Precourt Institute for Energy
Showing 101-150 of 165 Results
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Paul McIntyre
Rick and Melinda Reed Professor, Professor of Photon Science and Senior Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy
BioMcIntyre's group performs research on nanostructured inorganic materials for applications in electronics, energy technologies and sensors. He is best known for his work on metal oxide/semiconductor interfaces, ultrathin dielectrics, defects in complex metal oxide thin films, and nanostructured Si-Ge single crystals. His research team synthesizes materials, characterizes their structures and compositions with a variety of advanced microscopies and spectroscopies, studies the passivation of their interfaces, and measures functional properties of devices.
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Nicholas Melosh
Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
BioThe Melosh group explores how to apply new methods from the semiconductor and self-assembly fields to important problems in biology, materials, and energy. We think about how to rationally design engineered interfaces to enhance communication with biological cells and tissues, or to improve energy conversion and materials synthesis. In particular, we are interested in seamlessly integrating inorganic structures together with biology for improved cell transfection and therapies, and designing new materials, often using diamondoid molecules as building blocks.
My group is very interested in how to design new inorganic structures that will seamless integrate with biological systems to address problems that are not feasible by other means. This involves both fundamental work such as to deeply understand how lipid membranes interact with inorganic surfaces, electrokinetic phenomena in biologically relevant solutions, and applying this knowledge into new device designs. Examples of this include “nanostraw” drug delivery platforms for direct delivery or extraction of material through the cell wall using a biomimetic gap-junction made using nanoscale semiconductor processing techniques. We also engineer materials and structures for neural interfaces and electronics pertinent to highly parallel data acquisition and recording. For instance, we have created inorganic electrodes that mimic the hydrophobic banding of natural transmembrane proteins, allowing them to ‘fuse’ into the cell wall, providing a tight electrical junction for solid-state patch clamping. In addition to significant efforts at engineering surfaces at the molecular level, we also work on ‘bridge’ projects that span between engineering and biological/clinical needs. My long history with nano- and microfabrication techniques and their interactions with biological constructs provide the skills necessary to fabricate and analyze new bio-electronic systems.
Research Interests:
Bio-inorganic Interface
Molecular materials at interfaces
Self-Assembly and Nucleation and Growth -
Jennifer Milne
Associate Director for Advanced Research Projects, Precourt Institute for Energy
BioJennifer is a scientist with more than a decade's experience in identifying research needs in energy and shaping the energy research landscape at Stanford. Jennifer leads the Advanced Research Projects at the Precourt Institute for Energy, working with the Director of Precourt and other stakeholders to foster energy research to reduce greenhouse gases and enable the energy transition. In 2023, she joined the technology team of the Sustainability Accelerator, as a key team member tasked with identifying solutions with potential for real-world impact across broad sustainability challenges.
Jennifer is a technical resource for energy related and carbon removal projects across the University and an advisor in the bioenergy area - this foundational experience she gained during her time as an energy analyst with the Global Climate and Energy Project. Here, from 2007 onwards, she learned about energy supply, conversion, and exergy destruction. She led the bioenergy area of the portfolio and contributed more broadly to the development of a fundamental energy research portfolio across all energy areas. Prior to joining Global Climate and Energy Project she was a post-doctoral scholar at the Carnegie Institution for Science, Department of Plant Biology, at Stanford University. Jennifer comes from a biochemistry and plant science background, where she contributed to the discovery of the role of polysaccharides in guard cell wall function and holds a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of York, U.K. and a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry (First Class Honors) from the University of Stirling, U.K. -
Liang Min
Managing Director Bits & Watts Initiative, Precourt Institute for Energy
Current Role at StanfordManaging Director for the Bits and Watts Initiative, Precourt Institute for Energy
Managing Director for the Net-Zero Alliance, Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability -
Reginald Mitchell
Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Emeritus
BioProfessor Mitchell's primary area of research is concerned with characterizing the physical and chemical processes that occur during the combustion and gasification of pulverized coal and biomass. Coals of interest range in rank from lignite to bituminous and biomass materials include yard waste, field and seed crop residues, lumber mill waste, fruit and nut crop residues, and municipal solid waste. Experimental and modeling studies are concerned with char reactivity to oxygen, carbon dioxide and steam, carbon deactivation during conversion, and char particle surface area evolution and mode of conversion during mass loss.
Mitchell’s most recent research has been focused on topics that will enable the development of coal and biomass conversion technologies that facilitate CO2 capture. Recent studies have involved characterizing coal and biomass conversion rates in supercritical water environments, acquiring the understanding needed to develop chemical looping combustion technology for applications to coals and biomass materials, and developing fuel cells that use coal or biomass as the fuel source. Studies concerned with characterizing coal/biomass blends during combustion and gasification processes are also underway.
Professor Mitchell retired from Stanford University in July 2020, after having served over 29 years as a professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department. -
Kaylee Ann Nguyen
Adm Svcs Admstr 1, Precourt Institute for Energy
Current Role at StanfordProgram Manager, StorageX Initiative
Program Manager, Precourt Pioneering Projects -
Simona Onori
Associate Professor of Energy Science Engineering, Senior Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy and Associate Professor, by courtesy, of Electrical Engineering
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsModeling, control and optimization of dynamic systems;
Model-based control in advanced propulsion systems;
Energy management control and optimization in HEVs and PHEVs;
Energy storage systems- Li-ion and PbA batteries, Supercapacitors;
Battery aging modeling, state of health estimation and life prediction for control;
Damage degradation modeling in interconnected systems -
Colin Ophus
Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and Center Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy
BioColin Ophus is an Associate Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and a Center Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy, Stanford University. He previously worked as a Staff Scientist at the National Center for Electron Microscopy (NCEM), part of the Molecular Foundry, at Lawrence Berkeley Lab. He was awarded a US Department of Energy (DOE) Early Career award in 2018, and the Burton medal from the Microscopy Society of America (MSA) in 2018. His research focuses on experimental methods, reconstruction algorithms, and software codes for simulation, analysis, and instrument design of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning TEM (STEM).
Colin advocates for open science and his group has developed open-source scientific software including as the Prismatic STEM simulation code and py4DSTEM analysis toolkit. He has taught many workshops around the world on topics ranging from scientific visualization to large scale data analysis. He also is the founder and editor-in-chief for a new journal based on interactive science communication named Elemental Microscopy. -
Leonard Ortolano
UPS Foundation Professor of Civil Engineering in Urban and Regional Planning, Emeritus
BioOrtolano is concerned with environmental and water resources policy and planning. His research stresses environmental policy implementation in developing countries and the role of non-governmental organizations in environmental management. His recent interests center on corporate environmental management.
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Nilay Papila
Senior Program Manager, Precourt Institute for Energy
BioNilay Papila is an experienced senior program manager, currently working for the Technology Transfer for Defense program at Stanford University. With a strong background in research management, pre- and post-award services, university-industry cooperation, technology transfer, intellectual property, and technology commercialization, Nilay brings a wealth of expertise to her role.
Prior to joining Stanford, Nilay served as the Founding Director of the Technology Transfer Office at Ozyegin University in Istanbul, where she played a pivotal role in fostering innovation and collaboration. She also held positions as the Manager of the Project Development Office at Sabanci University and Associate Director of the Interdisciplinary Program Development Office at the University of Florida. Notably, she served as a national expert on the European Union 7th Framework Program (Marie Curie Actions) and as an expert/evaluator at the Technology Transfer Support Program Group at the Science and Technology Council of Turkey.
Nilay holds a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Florida, which she earned in 2001, following her completion of B.S. and M.S. degrees in the Aerospace Engineering Department of the METU in Ankara in 1994 and 1997, respectively.
Recognized for her accomplishments, Nilay is a Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellow (2000), an NCURA (National Council of Research Administration) Global Fellow at Stanford University (2018), and a certified Registered Technology Transfer Professional (RTTP) (2018). These accomplishments highlight her dedication to advancing research and innovation within academic and industry settings. -
Blas L. Pérez Henríquez
Senior Research Scholar
BioBlas L. Pérez Henríquez founded and serves as Director of the California-Global Energy, Water & Infrastructure Innovation Initiative at Stanford University, sponsored by the Bill Lane Center for the American West, focusing on regional low-carbon development opportunities. His research and teaching centers on policy analysis to advance clean innovation through novel technological, business, policy, and social solutions for a new clean economy and a net zero, carbon neutral future. He is a Senior Research Scholar and leads the Stanford | Mexico Clean Economy 2050 program.
He is also directs the Local Governance Summer Institute @ Stanford (LGSI) and the Smart City: Policy, Strategy and Innovation Institute @ Stanford. He has served as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the School of Engineering and Sciences of the Technological Institute of Superior Studies of Monterrey (ITESM) in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, Senior Visiting Research Fellow at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate and the Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in London, United Kingdom, and as Guest Professor at the Centre of Economics Research and Teaching (CIDE) in Mexico City, Mexico.
He is the author of “Environmental Commodities and Emissions Trading: Towards a Low Carbon Future,” Resources for the Future – RFF Press/Routledge, Washington, DC (2013) and co-editor of “Carbon Governance, Climate Change and Business Transformation,” Routledge Advances in Climate Change Research, Taylor & Francis Group, Oxford, UK (2015). He also co-edited the book "High-Speed Rail and Sustainability, Decision-making and the political economy of investment," Routlege Explorations in Environmental Studies, Taylor & Francis Group, Oxford, UK (2017). He has written on public-private environmental and energy collaboration in Silicon Valley, water-energy nexus, sustainable transportation and on the use of information technology to support environmental markets and smart policymaking.
Pérez Henríquez is a member of the Distinguished Advisory Group of the Integrity Council for Voluntary Carbon Markets (IC-VCM), derived from the work of the Taskforce for Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets (TSVCM) where he served as Member of the Board of Advisors. He was a member of the Mexico – United States Entrepreneurship & Innovation Council (MUSEIC), created through the High-Level Economic Dialogue between the presidents of the United States and Mexico. He served as the U.S. Co-chair of the MUSEIC Energy & Sustainability Subcommittee. Pérez Henríquez is also on the International Advisory Board of Public Administration & Policy: An Asia-Pacific Journal. From 2002 to 2015, he directed UC Berkeley’s Center for Environmental Public Policy which he had founded, and was a faculty member of the Goldman School of Public Policy. He has served as an ex-officio member of the Goldman School advisory board (2002 -2012), and as a Quarterly Chair of the Commonwealth Club of California, the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum.
Pérez Henríquez holds a Masters and a Ph.D. in Public Policy from UC Berkeley, a law degree from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), a diploma in Public Policy from the Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico (ITAM), and a certificate in Compared Environmental US – EU Law & Policy from Indiana University, Leiden & Rotterdam Universities. -
Jim Plummer
John M. Fluke Professor of Electrical Engineering. Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsGenerally studies the governing physics and fabrication technology of silicon integrated circuits, including the scaling limits of silicon technology, and the application of silicon technology outside traditional integrated circuits, including power switching devices such as IGBTs. Process simulation tools like SUPREM for simulating fabrication. Recent work has focused on wide bandgap semiconductor materials, particularly SiC and GaN, for power control devices.
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Sharon Hakeman Poore
Understand Energy Project Manager, Precourt Institute for Energy
Current Role at StanfordProject Manager, Understand Energy
Precourt Institute for Energy -
Eric Pop
Pease-Ye Professor, Professor of Electrical Engineering, Senior Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy and Professor, by courtesy, of Materials Science and Engineering and of Applied Physics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe Pop Lab explores problems at the intersection of nanoelectronics and nanoscale energy conversion. These include fundamental limits of current and heat flow, energy-efficient transistors and memory, and energy harvesting via thermoelectrics. The Pop Lab also works with novel nanomaterials like carbon nanotubes, graphene, BN, MoS2, and their device applications, through an approach that is experimental, computational and highly collaborative.
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Balaji Prabhakar
VMware Founders Professor of Computer Science, Professor of Electrical Engineering and, by courtesy, of Operations, Information and Technology at the Graduate School of Business
BioPrabhakar's research focuses on the design, analysis, and implementation of data networks: both wireline and wireless. He has been interested in designing network algorithms, problems in ad hoc wireless networks, and designing incentive mechanisms. He has a long-standing interest in stochastic network theory, information theory, algorithms, and probability theory.
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Friedrich Prinz
Leonardo Professor, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, of Materials Science and Engineering and Senior Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy
BioFritz Prinz is the Leonardo Professor in the School of Engineering at Stanford University, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and Senior Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy. He also serves as the Director of the Nanoscale Prototyping Laboratory and Faculty Co-director of the NPL-Affiliate Program. A solid-state physicist by training, Prinz leads a group of doctoral students, postdoctoral scholars, and visiting scholars who are addressing fundamental issues on energy conversion and storage at the nanoscale. In his Laboratory, a wide range of nano-fabrication technologies are employed to build prototype fuel cells and capacitors with induced topological electronic states. We are testing these concepts and novel material structures through atomic layer deposition, scanning tunneling microscopy, impedance spectroscopy and other technologies. In addition, the Prinz group group uses atomic scale modeling to gain insights into the nature of charge separation and recombination processes. Before coming to Stanford in 1994, he was on the faculty at Carnegie Mellon University. Prinz earned a PhD in Physics at the University of Vienna.
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Ram Rajagopal
Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, of Electrical Engineering and Senior Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy
BioRam Rajagopal is an Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University, where he directs the Stanford Sustainable Systems Lab (S3L), focused on large-scale monitoring, data analytics and stochastic control for infrastructure networks, in particular, power networks. His current research interests in power systems are in the integration of renewables, smart distribution systems, and demand-side data analytics.
He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences and an M.A. in Statistics, both from the University of California Berkeley, Masters in Electrical and Computer Engineering from University of Texas, Austin and Bachelors in Electrical Engineering from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He is a recipient of the NSF CAREER Award, Powell Foundation Fellowship, Berkeley Regents Fellowship and the Makhoul Conjecture Challenge award. He holds more than 30 patents and several best paper awards from his work and has advised or founded various companies in the fields of sensor networks, power systems, and data analytics. -
Byron Reeves
Paul C. Edwards Professor of Communication and Professor, by courtesy, of Education
On Leave from 01/01/2025 To 03/31/2025BioByron Reeves, PhD, is the Paul C. Edwards Professor of Communication at Stanford and
Professor (by courtesy) in the Stanford School of Education. Byron has a long history of
experimental research on the psychological processing of media, and resulting responses and
effects. He has studied how media influence attention, memory and emotional responses and has
applied the research in the areas of speech dialogue systems, interactive games, advanced
displays, social robots, and autonomous cars. Byron has recently launched (with Stanford
colleagues Nilam Ram and Thomas Robinson) the Human Screenome Project (Nature, 2020),
designed to collect moment-by-moment changes in technology use across applications, platforms
and screens.
At Stanford, Byron has been Director of the Center for the Study of Language and Information,
and Co-Director of the H-STAR Institute (Human Sciences and Technologies Advanced
Research), and he was the founding Director of mediaX at Stanford, a university-industry
program launched in 2001 to facilitate discussion and research at the intersection of academic
and applied interests. Byron has worked at Microsoft Research and with several technology
startups, and has been involved with media policy at the FTC, FCC, US Congress and White
House. He is an elected Fellow of the International Communication Association, and recipient of ICA Fellows book award for The Media Equation (with Prof. Clifford Nass), and the Novim Foundation Epiphany Science and Society Award. Byron’s PhD in Communication is from Michigan State University. -
Stefan Reichelstein
William R. Timken Professor in the Graduate School of Business, Emeritus
BioStefan Reichelstein is known internationally for his research on the interface of management accounting and economics. Much of his work has addressed issues in cost- and profitability analysis, decentralization, internal pricing and performance measurement. His research projects have spanned analytical models, empirical work and field studies. Reichelstein’s papers have been published consistently in leading management and economic journals. Insights from his research have been applied by a range of corporations and government agencies. In recent years, Reichelstein has also studied the cost competitiveness of low-carbon energy solutions, with a particular focus on solar PV and carbon capture by fossile fuel power plants.
Stefan Reichelstein received his Ph.D. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in 1984. Prior to that, he completed his undergraduate studies in economics at the University of Bonn in Germany. Over the past 30 years, Reichelstein has served on the faculties of the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, the University of Vienna in Austria, and the Stanford Graduate School of Business. His teaching has spanned financial and managerial accounting courses offered to undergraduate, MBA, and doctoral students. In recent years, he has introduced new courses on Sustainability and Clean Energy at the Stanford Business School. Reichelstein’s research has been supported by the National Science Foundation and a range of private foundations; several of his papers have won “Best-Paper” awards. Reichelstein serves on the editorial boards of several journals; he is also currently an editor of the Review of Accounting Studies and Foundations and Trends in Accounting. Until 2010, he served as the Department Editor for Accounting at Management Science. Professor Reichelstein has been a consultant to select companies and non-profit organizations. He has received honorary doctorates from the Universities of Fribourg (2008) and Mannheim (2011). In 2007, Reichelstein was appointed a Honorar-Professor at the University of Vienna. -
Juan Rivas-Davila
Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Senior Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsModern applications demand power capabilities beyond what is presently achievable. High performance systems need high power density and bandwidth that are difficult to achieve.
Power density can be improved with better semiconductors and passive componets, and by reducing the energy storage requirements of the system. By dramatically increasing switching frequency it is possible to reduce size of power converters. I'm interested in high performance/frequency circuits switching >10 MHz. -
Marc Roston
Senior Research Scholar
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsClimate finance, carbon markets, carbon accounting, insurance and reinsurance.
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Lesley Ryan
Web Developer, Precourt Institute for Energy
BioLesley is the Web Developer for the Precourt Institute for Energy where she builds websites for the institute and its initiatives and centers. Before coming to Stanford, she was a Web Developer at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University.
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Alberto Salleo
Hong Seh and Vivian W. M. Lim Professor and Professor, by courtesy, of Photon Science
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsNovel materials and processing techniques for large-area and flexible electronic/photonic devices. Polymeric materials for electronics, bioelectronics, and biosensors. Electrochemical devices for neuromorphic computing. Defects and structure/property studies of polymeric semiconductors, nano-structured and amorphous materials in thin films. Advanced characterization techniques for soft matter.
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Nancy Sandoval
Executive Assistant, Precourt Institute for Energy
BioNancy is the executive assistant to Yi Cui, Director of the Precourt Institute for Energy. She supports him in all facets of his day-to-day working and administrative roles.
Nancy started at Stanford University in 2003 with the inception of GCEP and is known as “GCEP Employee #1.” Before joining Stanford, she worked for many years as an administrative assistant at the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park. She has a daughter and a son who are both graduates of Stanford University. -
Krishna Saraswat
Rickey/Nielsen Professor in the School of Engineering, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsNew and innovative materials, structures, and process technology of semiconductor devices, interconnects for nanoelectronics and solar cells.
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John Louis Sarrao
Director of the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Professor of Photon Science, Senior Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy and Professor, by courtesy, of Materials Science and Engineering
BioJohn Sarrao became SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory’s sixth director in October 2023. The lab’s ~2,000 staff advance the frontiers of science by exploring how the universe works at the biggest, smallest, and fastest scales and invent powerful tools used by scientists around the globe. SLAC’s research helps solve real-world problems and advances the interests of the nation. SLAC is operated by Stanford University for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. It is home to three Office of Science national user facilities: the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), the world’s most powerful X-ray laser; the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL); and the Facility for Advanced Accelerator Experimental Tests, (FACET-II). SLAC hosts thousands of users each year and manages an annual budget of ~$700M. In addition to his role as lab director, John is a professor of photon science, and by courtesy, of materials science and engineering at Stanford University, a senior fellow at Stanford’s Precourt Institute, and dean of SLAC faculty.
John came to SLAC from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in New Mexico, where he served as the deputy director for science, technology, and engineering. In that role, he led multiple directorates, including chemistry, earth and life sciences, global security, physical sciences, and simulation and computation. He also stewarded technology transitions and served as LANL’s chief research officer in support of its national security mission. Before becoming deputy director, he served as associate director for theory, simulation, and computation and division leader for materials physics and applications at LANL.
John’s scientific research focus is superconductivity in materials. He studies the synthesis and characterization of correlated electron systems, especially actinide materials. He won the 2013 Department of Energy’s E.O. Lawrence Award and is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Physical Society, and LANL. John received his PhD and master’s degree in physics from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a bachelor’s degree in physics from Stanford University. -
Richard Sassoon
Executive Director Strategic Energy Alliance, Precourt Institute for Energy
BioRichard E. Sassoon is the Executive Director of the Strategic Energy Alliance under the Precourt Institute for Energy at Stanford. Prior to this role, he was the Managing Director of the Global Climate and Energy Project (GECP) at Stanford since November 2003. Dr. Sassoon has over 30 years of research and management experience in the fields of physical and analytical chemistry, as well as energy sciences.
Prior to joining Stanford, Dr. Sassoon was Senior Scientist and Assistant Vice President at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), where he led systems integration efforts for nanotechnology applications. For many years, he was a contractor to the Department of Energy supporting the strategic planning and management of its environmental programs, and its hydrogen and renewable energy activities.
Dr. Sassoon spent over a decade conducting research into photochemical solar energy conversion and storage systems, performing computer modeling of the catalytic processes involved in hydrogen production, and investigating technologies for cleanup of nuclear waste.
Dr. Sassoon received his B.Sc. in Chemistry from Leeds University in the UK, and his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel. He conducted his post-doctoral activities at the University of Notre Dame. Dr. Sassoon has authored over 20 research papers in peer-reviewed journals, has received several awards including the Gabriel Stein award for outstanding research during his Ph.D. studies. -
Bria Sabine Schraeder
Product Manager, Precourt Institute for Energy
BioBria Schraeder is a Product Manager for the Understand Energy program at the Precourt Institute for Energy. In this role, she supports the development and management of educational content across various platforms, including the Understand Energy class, workshop series, Learning Hub, staff seminar, and newsletter. She also works on strategic marketing and outreach efforts to expand the program's reach and impact.
In her free time, Bria enjoys recipe testing, watercolor painting, and long walks and hikes. -
Debbie Senesky
Associate Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, of Electrical Engineering and Senior Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy
BioDebbie G. Senesky is an Associate Professor at Stanford University in the Aeronautics and Astronautics Department and the Electrical Engineering Department. In addition, she is the Principal Investigator of the EXtreme Environment Microsystems Laboratory (XLab). Her research interests include the development of nanomaterials for extreme harsh environments, high-temperature electronics for Venus exploration, and microgravity synthesis of nanomaterials. In the past, she has held positions at GE Sensing (formerly known as NovaSensor), GE Global Research Center, and Hewlett Packard. She received the B.S. degree (2001) in mechanical engineering from the University of Southern California. She received the M.S. degree (2004) and Ph.D. degree (2007) in mechanical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. Prof. Senesky is the Site Director of nano@stanford. She is currently the co-editor of two technical journals: IEEE Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems and Sensors. In recognition of her research, she received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) in 2025, Emerging Leader Abie Award from AnitaB.org in 2018, Early Faculty Career Award from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 2012, Gabilan Faculty Fellowship Award in 2012, and Sloan Ph.D. Fellowship from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation in 2004.
Prof. Senesky's career path and research has been featured by Scientific American, Seeker, People Behind the Science podcast, The Future of Everything radio show, Space.com, and NPR's Tell Me More program. More information about Prof. Senesky can be found at https://xlab.stanford.edu and on Instagram (@astrodebs). -
Zhi-Xun Shen
Paul Pigott Professor of Physical Sciences, Professor of Applied Physics, of Physics and Senior Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy
On Partial Leave from 01/01/2025 To 06/30/2025Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Shen's main research interest lies in the area of condensed matter and materials physics, as well as the applications of materials and devices. He develops photon based innovative instrumentation and advanced experimental techniques, ranging from angle-resolved photoemission to microwave imaging, soft x-ray scattering and time domain spectroscopy and scattering. He has created a body of literature that advanced our understanding of quantum materials, including superconductors, semiconductors, novel magnets, topological insulators, novel carbon and electron emitters. He is best known for his discoveries of the momentum structure of anisotropic d-wave pairing gap and anomalous normal state pseudogap in high temperature superconductors. He has further leveraged the advanced characterization tool to make better materials through thin film and interface engineering.
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Olav Solgaard
Director, Edward L. Ginzton Laboratory and Robert L. and Audrey S. Hancock Professor in the School of Engineering
On Leave from 10/01/2024 To 06/30/2025BioThe Solgaard group focus on design and fabrication of nano-photonics and micro-optical systems. We combine photonic crystals, optical meta-materials, silicon photonics, and MEMS, to create efficient and reliable systems for communication, sensing, imaging, and optical manipulation.
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Maksim Sonin
Hydrogen Projects Fellow, Precourt Institute for Energy
BioDr. Maksim Sonin is an energy thought leader who drives strategic global investments, and executes large-scale capital developments worth over $15B per project, from inception to operation across major sectors, with teams spanning 5 continents.
Dr. Sonin has held executive roles and served on the Boards of UCC ($10bn+ capital projects portfolio), Silleno ($7bn+ world-scale petrochemical complex, 1250kta), KMG Petrochem ($2bn+ gas treatment plant, 9 bcma), and other organizations, focusing on humanitarian and global energy concerns. This includes leading the development of the world’s largest plants for producing ammonia and fertilizers, with the highest capacity per train. His expertise covers all project phases from inception to operation, and major sectors, ensuring the satisfaction of governments and multinational conglomerates.He has worked with Chevron, Shell, and ExxonMobil at consortium venture, and collaborated with other global players.
Holding an MS in Management from Stanford Graduate School of Business as a Sloan Fellow, a PhD in Engineering from Scientific Research Institute of Natural Gases and Gas Technologies, and an MS in Finance, Dr. Sonin's academic achievements are further complemented by distinguished certifications in his field, such as Portfolio Management Professional (PMI PfMP®) and Program Management Professional (PMI PgMP®), among others. He is a Projects Fellow and a member of the Stanford Hydrogen Initiative.
Recent / Coming speaking engagements:
• Global Hydrogen Leaders, S&P Global(May’24)
• Reuters Events, Energy (September’24)
• Stanford Ammonia Symposium (October ’24)
• Global Clean Hydrogen (November ’24)
• S&P Global, World Hydrogen (March ’25)
• Argus, Clean Ammonia (April ’25)
• 5th American Hydrogen Forum, Houston (May ’25)
• The Energy Projects, EPC Show (June ’25)
• Carbon Capture Technology Expo North America (June ’25)
• Hydrogen Technology North America Expo (June ’25)
• Green Hydrogen Summit, Seattle (September ’25
• Experience Power (EP) week, Denver. A POWER magazine Advisory Board Member (Oct-Nov ’25)
• Global Sustainable Energies. Milan. TBC
• American Data Centers & AI (November’ 25)
Selected interviews in 2024:
1. Nikkei BP (Savior of data centers, green hydrogen made from offshore wind power will save Japan's power shortage), Japan. :
https://xtech.nikkei.com/atcl/nxt/column/18/02924/082600004/
2. IBM (Can nuclear power fuel AI's growing energy needs?):
https://www.ibm.com/think/news/ai-nuclear-power
3. Power Magazine (Power Demand from Data Centres Keeping Coal-Fired Plants Online): https://www.powermag.com/power-demand-from-data-centers-keeping-coal-fired-plants-online/
4. ReadWrite (How AI Will Soon Disrupt the Greater Energy Industry):
https://readwrite.com/ai-disrupt-energy-industry
5. Mashable (Ammonia Could Play a Key Role In Creating a Low-Carbon Energy System). https://nl.mashable.com/climate-environment-1/10161/why-ammonia-could-play-a-key-role-in-creating-a-low-carbon-energy-system-with-maksim-sonin
6. Inc.com (Building a Sustainable Future: How Companies Can Make a Positive Impact): https://www.inc.com/heather-wilde/building-a-sustainable-future-how-companies-can-make-a-positive-impact.html
7. Investing.com (a Global, Low-Carbon Economy Isn’t as Far-Fetched as Many Might Think):
https://www.investing.com/studios/article-382506
8. International Business Times (Why Leaders Can't Be Afraid to Push Boundaries):
https://www.ibtimes.com/why-leaders-cant-afraid-push-boundaries-3-tips-doing-just-that-3738982 -
Andrew Spakowitz
Tang Family Foundation Chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering, Professor of Chemical Engineering, of Materials Science and Engineering and, by courtesy, of Applied Physics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsTheory and computation of biological processes and complex materials
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Alfred M. Spormann
Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and of Chemical Engineering, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMetabolism of anaerobic microbes in diseases, bioenergy, and bioremediation
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Jonathan Stebbins
Professor of Geological Sciences, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly Interestsstructure and dynamics of crystalline, glassy, and molten inorganic materials and how these relate to geologically and technologically important properties and processes; solid state Nuclear Magnetic Resoance (NMR); mineralogy; igneous petrology; glass science
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James Sweeney
Professor of Management Science & Engineering, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDeterminants of energy efficiency opportunities, barriers, and policy options. Emphasis on behavioral issues, including personal, corporate, or organizational. Behavior may be motivated by economic incentives, social, or cultural factors, or more generally, by a combination of these factors. Systems analysis questions of energy use.
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Joel Swisher
Adjunct Professor
BioJoel N. Swisher, PhD, PE, is Consulting Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University, where he teaches graduate-level courses on greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation (covering technical and business strategies to manage GHG risks) and electric utility planning methods (covering supply and demand-side resources, resource integration and expansion planning). His current research at Stanford addresses the integration of plug-in vehicles with the power grid and the barriers and synergies related to metering, tariffs, load management, customer incentives, and charging infrastructure.
Dr. Swisher is also an independent consultant with over 30 years experience in research and consulting on many aspects of clean energy technology. He is an expert in energy efficiency technology and policy, carbon offsets and climate change mitigation, and electric utility resource planning and economics. He has consulted with numerous utilities, manufacturers and technology companies on resource planning, energy efficiency, vehicle electrification and clean energy deployment strategies. He has also helped consumer-oriented firms design strategies to expand simple cost-saving energy investment programs into brand-building corporate sustainability campaigns.
Dr. Swisher is a thought leader in several areas of clean energy technology and business strategy. As Director of Technical Services and CTO for Camco International, Dr. Swisher helped develop carbon offset projects in reforestation, agriculture, renewable energy and building energy efficiency, and he has authored emission inventories, baseline studies and monitoring and verification plans for multilateral banks and private offset buyers. Starting in 1989, Dr. Swisher performed seminal research on carbon offset baselines and technical and economic analysis of carbon offsets in the energy and land-use sectors.
Dr. Swisher was managing director of research and consulting at Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), where he led RMI’s consulting team in work for numerous high-profile clients, including electric utilities and producers of goods ranging from semiconductor chips to potato chips. At RMI, he created the concept of the Smart Garage, which explores the energy system synergies in which vehicle electrification helps enable zero-emission vehicles and a cleaner power grid. He led an RMI team that convened an industrial consortium (including Alcoa, Johnson Controls, Google, etc.) to develop a new, lightweight, plug-in hybrid vehicle platform for Class 2 truck fleet applications. Collaborating with the design firm IDEO to conduct interdisciplinary design workshops, the RMI team initiated a working design to attract funding and move toward production, which proceeded as a spin-off company, Bright Automotive in Indiana.
Dr. Swisher holds a Ph.D. in Energy and Environmental Engineering from Stanford University. He is a registered Professional Engineer and speaks five languages. He is author of over 100 professional publications including The New Business Climate: A Guide to Lower Carbon Emissions and Better Business Performance and a bilingual (English and Portuguese) textbook on energy efficiency program design and evaluation and integrated energy resource planning. -
Katie Taflan
Assistant Director, Explore Energy, Precourt Institute for Energy
Current Role at StanfordProgram Manager, Precourt Institute for Energy
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William Abraham Tarpeh
Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering, by courtesy, of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Center Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy and, by courtesy, at the Woods Institute for the Environment
BioReimagining liquid waste streams as resources can lead to recovery of valuable products and more efficient, less costly approaches to reducing harmful discharges to the environment. Pollutants in effluent streams can be captured and used as valuable inputs to other processes. For example, municipal wastewater contains resources like energy, water, nutrients, and metals. The Tarpeh Lab develops and evaluates novel approaches to resource recovery from “waste” waters at several synergistic scales: molecular mechanisms of chemical transport and transformation; novel unit processes that increase resource efficiency; and systems-level assessments that identify optimization opportunities. We employ understanding of electrochemistry, separations, thermodynamics, kinetics, and reactor design to preferentially recover resources from waste. We leverage these molecular-scale insights to increase the sustainability of engineered processes in terms of energy, environmental impact, and cost.
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Clyde Tatum
Obayashi Professor in the School of Engineering, Emeritus
BioTatum's teaching interests are construction engineering and technical construction. His research focuses on construction process knowledge and integration and innovation in construction.
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Hamdi Tchelepi
Max Steineke Professor and Senior Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsCurrent research activities: (1) model and simulate unstable miscible and immiscible fluid flow in heterogeneous porous media, (2) develop multiscale numerical solution algorithms for coupled mechanics and multiphase fluid flow in large-scale subsurface formations, and (3) develop stochastic solution methods that quantify the uncertainty associated with predictions of fluid-structure dynamics in porous media.
