation of Social Networks and Measures of Empowerment Among Adolescent Girls in Uttar Pradesh, India (MS ’19) Gauthami’s interdisciplinary research intersects global health, feminist theory, science technology studies, social network ... Continue Reading »
- community-based and participatory methods
- development
- GIS
- qualitative methods
- sanitation
- social network analysis
- spatial analysis
- urban planning
- water
- Water Group
Jesse Strecker
MA, MPP
Evaluating the Role of Labor Unions in the Politics of Decarbonization: Insights from Political Economy and Socio-Technical Transition Studies (MA ’19) Jesse is a student in the concurrent Master’s degree ... Continue Reading »
- climate
- democracy
- development
- ecological economics
- ecology
- economics
- energy
- environmental justice
- governance
- Heterodox Economics
Lisa Rennels
MS, PhD
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, ... Continue Reading »
Hilary Yu
MS
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 ... Continue Reading »
- climate
- development
- ecology
- economics
- energy
- environmental justice
- Science and Law
- sustainable development
- water
Esther Shears
MPP, MS, PhD
The Impact of Data Access on Academic Research: Evidence from the Land Remote-sensing Commercialization Act of 1984 (MS ’18) Esther researches how climate change will impact the financial sector and ... Continue Reading »
- climate
- economics
- environmental justice
- integrated assessment modeling
- international political economy
- SEEL Lab
- sustainable finance
Dennis Best
MS, PhD
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, ... Continue Reading »
- Agriculture
- China
- climate
- economics
- energy
- energy policy
- environmental markets and design
- geospatial analysis
- industrial ecology
- Innovation systems
- rural development
- South East Asia and Latin America
- technology policy
Eli Lazarus
MS, PhD
Eli is an Ecological Economist working on comprehensive welfare measurement, tracking, and optimization. His research investigates and contributes to filling the gap between market optimization/welfare and broader social welfare. Recent ... Continue Reading »
- Anthoff Lab
- Computable General Equalibrium (CGE)
- ecological economics
- ecology
- economics
- energy
- Julia
- Pigouvian taxes
- Systems dynamics
- Systems Modelling
Alumni (75 results)
TopVeronica Jacome
MS, PhD
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 ... Continue Reading »
- critical geographies
- electric power systems
- EMAC
- energy
- RAEL
- resource greography
- rural energy access
- STS
- Sustainable energy integration
- Tanzania
- Water Group
Priyanka Mohanty
MS
What are the Best Practices for Rapid and Just Energy Transition? (MS ’22) Priyanka earned her Masters of Science with the Energy and Resources Group. At ERG, she works on ... Continue Reading »
- China
- climate
- development
- economics
- environmental justice
- Green New Deal
- India
- Indonesia
- Low-Carbon Transport
Luke Sherman
MPP, MS
Increasing the spatial resolution of the Human Development Index using satellite imagery (MS ’22) Luke’s research aims to encourage the use of innovative technology and management systems in order to ... Continue Reading »
Arthur Mallet Dias
MS
Promoting Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development: A Review and Evaluation of Enterprise Facilitation (MS ’22) Arthur is interested in using sustainable innovation as a framework for designing new businesses, services, and ... Continue Reading »
- climate
- development
- energy
- Entrepreneurship
- Environmental / Climate Equity
- Impact Investing
- local economic development
- sustainable communities
- Sustainable Innovation
Edem Yevoo
MS
Edem received his B.S in Environmental Science and Technology, with a concentration in Ecological Technology Design and minor in Geographic Information Science (GIS) from the University of Maryland, College Park ... Continue Reading »
Christian Miller
MPP, MS
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 ... Continue Reading »
- climate
- development
- economics
- energy
- energy policy
- equitable energy access
- rural electrification
- transportation
Samira Siddique
MS, PhD
Development for the Stateless: the Displacement-Development Nexus and Implications for the Future (MS ’19) Samira Siddique is a PhD candidate and National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow in the Energy ... Continue Reading »
- Climate change justice
- critical development studies
- Cultural memory
- Displacement infrastructure
- Forced migration and refugee studies
- Postcolonial theory
Anushah Hossain
MA, PhD
The Value of Connectivity: A Case Study of Cellular Networks in the Rural Philippines (MA ’18) Anushah’s background is in history and economics and she is interested in questions of ... Continue Reading »
Adam Hanbury-Brown
MS, PhD
Predicting the future of forests under global change: the critical role of the regeneration process (PhD ’22) Adam is a PhD focused on ecosystem modeling and remote sensing. His research ... Continue Reading »
- Agriculture
- climate
- Earth System Models
- ecology
- Forest Regeneration
- Movement Ecology
- remote sensing
- Vegetation Dynamics
- Wildlife Ecology
Joseph Rand
MS
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 ... Continue Reading »
Felipe Castro
PhD
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, ... Continue Reading »
- computational optimization
- EMAC
- energy policy
- industrial organizations
- mathematical programming
- microeconomics
- operations research
- Power Systems
Arne Jacobson
PhD
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 ... Continue Reading »
- energy use and environmental impacts
- international development
- regional energy planning
- renewable energy
- renewable energy on Native American Reservation lands
- social and economic costs and benefits of energy use
Yoshika Crider
PhD
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 ... Continue Reading »
Britt Shaw
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.
- Africa
- development
- economics
- Emerging Markets
- energy
- Energy Access
- Off-Grid Power
- renewable energy integration
- water
- water-energy nexus
Richard Barnes
PhD
Algorithms for, and Applications of, Global Terrain Analysis (PhD ’20) Richard applies computational and mathematical techniques to better understand the complex interface of society and the environment. His work includes ... Continue Reading »
Adam Orford
MA, MPP, PhD
Climate Change Adaptation and Risk Assessment in California’s Electric Power Sector (MA ’18) Adam Orford is a Ph.D. candidate at U.C. Berkeley’s Energy & Resources Group (ERG). He is currently ... Continue Reading »
- climate
- energy
- Institutions
- law
- Political Science
- Politics
- Public Administration
- public policy
- regulation
- transportation
José Daniel Lara
MS, PhD
Modeling and Simulation of Electric Power Systems with Large Shares of Renewable Energy (PhD ’22) Jose Daniel was born in San José Costa Rica, received his B.Sc. and Licentiate in ... Continue Reading »
- development
- economics
- energy
- energy policy
- Energy System Modeling
- Optimization
- power systems operation
- power systems planning
- RAEL
- transportation
- water
Frank Errickson
MS, PhD
The Joint Effect of Uncertainty and Inequality on Global Climate Policy (PhD ’20) Frank grew up on the central New Jersey coast, completing a B.A. in Political Science with a ... Continue Reading »
- atmospheric science
- climate adaptation in vulnerable regions
- climate change
- development
- economics
- energy
- Environmental Economics
- equitable energy access
- integrated assessment modeling
- sustainable development
Emily Woods
MS
Impacts of Student-Led Service Learning Water Project in Rural Cameroon (MS’16) A graduate of Georgia Tech with a B.S in mechanical engineering. A selection of her work includes drilling water ... Continue Reading »
Ian Bolliger
MS, PhD
Monitoring and Projecting the Impacts of Climate Change with Emerging Environmental Datasets and Machine Learning (PhD ’20) Ian works to provide decision-makers with quantitative, high-resolution projections of the socioeconomic impacts ... Continue Reading »
- climate
- economics
- energy
- Global Policy Laboratory
- health impacts of climate change
- machine learning
- remote sensing
- spatial statistics
- tropical cyclones
- water
Cecilia Han Springer
MS, PhD
Policies for an Ecological Civilization: China, Carbon, and Economic Reform (PhD ’19) Cecilia is a PhD candidate at ERG. Her dissertation uses economic modeling and social science to critically analyze ... Continue Reading »
Rachel Golden
MPP, MS
Achieving Long-term Climate Goals in the US: Unlocking the Potential of High-Efficiency Electric Technology in Our Homes and Buildings (MS/MPP ’16) Rachel is interested in advancing policies that can help ... Continue Reading »
- climate change
- development
- economics
- energy
- environmental justice
- Equity and Access
- Grid flexibility
- renewable integration
Emily Yeh
PhD
Taming the Tibetan Landscape: Chinese development and the transformation of agriculture (03 PhD)
Xiaodong Wang
PhD
Comparison of Constraints on Coal and Biomass Fuels Development in China’s Energy Future (’97 Ph.D.)
- air pollution from energy use
- energy and environmental policy issues in China
- Environmental Economics
- renewable energy and energy conservation
Ann Thorpe
MA
Organizational Approaches to Wasteland Development: Structural and Functional Aspects of Three Indian NGOs (’89 MA)
Thomas Starrs
MA, PhD
Legislative Incentives and Energy Technologies: Government’s Role in the Development of the California Wind Energy Industry (’87 M.A.) Regulating Innovation and Competition in Emerging Technology Markets: The Effects of Utility ... Continue Reading »
- impact of legislation and regulation on energy technology development
- renewable energy - particularly wind and photovoltaics
Thomas Sikor
MA, PhD
Participatory Methods in Rural Development: ‘Bottom-Up’ or only ‘Close-To’ Development? (’94 M.A.) The Political Economy of Decollectivization: A Study of Differentiation in and Among Black Thai Villages Of Northern Vietnam ... Continue Reading »
Leslie Shown
MA
The Impacts of Deforestation upon Rural Women in Developing Countries: Patterns of Concern in Recent Development Literature (’93 M.A.)
John Ross
MS
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 ... Continue Reading »
Gwen Ottinger
MA, PhD
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 ... Continue Reading »
Annette Ostling
PhD
Development and Tests of Two Null Theories of Ecological Communities: a Fractal Theory and a Dispersal Assembly Theory (’04 PhD)
Tracey Osborne
PhD
Carbon Capital: The Political Ecology of Carbon Forestry and Development in Chiapas, Mexico (’10 PhD)
- agrarian political economy
- carbon forestry activities
- Carbon markets
- development studies
- Mexico
- political ecology
Dara O’Rourke
MS, PhD
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.)
- cleaner manufacturing processes
- corporate accountability
- environmental justice
- industrial development in developing countries
- political economy of development
- pollution prevention
- preventative environmental strategies/policies
- comparative politics and political economy with reference to American Indian and international economic development
- development economics
- geopolitics of energy and forest resources
- nationalism
- particularly in the resource-rich countries of the former Soviet Union
- political transitions and ethnic conflicts
Michael Maniates
MA, PhD
Local Governments and Solar Energy: The San Francisco Example (’83 M.A.) Organizing for Rural Energy Development: Improved Cookstoves, Local Organizations, and the State in Gujarat, India (’90 Ph.D.)
- community energy organizing
- consumption and overconsumption
- education
- global environmental politics and civic engagement
- innovative undergraduate environmental-studies initiatives
- rust-belt economics
Sharad Lele
PhD
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 ... Continue Reading »
- alternative models of sustainable development
- analysis of energy use
- biomass resources and biodiversity
- forest ecosystem services
- resource economics
- socio-environmental factors affecting forests
- systems analysis of surface water resource systems
- watershed development
Kamal Kapadia
MA, PhD
Can Energy Markets Work for Rural Development? An Analysis of World Bank/GEF Rural Electriciation Projects in Sri Lanka (’03 MA) Developments after a Disaster: The Tsunami, Poverty, Conflict and Reconstruction ... Continue Reading »
- energy planning
- multilateral aid programs in energy finance and development
- renewable energy and development
Barbara Haya
MS, PhD
Evaluation of World Bank Public Participation Policies-Lessons for the Clean Development Mechanism (’02 MS) Carbon Offsetting: An Efficient Way to Reduce Emissions or to Avoid Reducing Emissions? An Investigation and Analysis of ... Continue Reading »
- equity within international efforts to mitigate climate change
- international finance institutions
- power sector restructuring in South East Asia
- the Clean Development Mechanism
David Hammond
MS
Achieving Grassroots Participation in Agricultural Development: Lessons from One Organization in Guatemala (’94 M.S.)
- biological wastewater treatment
- chemical ecology
- green manures
- insecticidal plants
- integrated pest management
- non-formal education
- permaculture
- sustainable agriculture
- Third World development
David Gustafson
MS
Weltanschauung in the People’s Republic: Implications for Offshore Oil Development in East Asia (79 MS)
Brandon Glenn
MS
Renewable Energy Certificates and Project Development: A Case Study of the Rosebud Wind Turbine’s Success (’09 MS)
- atmospheric science
- coal development
- hydrogeology
- nuclear waste
- renewable energy with a focus on wind turbines
Peter Gleick
MS, 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 ... Continue Reading »
- climate change
- climate impacts
- environment and security
- sustainable water use
- water and conflict
- water conservaton
- water resources
- water use efficiency
Rebecca Ghanadan
MA, PhD
Questioning Inevitability of Energy Pathways: Alternate Energy Scenarios for California (’02 MA) Public Service or Commodity Goods? Electricity Reforms, Access, and the Politics of Development in Tanzania (’08 PhD)
- energy and development pathways
- geographic interest in sub-Saharan Africa
- local-regional-international linkages of energy policy and technology choices
- political economy of globalization
- renewable energy
Elizabeth Dreier
MA
Opportunities for North American Development Bank Investment in Air Quality Improvement Along the U.S.-Mexico Border (’02 M.A.)
- agriculture and rural development
- development finance and policy including institutions/trade/aid
- Latin America
- south asia
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- sustainable development including poverty/environment/gender
Deborah Cheng
MA, PhD
Global Efforts to Improve Access to Safe Water: Debate, Discourse, and Data Gaps Leading up to the Millennium Development Goals (MA ’08) The Politics of Pipes: The Persistence of Small ... Continue Reading »
- resource consumption and management
- urban sustainability
- water supply and quality in developing countries
Christian Casillas
MS, PhD
Wind generation: A step towards energy independence on the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua (MS ’08) Exploring the role of information in development policy and practice in the fields of rural ... Continue Reading »
Douglas Bushey
MA, PhD
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 ... Continue Reading »
Joachim Seel
MPP, MS, PhD
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 ... Continue Reading »
- electricity market design
- market integration of intermittent renewable electricity
- Renewable energy markets and policy
- technology learning
Renee Kuriyan Wittemyer
MA, PhD
"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.
- information and communication technologies and development
- rural development in India
- technology adoption in developing countries
- technology/society relationships
Justin West
MS
Justin’s background in botany and agroecology informs his research in perennial crop farming systems and woody biomass coppice. Most recently he has been researching tropical fodder bank systems in South ... Continue Reading »
Monica Testa
MA
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 ... Continue Reading »
Froy Sifuentes
MS, PhD
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.
Rebekah Shirley
MS, PhD
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.
Chayaporn Sangchote
MS
Exploring the Impacts of ASEAN Energy Cooperation on the Renewable Energy Development and Policy Implementation of the ASEAN Members (MS ’14)
Jessica Reilly
MS, PhD
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 ... Continue Reading »
- climate adaptation
- coastal resilience
- GIS
- international development
- narratives as science
- renewable energy mapping
- rural resources
- Science communication
- visual media
Andrea Mercado
MS
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 ... Continue Reading »
Peter Marsters
MA
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, ... Continue Reading »
Hongyou Lu
MPP, MS
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 ... Continue Reading »
Christopher Jones
MS, PhD
Chris Jones is Director of the CoolClimate Network, a university-government-industry partnership at the University of California, Berkeley, and Lecturer at the Haas School of Business. His primary research interests are ... Continue Reading »
- behavioral psychology
- Carbon footprint analysis
- economics
- energy
- Environmental / Climate Equity
- Environmental Policy
- Environmental Psychology
- RAEL
- transportation
- urban planning
Josiah Johnston
MS, 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 ... Continue Reading »
- Design and invention
- Planning electric power systems
- Scientific computing
- Sustainable Community Development
Kripa Jagannathan
MS, PhD
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 ... Continue Reading »
- Adaptation
- Agriculture
- Carbon markets
- climate change
- climate-resilient planning
- co-production of knowledge
- science usability
- stakeholder engagement
- water
Lindsay Holiday
MS
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 ... Continue Reading »
- Appropriate renewable energy technologies for sustainable development
- climate change policy
- Distributed Generation
- energy policy
- quantifying cultural and social impacts of energy projects
- Regional Electricity Planning in the West
- self-suffiency for Tribal Nations in the US
- Tribal governance
- Tribal Utilities
Christopher Hyun
MA, PhD
With 10+ years of international field experience, 5+ in water and sanitation, as well as project management and professional development in higher ed, I aim to create a better society and environment for all.
Pierce Gordon
MS, PhD
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 ... Continue Reading »
- Actors/History in International Development
- Berkeley Expert System Technologies (BEST) Laboratory
- Design
- Design Thinking
- development
- Development Engineering
- Evaluation
- Impact Evaluation
- Marginalization
- Sub-Saharan Africa
Dimitry Gershenson
MS
Dimitry currently works as a Program Manager on Facebook’s Global Impact Partnerships Team. Prior to Facebook, Dimitry was a graduate student at ERG where he worked on market assessment for ... Continue Reading »
Julian Fulton
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 ... Continue Reading »
- California
- cotton
- Delta
- environmental history
- footprint
- water management
- water systems
- water use
- water-energy-food nexus
Ranjit Deshmukh
PhD
India’s Low Carbon Electricity Futures (PhD ’17) Ranjit’s research efforts largely focus on addressing the clean energy and energy access challenges in developing nations. As part of both the International ... Continue Reading »
- demand response
- energy access and micro-grids in developing countries
- energy markets
- Energy modeling
- Power Systems
- renewables integration
Andrew Crane-Droesch
MS, PhD
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 ... Continue Reading »
Michael Cohen
MS, PhD
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."
- EMAC
- energy
- Energy System Modeling
- Integration of renewable electricity into power systems
- Video Gaming for Education
Juan Pablo Carvallo Bodelon
MS, PhD
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 ... Continue Reading »
- electricity and energy markets
- Latin America
- national systems of innovation
- Renewable energy policy and institutions
- sustainability in less industrialized economies
Anne-Perrine Avrin
MS, PhD
Designing and Adapting Appropriate Socio-technical Systems for the Renewable Energy Transition (PhD ’18) Anne-Perrine is a PhD student in the Energy and Resources Group and a research fellow within the ... Continue Reading »
- Energy economics
- Energy modeling
- Nuclear desalination
- Nuclear energy
- Planning electric power systems in developing and emerging countries
- RAEL
- water-energy nexus
Nkiruka Avila
MS, PhD
Designing and Adapting Appropriate Socio-Technical Systems for the Renewable Energy Transition (PhD ’18) Nkiruka has expertise in solar grid integration and climate policy in California, and in electricity access in ... Continue Reading »
Peter Alstone
PhD
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 ... Continue Reading »
News (39 results)
TopDan Kammen to Advise USAID on Sustainable Energy Development
October 28, 2021
ERG's Dan Kammen has been selected to serve as senior adviser for energy, climate and innovation for the U.S. Agency for International Development. (Photo by Elena Zhukova)
ERG Alum Kripa Jagannathan Awarded EESA Early Career Development Grant
February 2, 2021
Congratulations to ERG alumna Kripa Jagannathan for receiving the Early Career Development Grant from Earth & Environmental Sciences (EEPS)! Kripa specializes in the field of climate change adaptation and climate-resilient planning. EEPS describes her most recent research being focused on "improving the ‘usability’ of climate science, and enabling science-based adaptation decision-making for water resources management and agricultural planning."
ERG PhD Student Gorman Cautions Against Rapid Development of Hybrid Power Plants
April 6, 2020
ERG PhD student Will Gorman recently published an article titled "Hybrid Power Plants Are Growing Rapidly, But Are They a Good Idea?" on Green Tech Media. He discusses how though hybrid power plants can have several benefits, there are many limitations and drawbacks to using such technology.
What Does Development Mean for the Stateless?
August 31, 2018
For over one million Rohingya refugees living in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, water and sanitation, health, and shelter are crucial issues. ERG PhD student Samira Siddique examines the importance of ... Continue Reading »
ERG Professors Daniel Kammen and Isha Ray Involved in Development Engineering Program
October 20, 2016
ERG professor Dan Kammen and associate professor Isha Ray are highlighted in a UC Berkeley News article on a new NSF grant towards a STEM Training for Actionable Research and Global Impact program with a focus on Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy and Water Systems.
Advocating for Women on World Water Day
March 22, 2023
New commentary published in the Lancet on World Water Day (March 22) calls on researchers, policy makers, and professionals to strengthen their commitment to addressing gender inequities in global water delivery systems. Co-authored ... Continue Reading »
ERG’s Dan Kammen on How Recent Fusion Breakthroughs Could Pave the Way for Clean Energy
December 14, 2022
A recent breakthrough in fusion energy technology is a landmark achievement in the development of clean energy.
ERG’s Esther Shears Co-Author of New Study Examining Government Investment in Energy Innovation
September 12, 2022
ERG PhD candidate Esther Shears is a co-author of a paper recently published in Nature Energy, which offers insight into the trajectory of energy research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) that ... Continue Reading »
ERG’s Chelsi Sparti Recipient of the 2022 Switzer Environmental Fellowship
July 29, 2022
ERG Master’s student Chelsi Sparti has recently been chosen as one of the recipients of the 2022 Switzer Environmental Fellowship, a program of the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation that ... Continue Reading »
ERG Annual Lecture Returns in 2022: Damilola Ogunbiyi Speaks on Driving an Equitable Energy Transition
April 6, 2022
After going on hiatus for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic, the ERG Annual Lecture on Energy and the Environment returned as a fully in-person event this year, with Damilola Ogunbiyi speaking at Sibley Auditorium about how to drive a more just and equitable global energy transition.
ERG Professor Dan Kammen Calls to Stop Subsidizing Oil Companies
January 25, 2021
ERG professor Dan Kammen calls for a worldwide end to the subsidization of oil and gas companies, explaining how such subsidies halters our progress of living, working, and producing goods in a CO-2 neutral way. “The amount of subsidies available for these industries is much higher than the annual investment in the development of sustainable energies,” Kammen states.
ERG PhD Veronica Jacome Awarded UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship
February 25, 2020
ERG PhD Student Veronica Jacome has recently been selected as a University of California President's Postdoctoral Fellow.
The Beam features Kammen on the Critical Lack of Clean Cooking
February 5, 2020
ERG professor Dan Kammen recently published a collaborative article on the Beam discussing the challenge of not only providing clean cooking energy services as a basic necessity, but how new technological improvements like the biomass improved cookstove can be more efficiently implemented.
Dan Kammen and Researchers Urge More Aggressive Action Against Climate Change
December 12, 2019
In a new study done by ERG's Dan Kammen and a team of researchers, analysis shows that global warming crisis is worse than previously thought. However, their research also shows how it is completely possible for countries to achieve an increased and sustainable rate of decarbonisation through more aggressive policies against climate change.
Challenges ERGies Contribute to IEEE “Electricity for All: Issues
September 9, 2019
Several ERGies recently contributed articles to an IEEE Special Issue on "Electricity for All: Issues, Challenges, and Solutions for Energy-Disadvantaged Communities."
Alumnus Jim Williams Speaks at Vatican Climate Change Meeting
June 25, 2019
ERG alumnus and University of San Francisco Professor Jim Williams (MS '86, PhD '95) presented his findings on decarbonization pathways, joined by ERG core faculty member and alumna Professor Margaret Torn (MS '90, PhD '94).
ERG PhD Student Nancy Freitas Wins Berkeley Grad Slam Competition
April 5, 2019
Nancy Frietas, an ERG PhD student, is the 2019 Berkeley Grad Slam winner for her 3-minute presentation “Microbes in the Arctic.”
ERG Student Chris Hyun Highlighted as InFEWS Fellow
December 26, 2018
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 ... Continue Reading »
PhD Student Valeri Vasquez Selected for Women in Science Leadership Initiative
September 20, 2018
ERG PhD student Valeri Vasquez will be among 95 women representing 28 countries next year for the Homeward Bound leadership program, a ground-breaking leadership initiative which aims to heighten the influence and ... Continue Reading »
Jesse Ribot Awarded 2018 Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship
April 10, 2018
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 ... Continue Reading »
Paper Authored by PhD Candidate Noah Kittner and Professor Dan Kammen Published in Nature Energy
August 16, 2017
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
New ERG Chair Daniel M. Kammen
July 25, 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 ... Continue Reading »
Kammen highlighted in Scientific American
December 22, 2016
Daniel Kammen comments for Scientific American on the opportunities scientists think they can seize with the appointment of Trump's climate skeptics.
RAEL and GRID Alternatives Partner for Off-Grid Solar
August 1, 2016
Solar Industry Magazine has announced a partnership between the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory (RAEL) and nonprofit solar installer GRID Alternatives. RAEL is a unique new research, development, project implementation, and community ... Continue Reading »
THIMBY House Project Is Well Underway!
June 28, 2016
The Tiny House in My Backyard (THIMBY) is an interdisciplinary team of UC Berkeley graduate and undergraduate students working together to design and build an affordable, off-grid, 100% solar-powered “tiny” ... Continue Reading »
ERG Professor Daniel Kammen Appointed as U.S. Science Envoy
March 31, 2016
ERG Professor Daniel Kammen has been appointed as one of five U.S. Science Envoys by the US State Department.
ERG Summer Courses Available
February 28, 2016
ERG is offering four of its most popular courses this summer! Enroll Today!
ERG at the Paris Climate Talks
December 1, 2015
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.
Solar Power Expansion Could Pose Ecological Risks
October 22, 2015
Postdoctoral scholar, Rebecca Hernandez, discusses her study on the ecological footprint of solar power development with Scientific American.
NSF & More ERG Awards: Switzer Fellowships
May 14, 2015
3 current Switzer fellows, 2 more NSF fellows, and more. See the list of awards ERG students have received.
Torn Awarded Honorary Doctorate
May 6, 2015
ERG professor recognized for climate research at the University of Zurich
BOOK: Applying Anthropology and Physics to Sustainability
March 30, 2015
New book by Dove and Kammen released this week.
A unique moment in history for “sustainable energy for all”
March 26, 2015
ERG team study showing how off-grid power can improve equality in energy access published in Nature Climate Change. Interview with lead author Peter Alstone.
Equitable Planet Possibilities For A Sustainable
March 25, 2015
ERG core and affiliated faculty present at conference, “Reducing Inequality in a Sustainable World.”
Prof. John Harte Named AAAS Fellow
November 25, 2014
For distinguished contributions to environmental sciences
Profs. Leach & Ray Launch UN Gender Equality Report
October 24, 2014
Dr. Isha Ray at UN Headquarters discussing report on gender equality.
Rethinking Energy on Islands
April 25, 2014
Rebekah Shirley (ERG PhD) and Professor Dan Kammen show how small-scale energy can work in the Pacific Islands.
Narain calls for Reinventing India’s Growth
April 22, 2014
Watch Sunita Narain's "thought provoking and disturbing" conversation during ERG's 20th Annual Lecture co-hosted with the Center for South Asia Studies.
ERG students win United Nations award
November 13, 2013
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.