WEBINAR: Energy Insecurity & Energy Transitions — Obstacles & Opportunities
Panelists will share takeaways from their research and policy work at the nexus of energy insecurity and energy transitions. After a discussion of how to identify and measure energy insecurity, panelists will share their findings on how the energy security of low-income populations might be affected by different aspects of the energy transition. Panelists will also examine possible solutions, such as energy cost assistance programs and post-crisis opportunities. Finally, panelists will reflect on their research design strategies for ensuring that their research processes and results serve and benefit the communities they are engaging. The recording is available here.
Speakers:
- Dr. Anjuli Jain Figueroa is Chief Scientist in the Office of Energy Justice Policy and Analysis within the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity. She works on the implementation of the Justice40 initiative across the Department of Energy (DOE) which sets a goal that at least 40% of the benefits of federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities. Prior to her role at DOE, Dr. Jain Figueroa was Associate Director at GreenInfo Network, a non-profit dedicated to geospatial data analysis. Dr. Jain Figueroa earned her B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from University of Michigan, an MSc. in Technology and Policy and a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from M.I.T. She has worked in the public, private and non-profit sectors and is particularly interested in how we find balance between the built and natural environments.
- Dr. Laura Kuhl is an Assistant Professor of Public Policy, Urban Affairs, and International Affairs at Northeastern University. Her research focuses on climate finance, particularly adaptation finance, energy equity after crises, and transformational adaptation. She is the recipient of an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation grant to investigate the role of crises and disruption in shaping just energy transitions by examining case studies in Puerto Rico, West Virginia, and Massachusetts.
- Dr. Destenie Nock is an Assistant Professor of Engineering and Public Policy and Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. Nock is an expert in using mathematical modeling tools to address societal problems related to sustainability planning, energy policy, equity, energy justice and engineering for social good. She has also served on the leadership of multiple start-up organizations (e.g., DevvStream Inc. and Peoples Energy Analytics). She is the recipient of an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation grant to examine how household energy insecurity is experienced by different demographic groups at the state and national levels.
- Michael Reiner is an Analyst and Policy Advisor within the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity at the US Department of Energy. Michael supports DOE program efforts to embed energy justice within funding opportunities, strategic planning, and research portfolio and leads the development of a national energy poverty framework. Prior to his current role, Michael worked in DOE’s Building Technologies Office on building energy codes and strategic analysis. He holds an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and Sustainable Systems from the University of Michigan.
- Katrina Wyman is the Wilf Family Professor of Property Law at New York University School of Law, where she teaches and researches in the areas of property, urban environmental law, and natural resources law, among other subjects. Wyman is co-faculty director of NYU Law’s Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy and Land Use Law and faculty director of the Law School’s LLM program in Environmental and Energy Law. Her recent research has addressed a range of topics, including the role of cities in environmental law in the US and abroad, and the development of novel forms of property.
- Dr. Burçin Ünel (moderator) is the Executive Director of the Institute for Policy Integrity at New York University School of Law, where she previously served as Energy Director. Dr. Ünel is an expert in utility regulation and environmental and energy policy. She has authored over 100 papers, policy briefs, public comments, and reports on numerous energy and environmental policy issues. She previously served as a Senior Fellow in the Department of Energy’s Office of Policy, where she worked on domestic energy and climate policy issues, focusing on federal clean energy legislation, clean energy deployment, and infrastructure planning.
This webinar is part of an ongoing series highlighting energy equity research funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Stay tuned for upcoming events!
