Research & Teaching

Research

I completed my PhD in July 2024 in Energy Engineering at University College Cork, Ireland, within the Energy Policy and Modelling Group. I was supervised by Professor Hannah Daly and Professor John Curtis. The topic of my doctoral thesis is "Depicting energy service demand as a mitigation lever in energy systems model" . This thesis demonstrates the value of including demand-side measures in Energy Systems Optimization Models (ESOMs) and Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs). It highlights how energy service demands can be managed to reduce GHG emissions, particularly in the residential and transport sectors. Further, by incorporating empirical evidence of the phenomena that drive energy service demands, the research develops methodologies to improve the quantification of decarbonization scenarios in ESOMs and IAMs. During my PhD, I contributed to the development of energy service demands within the TIMES Ireland Model (TIM)] which has been used by the Climate Change Advisory Council as a part of their recommendation to the government for Ireland’s legal carbon budget.

I was selected to participate in the Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP) 2023 at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Austria. I developed an open-source evidence-based passenger mobility projections model for South Asian countries, that can be linked to IIASA's IAM framework. Prior to my PhD, I worked as a research assistance at the Economic and Social Research Instiute, Dublin where I looked at the impact of heating electrification on the Irish power system.

My research focuses on developing energy systems optimization models, simulation frameworks, and sustainable pathways for a secure and just energy transition. This research aims to provide insights into decarbonization and climate change mitigation options, as well as inform national-level energy policy. To date, my work has primarily concentrated on both developed countries, such as Ireland, and developing countries in South Asia. While energy demand reduction is being discussed as a mitigation strategy in Global North countries, access to energy services remains unequal and disproportionately low in the Global South. I believe a closer examination of the unique challenges and opportunities in the Global South is necessary, as these countries will significantly influence global efforts to mitigate climate change in the coming century.

Teaching

I contributed to the Energy Systems Modeling module at UCC during my PhD, where I taught the importance and key drivers of energy service demand. I also covered how these demands are represented in optimization models and methodologies for projecting future demand. Additionally, I supervised an assignment focused on decomposing drivers and greenhouse gas emissions of transport service demand, using the Kaya identity.