2023 Projects

	Lauren S. Aguilar ’25 Mathematics Advisor: Kristin Bergmann, D. Reid Weedon, Jr. ’41 Career Development Professor, Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Direct Supervisor: Les Armstrong, Graduate Researcher, MIT Energy Initiative Sponsor: Friends of MITEI UROP (IAP) Cost analysis of long-term geological hydrogen storage Advisor: Christoph Reinhart, Director, Building Technology Program; Professor, Architecture Direct Supervisor: Zachary Berzolla, PhD Candidate, Architecture Sponsor: Friends of MITEI UROP (fall) Energy modeling and building retrofits in Addison County
	Joy Bhattacharya ’24 Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Advisor: David G. Atkin, Professor, Economics; Co-chair, Firms, J-PAL Direct Supervisor: Garg Tishara, Graduate Student, Economics Sponsor: Friends of MITEI UROP The impact of economic zones and related place-based polices
	Daniel T. Brown ’25 Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Advisor: Jessika Trancik, Professor, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society Direct Supervisor: Aliza Khurram, Postdoctoral Associate, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society Sponsor: Friends of MITEI UROP Evaluating demand side management strategies on various energy systems
	Jakob Byrd ’25 Mechanical Engineering Advisor and Direct Supervisor: John E. Parsons, Senior Lecturer, Sloan School of Management; Deputy Director for Research, Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research Sponsor: Friends of MITEI UROP Siting a nuclear platform green fuels facility on the Gulf Coast The aspiration for worldwide net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 is hindered by the inability of renewable energy sources to be competitive with conventional fossil fuels. In order to decarbonize fossil fuel–intensive industries, especially the maritime industry, our team is researching the implementation of a floating nuclear power platform that produces carbon-free fuel in the form of hydrogen and ammonia. The success of the project could potentially cause the maritime industry to drastically reduce their carbon emissions, as well as establish hydrogen and ammonia industries that will be instrumental in achieving a net-zero future.
	Shealy Callahan ’26 Mechanical Engineering Advisor and Direct Supervisor: John E. Parsons, Senior Lecturer, Sloan School of Management; Deputy Director for Research, Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research Sponsor: Friends of MITEI UROP Environmental regulations for desalination on- and offshore in the Gulf of Mexico
	Shreya Chaudhary ’26 Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Advisor: Robert C. Armstrong, Director, MIT Energy Initiative Direct Supervisor: Vladimir Dvorkin, Postdoctoral Fellow, MIT Energy Initiative Sponsor: Friends of MITEI UROP Synthetic dataset generation to support the energy transition
	Ernesto Gomez ’26 Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Advisor: Lawrence Susskind, Ford Professor of Urban and Environmental Planning, Urban Studies and Planning Direct Supervisor: Jungwoo Chun, Graduate Student, Urban Studies and Planning Sponsor: Friends of MITEI UROP Renewable energy facilities siting conflict analysis and engagement Developing a database of efforts by local stakeholders to block renewable energy projects can inform prevention and/or resolution of conflict among renewable energy developers, regulators, and local communities, fostering the engagement necessary to pursue a greener, renewable future, together.
	Victoria Hagenlocker ’26 Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Advisor: Siqi Zheng, STL Champion Professor of Urban and Real Estate Sustainability; Faculty Director, MIT Center for Real Estate; Faculty Director, MIT Sustainable Urbanization Lab Direct Supervisor: Juan Palacios, Postdoctoral Researcher; Director, CRE Climate and Real Estate Initiative; Head of Research, Sustainable Urbanization Lab Sponsor: Shell (summer) and Friends of MITEI UROP (fall) Building decarbonization policy tracker to support large-scale commercial retrofits Emissions from on-site natural gas and oil heating systems in buildings pose significant obstacles to achieving a net-zero society, and while high-efficiency electric heat pumps offer a promising solution, their adoption is hindered by higher installation costs and a shortage of skilled installers. We’re developing a framework that combines energy modeling and financial analysis to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of heat pump installations. Our ongoing research investigates the impact of contractors on installation costs and performance, offering valuable insights into their practices and the resulting installation quality.
	Eric Kim ’25, KENTECH Energy Engineering Advisor and Direct Supervisor: Christoph Reinhart, Director, Building Technology Program; Professor, Architecture City-wide rooftop PV potential maps As the world shifts toward carbon-zero energy systems, making buildings more efficient will play a crucial role. However, there is essential data needed to understand the uptake of building enhancements, especially surrounding costs and budgeting. Our project combines census data, geographic data, and building information to inform the “willingness to pay” for building efficiency upgrades.
	Colin Klick ’24 Management Advisor: Robert C. Armstrong, Director, MIT Energy Initiative Direct Supervisor: Antje Danielson, Director of Education, MIT Energy Initiative Sponsor: Shell Network analysis on wind energy in Maine Offshore wind (OSW) will play a crucial role in meeting Maine’s energy and climate goals. Opposition to offshore wind turbines being built in Maine has hindered the development of offshore wind within the state. A comprehensive literature review of the stakeholders involved in offshore wind in Maine was conducted to form a framework for a social network analysis. Through this analysis we will identify and understand the relationships between OSW stakeholders, the characteristics of OSW stakeholders, and help Maine transition towards OSW.
	Selin Kocalar ’26 Mechanical Engineering Advisor: Feng Zhang, James and Patricia Poitras Professor in Neuroscience, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences Direct Supervisor: Soumya Kannan, PhD Candidate, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard Sponsor: Friends of MITEI UROP Characterization and functional elucidation of diverse CRISPR-Cas systems
	Lesley L. Lambaric ’26 Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Advisor: Desirée Plata, Gilbert W. Winslow (1937) Career Development Professor in Civil Engineering; Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering Direct Supervisor: Yunpo Li, Graduate Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering Sponsor: Friends of MITEI UROP Evaluation and monitoring of methane gas emission by oil and gas development
	Dohyeon Lee ’25, KENTECH Energy Engineering Advisor and Direct Supervisor: Andy Sun, Iberdrola-Avangrid Professor in Electric Power Systems; Associate Professor, Operations Research Data analytics for the planning and operation of a highly renewable power system The aim of the research is to synthesize accurate, high-resolution data on the output of wind and solar farms to facilitate the integration of renewable energy sources effectively into our energy systems. Through my research, which utilizes advanced optimization techniques and the ERA5 reanalysis dataset, we can create highly realistic models of hourly capacity factors for wind and solar farms in key locations identified by existing studies. This research not only helps the utilization of renewable energy output while reducing costs, but also provides data-backed insights for planning and operation and ensures the reliability of our electricity grid as we transition towards a sustainable energy future.
	Trent Lee ’26 Mechanical Engineering Advisor: John H. Lienhard, Abdul Latif Jameel Professor of Water, Mechanical Engineering Direct Supervisor: Zi Hao Foo, Graduate Student, Mechanical Engineering Sponsor: Friends of MITEI UROP Harvesting lithium through the nanofiltration of salt-lake brines/Electrodialysis for lithium production from battery leachates (summer) With an impending green transition, the need for lithium to be used in rechargeable batteries has grown tremendously. As a result, we must find a reliable and renewable way to produce lithium. Our project is developing a sustainable system to produce lithium from recycled batteries using various membrane separation processes. Harvesting lithium through the nanofiltration of salt-lake brines (fall)
	Elaine Liu ’24 Mathematics Advisor and Direct Supervisor: Marija Ilić, Senior Research Scientist, Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems Sponsor: Shell Optimal EV charging station allocation for grid reliability and consumer satisfaction The rapid adoption of electric vehicles introduces higher demand for electricity when drivers come home from work in the evening. In order to alleviate stress on the power grid, we need to encourage drivers to charge at different locations and at different times of day. To encourage this behavior, charging stations need to be placed strategically. Our research shows that given the right market incentives, companies will optimize their charger allocation in these ways and ensure our power grid is efficient and sustainable.
	Miranda X. Liu ’26 Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Advisor: Robert C. Armstrong, Director, MIT Energy Initiative Direct Supervisor: Amanda Farnsworth, Graduate Student, Chemical Engineering Sponsor: Friends of MITEI UROP Impact of variable renewable energy capacity factor profile aggregation level
	Johlesa Orm ’26 Artificial Intelligence and Decision Making Advisor: Dan Sweeney, Research Scientist; Lecturer, D-Lab Direct Supervisor: Priya Pradhan, Fulbright Postdoctoral Researcher, D-Lab (summer) Sponsor: Shell (summer) and Friends of MITEI UROP (fall) Machine learning modeling to optimize bioenergy production Transforming farm waste into charcoal has the potential to curb deforestation while making use of abundant materials to provide for some communities’ growing energy needs. However, the factors impacting the quality and quantity of charcoal from waste material still need to be studied. Using machine learning, we can gain better understanding of these factors and ultimately assist engineers and charcoal producers in their efforts to efficiently and sustainably produce better fuel.
	Samantha Rencher ’24 Nuclear Science and Engineering Advisor and Direct Supervisor: John E. Parsons, Senior Lecturer, Sloan School of Management; Deputy Director for Research, Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research Sponsor: Shell The competitive landscape for distributed nuclear cogeneration Combined heat and power generation allows industrial and commercial complexes to save money and reduce emissions by using a more efficient process; however, it is a space in our energy system that is currently filled by fossil fuels and is incompatible with typical green energy sources, like solar or wind. Nuclear reactors are compatible with this process, and offer the ability to continue using this efficient technology with no carbon emissions.
	Geon Roh ’25, KENTECH Energy Engineering Advisor and Direct Supervisor: Long Ju, Assistant Professor, Physics Novel optoelectronic devices based on 2D materials Despite the tremendous potential of van der Waals (vdW) materials to revolutionize various fields, including electronics and energy, our incomplete understanding of lattice relaxation, stemming from interlayer interaction, is impeding the progress of research and the realization of their full capabilities. Utilizing Atomic Level Tomography, enabled by techniques like Transmission Electron Microscopy and machine learning algorithms, we aim to precisely identify and characterize lattice relaxation as well as other interlayer interactions within vdW materials. This approach not only allows us a deeper fundamental understanding of vdW materials but also accelerates these materials to be used in real-world applications such as energy-efficient electronics and hydrogen fuel cells.
	Miles Roper ’25 Mechanical Engineering Advisor: Asegun Henry, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Direct Supervisor: Shomik Verma, Graduate Student, Mechanical Engineering Sponsor: Friends of MITEI UROP Charactering high-temperature near black emitters in thermophotovoltaic devices
	Tomasz J. Slusarczyk ’25 Mathematics Advisor: Richard de Neufville, Professor of Engineering Systems, Institute of Data, Systems, and Society Direct Supervisor: Austin Saragih, Graduate Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering Sponsor: Friends of MITEI UROP Value of information and flexibility analysis for power system generation expansion planning under uncertainty
	Emily Suh ’25, Wellesley Computer Science Advisor: Saurabh Amin, Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering; Director, Henry L. Pierce Laboratory; PI, Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems Direct Supervisor: Rahman Korramfar, Postdoctoral Associate, MIT Energy Initiative Sponsor: Friends of MITEI UROP Designing a user interface for JPoNG, an open-source tool for joint infrastructure planning
	Christine W. Tang ’25 Civil and Environmental Engineering Advisor and Direct Supervisor: Eric Anton Verploegen, Research Engineer; Lecturer, D-Lab Sponsor: Friends of MITEI UROP Constructing a communication system to improve the clay pot cooler user experience
	Reed Tubbs ’25 Chemical Engineering Advisor and Direct Supervisor: Fikile Brushett, Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering Sponsor: Shell Electrodeposition of metal species Improving electrodeposition of scrap materials and metals increases the rate of recovery of these elements from waste streams, which is directly related to reducing toxins in the environment. This toxicity reduction effectively limits the accumulation of harmful solutions and compounds, reducing the risks to humans and the environment. The potential impact of maximizing electrodeposition applications on the environment would pave the way for a cleaner industry, economy, and environmental conditions. Specifically, this UROP could potentially contribute to the reduction of hazardous metal material in mineral processing wastewater streams, which contain many heavy metals that often lead to pollution of agricultural land.
	Wendy Zhang ’26 Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Advisor: Robert C. Armstrong, Director, MIT Energy Initiative Direct Supervisor: Antje Danielson, Director of Education, MIT Energy Initiative Sponsor: Friends of MITEI UROP Network analysis on wind energy in Maine The diverse perspectives of offshore wind (OSW) stakeholders in Maine are adversely impacting the development of this emerging industry. Through a comprehensive literature review and a citizen survey to gather data on Maine residents’ associations, connections, and concerns, we lay the groundwork for an upcoming social network analysis. This analysis will allow us to understand the intricate connections between OSW stakeholder groups, understand stakeholder perspectives of OSW, and help support Maine’s transition towards OSW.
	Justin Zhou ’26 Management Advisor: Robert C. Armstrong, Director, MIT Energy Initiative Direct Supervisor: Ruaridh Macdonald, Energy Systems Research Lead, MIT Energy Initiative Sponsor: Friends of MITEI UROP Improvement of visualization of data from GenX and DOLPHYN models

2023 Projects

Lauren S. Aguilar ’25

Joy Bhattacharya ’24

Daniel T. Brown ’25

Jakob Byrd ’25

Shealy Callahan ’26

Shreya Chaudhary ’26

Ernesto Gomez ’26

Victoria Hagenlocker ’26

Eric Kim ’25, KENTECH

Colin Klick ’24

Selin Kocalar ’26

Lesley L. Lambaric ’26

Dohyeon Lee ’25, KENTECH

Trent Lee ’26

Elaine Liu ’24

Miranda X. Liu ’26

Johlesa Orm ’26

Samantha Rencher ’24

Geon Roh ’25, KENTECH

Miles Roper ’25

Tomasz J. Slusarczyk ’25

Emily Suh ’25, Wellesley

Christine W. Tang ’25

Reed Tubbs ’25

Wendy Zhang ’26

Justin Zhou ’26