WEBINAR: Industrial Decarbonization Research Insights
Panelists shared preliminary findings from their research and policy work focusing on efforts to decarbonize various industrial processes, including steel and chemicals manufacturing. The discussion addressed the technological and policy changes needed to achieve this shift as well as the role of academic research in the policymaking process. Our hope is that the audience and panelists alike benefited from participating in a dialogue that brought together cutting edge decarbonization researchers and the government officials charged with achieving decarbonization goals in the United States.
View a recording of the event here.
Read a blog post that summarizes key takeways from the event here.
Speakers:
- Dr. Rebecca Ciez is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and Environmental and Ecological Engineering at Purdue University. Her research focus is on sustainability, at the intersection of energy technologies, economics, and decision-making processes to minimize the cost of transitioning to new, decarbonized energy systems. She has worked on new energy storage systems, transportation alternatives, and industrial decarbonization. She earned a B.S. from Columbia University and a PhD in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon.
- Dr. Erin Mayfield is an assistant professor at Dartmouth College in the Thayer School of Engineering. Her research is in the areas of sustainable systems engineering and public policy, with a focus on energy and environmental system transitions in the context of climate change. Previously, she was a postdoctoral research associate at Princeton University. She also worked as an environmental engineer on natural resource damages litigation and hazardous waste remediation, and has held positions at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Congress, and Environmental Law Institute. She received her bachelor's degree in environmental science from Rutgers University, master's degree in environmental engineering from Johns Hopkins University, and Ph.D. in engineering and public policy from Carnegie Mellon University.
- Simon Mashala is the managing director at DC-MUSE, an organization that convenes a diverse team of researchers and industry experts dedicated to decarbonizing the chemical industry via electrification. Experienced in operations management, supply chain management, project management, stakeholder management, audited financial statements analysis, multi-site operations, team leadership and development, Mashala leads DC-MUSE towards its vision to catalyze the decarbonization of the chemical industry by innovating chemical manufacturing processes powered by sustainable electricity grids. He holds a bachelor’s and honours degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Witwatersrand and an Executive MBA from University of Minnesota and WU Executive Academy.
- Dr. Avi Shultz is the director of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office (IEDO). Dr. Shultz leads IEDO's strategy to accelerate the innovation and adoption of cost-effective technologies that eliminate industrial greenhouse gas emissions. Prior to his tenure in IEDO, Dr. Shultz was the program manager for concentrating solar-thermal power for the DOE's Solar Energy Technologies Office. Before joining DOE, Dr. Shultz was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Amsterdam, after getting his bachelor's and doctoral degrees in chemistry from Columbia University and Northwestern University, respectively.
- Derek Sylvan (moderator) is the strategy director at the Institute for Policy Integrity and an adjunct professor of environmental studies at NYU. His research and writing focuses on issues including sustainable infrastructure and decarbonization strategies.
This webinar was part of a new series highlighting environmental and energy research projects funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Stay tuned for upcoming events!
