Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability
Showing 151-160 of 172 Results
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Edgar Virgüez
Research Engineer, Energy Science & Engineering
BioEdgar Virgüez is Director of Research at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, Managing Director of the Interdisciplinary Energy Systems Research Group, and a Research Engineer at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. His work bridges research and strategic research leadership, with a focus on building interdisciplinary collaborations that connect rigorous scholarship with real-world impact.
Dr. Virgüez’s research develops data-driven models to inform energy system planning, evaluate environmental and economic impacts, and guide infrastructure investment and technology deployment toward reliable, low-carbon energy systems. He has contributed to more than 50 scholarly publications and research outputs cited over 1,000 times, including work published in Energy & Environmental Science, Nature Cities, PNAS, and Science. He serves on the Editorial Board of Environmental Research: Energy and is a recipient of IOP Publishing’s Editorial Excellence Award. His active scholarly service includes peer review for more than 15 academic journals, including Nature Communications and Nature Sustainability.
Before taking on his current role at the Stanford Woods Institute, Dr. Virgüez served as Managing Director of the $23 million EARNEST Consortium at Stanford, where he oversaw research coordination, governance, and multi-institutional partnerships for a U.S. Department of Energy-funded collaboration spanning 21 universities, national laboratories, and research organizations. The consortium focuses on the future of the U.S. electricity system. He has also led and contributed to research projects for the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank, applying expertise in areas including life-cycle assessment, cost-benefit analysis, and decarbonization strategies.
Dr. Virgüez also contributes his expertise to global energy, climate, and research initiatives. He serves as an Expert Advisor to The Earthshot Prize, assessing climate solutions for innovation, impact, and scalability. He has also provided expert review and advice to organizations including Schmidt Sciences and the International Energy Agency, evaluating research and grant proposals and technical reports focused on energy systems and decarbonization.
His contributions to research, leadership, and education have been recognized through 22 competitive honors, including the American Geophysical Union’s Science for Solutions Award, the K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award, and Duke University’s Graduate School Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. As an educator, he has taught 17 courses, reaching nearly 600 students, while mentoring and supervising students and early-career researchers across institutions and disciplines.
Beyond his research and teaching, he has held leadership roles in university governance. Dr. Virgüez previously served on Duke University’s Board of Trustees, the university’s highest governing body, and currently serves on the Nicholas School of the Environment Board of Visitors and Dean’s Cabinet, as well as Duke’s Climate Commitment Campaign Board.
He earned a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences and Policy, with a Certificate in College Teaching, and an M.A. in Environment, with a Certificate in Geospatial Analysis, from Duke University. He also earned an M.Sc. in Environmental Engineering and dual B.Sc. degrees in Chemical and Environmental Engineering from Universidad de los Andes. His education has been supported by more than $795,000 in competitive scholarships and fellowships.
Across research, education, and institutional leadership, his work is guided by a common purpose: advancing rigorous science, building enduring interdisciplinary collaborations, and strengthening institutions to translate knowledge into impact at scale. -
Oleg Volkov
Sr Res Scientist-Physical, Energy Science & Engineering
BioDr. Volkov has over sixteen years of experience in constrained optimization applied research.
After receiving his M.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering (Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal) and
a Ph.D. degree in Applied Mathematics (University of Montreal), he then worked on industrial
contracts related to the optimal control of phase transition systems and optimal design of porous
media. Subsequently, Dr. Volkov served a one-year fixed term at the rank of an Assistant Professor
in Physics at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia. His current research interests include
the implementation and refinement of gradient-based optimization methods in application to hydrocarbon
field development. -
Diane Wade
RA, Research, Grants & Finance Manager, Energy Science & Engineering
BioDiane is a Research Finance Manager for the Department of Energy Science and Engineering at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. In this role, she oversees finance, grant, and affiliate management, including faculty financial portfolios and sponsored grants through all stages, from pre-award to post-award. She collaborates with faculty on research proposals and provides training to new Research Administrators to enhance their understanding of complex financial and sponsored research processes. Previously, she managed department budgets and affiliate faculty appointments.
In addition, Diane served as Interim Diversity Officer for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, where she led strategic DEI initiatives and managed project finances during the Associate Dean’s leave.
Diane’s academic background spans advertising, art, and mechanical engineering, complemented by an internship at NASA focused on building flight simulators. She also holds an MBA with a specialization in Finance and Strategic Management. -
John Weyant
Professor (Research) of Management Science and Engineering, of Energy Science Engineering and Senior Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy
BioJohn P. Weyant is Professor of Management Science and Engineering, Professor of Energy Science & Engineering, and Director of the Energy Modeling Forum (EMF) at Stanford University. He is also a Senior Fellow of the Precourt Institute for Energy and an an affiliated faculty member of the Stanford School of Earth, Environment and Energy Sciences, the Woods Institute for the Environment, and the Freeman-Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford. His current research focuses on analysis of multi-sector, multi-region coupled human and earth systems dynamics, global change systems analysis, energy technology assessment, and models for strategic planning.
Weyant was a founder and serves as chairman of the Integrated Assessment Modeling Consortium (IAMC), a seventeen-year old collaboration among over 60 member institutions from around the world. He has been an active adviser to the United Nations, the European Commission, U.S.Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of State, and the Environmental Protection Agency. In California, he has been and adviser to the California Air Resources, the California Energy Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission..
Weyant was awarded the US Association for Energy Economics’ 2008 Adelmann-Frankel award for unique and innovative contributions to the field of energy economics and the award for outstanding lifetime contributions to the Profession for 2017 from the International Association for Energy Economics, and a Life Time Achievement award from the Integrated Assessment Modeling Consortium in 2018. Weyant was honored in 2007 as a major contributor to the Nobel Peace prize awarded to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and in 2008 by Chairman Mary Nichols for contributions to the to the California Air Resources Board's Economic and Technology Advancement Advisory Committee on AB 32.
Fields of Specialization:
Energy/Environmental Policy Analysis, Strategic Planning
Interests:
Overall goal is to accelerate the use of systems models at state, country, and global scales, aiming to provide the best available information and insights to government and private-sector decision makers. Specific areas include energy, climate change, and sustainable development policy, including emerging technologies and market design alternatives. Draws on concepts and techniques from science and engineering fundamentals (e.g., thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, materials science, and electrical power systems), operations research, economics, finance, and decision theory.
