MIT Technology and Policy Program

Theses

TPP student research spans many domains, but shares methodologies and goals. Examples of award-winning theses and noteworthy research projects are shared here. We also maintain a public database of all TPP thesis titles, with links to web publications where available.

Award-Winning Theses and Student Research Stories

2023 Thesis Prize Winner

  • Maja Svanberg; “The Economic Advantage of Computer Vision Over Human Labor, and Its Market Implications” (2023). Advisor(s): Neil Thompson.

2022 Thesis Prize Winners

2021 Thesis Prize Winner

Karan Bhuwalka, recent TPP alum who won best thesis in 2021, reflects on TPP’s interdisciplinary approach and bringing data science, manufacturing, and social issues together in his research on the materials that make up electric vehicles.

Do native ads shape our perception of the news?: Manon Revel

Often masquerading as legitimate news, so-called “native” ads, pushed by content recommendation networks, have brought badly needed revenue to the struggling U.S. news industry. But at what cost? TPP alum Manon Revel is now a PhD student in the IDSS Social and Engineering Systems PhD program. Her TPP thesis advisor was Prof. Ali Jadbabaie.

Health Savings of Renewable Energy: Emil Dimanchev

Research from TPP alum Emil Dimanchev, who won TPP’s best thesis award in 2019, found that health savings from cleaner air would more than pay for the cost of implementing renewable energy policies. His thesis was advised by TPP director Noelle Selin.

Thesis Database

Thesis Titles, 1977 to 2015

ALL 1977 1978 1979
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984
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1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2015
  • David Auerbach; “Climate Change Mitigation via Ocean Disposal of Power-Plant-Generated CO2: A Comprehensive Environmental and Political Analysis;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Joseph Bambenek; “Long-Term Economically Efficient Transmission Systems in a Restructured and Deregulated Electric Power Industry;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Tyson Browning; “Systematic IPT Integration in Lean Development Programs;” SM, 1996 (6/1/1996) (Stan Weiss)
  • Hsiu-Ping Chou; “Evaluation of Investment Strategy for the National Grid Company PLC in the United Kingdom;” SM, 1996 (9/1/1995)
  • Robert DiMatteo; “Enhanced Semiconductor Carrier Generation Via Microscale Radiative Transfer; MPC - An Electric Power Finance Instrument Policy; Interrelated Innovations in Emerging Energy Technologies;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • James Ellison; “Modeling Nuclear Power Plant Maintenance: Promoting New Discussions and Better Policy;” SM, 1996 (2/1/1996)
  • Nils Fonstad; “Understanding Group Dynamics in an Electronic Environment: An Analysis of Two Electronic Discussion Groups;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Michael Gillenwater; “The Aging Stock of Coal-Fired Electric Generating Units: Utilization, Retirements, Repowering, Additions and Environmental Policy Implications;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Jonathan Grant; “Sea Level Rise and Private Property Rights in Shoreline Management;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Andrew Green; “Assessing Organizational Culture: Do the Values and Assumptions of Canadian Chemical Companies Reflect Those Espoused by 'Responsible Care'?;” SM, 1996 (9/1/1995)
  • Paul Greenberg; “Delivery of Tren Urbano Stations as Strategic Urban Nodes;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Rosaline Gulati; “The Coupling of Product Architecture and Organizational Structure Decisions;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • James Hamilton; “The Influence of Environmental Justics on the Dioxin Controversy;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Takashi Hoshino; “Telecommunications Development: Policy Recommendations for Developing Countries;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Sanjay Kalpage; “Sri Lanka's Power Sector: Privatization Issues;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Heekyung Kim; “When Is It Best Not to Remediate?: Mid-Course Corrections for Super Fund;” SM, 1996 (2/1/1996)
  • Hans Klein; “Institutions, innovation, and information infrastructure: the social construction of intelligent transportation systems in the U.S., Europe, and Japan;” PhD, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Jonathan Kleinman; “Thinking Globally, Acting Locally: Investigating Local-Level Capacity in the United States to Pursue Sustainability;” SM, 1996 (2/1/1996)
  • Yongwon Kwon; “The Significance of Technology Policy for a Late Industrializing Country to Sustain Its Industrial Development: Case Study of Korea's Electronics Industry;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Benoit Lecinq; “Peak-load Pricing for Transmission in a Deregulated Electric Utility Industry;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Jiunn-Fuu Lin; “The Strategic Alliances in Taiwan's Construction Industry;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Elson Liu; “A Unified Approach to the Diffusion of Innovations in Education: Computer Networks in the Arlington School District;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Francisco Lozano; “Privatizing Infrastructure: From Theory to Practice. The Colombian Toll Road Case.;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Malee Lucas; “Supplier Management Practices of the Joint Direct Attack Munition Program;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Douglas Melcher; “State and Local Telecommunications Networks: Institutional and Political Factors Influencing Government Deployment Strategies;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Shanthi Muthiah; “Privatization and Restructuring of the Electric Power Sector in Malaysia: Implications of Pricing Policy;” SM, 1996 (9/1/1995)
  • Adil Najam; “Developing Countires and the Politics of Sustainable Development;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Hiroshi Nishida; “The U.S. Air Bag Regulations - An Evaluation of Public Policy;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Erin O'Neill-Toy; “Cost Effective Strategies for Nitrogen Oxide Reduction: Ozone Attainment Policy for New England;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Chinlim Ong; “Privatization of Sewage Treatment in China's Coastal Cities: Enviroment Policies, International Experience, and Policy Implications for Guangzhou;” SM, 1996 (2/1/1996)
  • Andrew Parris; “A Comparison of Manufacturing Process Control Strategies for Quality Improvement;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Luis Paz-Galindo; “Strategies for electricity supply in the province of Mendoza : a multi-attribute trade-off analysis application;” SM, 1996 (9/1/1996) (Richard Tabors)
  • Guillermo Peschard; “Manufacturing Performance: a Comparative Study of Engine Plant Productivity in the Automotive Industry;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Halil Pirnar; “Dynamic Technology Strategies for High-Tech Commodity Products: A Case Study of Personal Copiers;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Narasimha Rao; “A Capacity Planning Methodology for Rural India: An Application to Grid-Connected Photovoltaics;” SM, 1996 (2/1/1996)
  • Jr., Joseph Reagle; “Trust in a Cryptographic Economy and Digital Security Deposits: Protocols and Policies;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Russell Rothstein; “Networking K-12 Schools: Architecture Models and Evaluation of Costs and Benefits;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Konstantinos Sgoutas; “Effectiveness of Electric Vehicles Vs. Other Vehicle Technologies: A Case Study in Environmental Transportation Policy;” SM, 1996 (9/1/1995)
  • Katsunori Shimaya; “Japanese Electric Utility Planning Under Regulatory Transition;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Todd Stout; “The Role of Product Deveopment Metrics for Making Design Decisions in the Defense Aerospace Industry;” SM, 1996 (2/1/1996)
  • Christopher Stubbs; “Integrated Water Resources Management in the Chao Phraya River Basin, Thailand;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Masaru Takeyama; “Singapore National Information Infrastructure Policy and its Implementation in the Construction Industry;” SM, 1996 (9/1/1995)
  • Edmond Toy; “Screening for Estrogen-mimicking Chemicals: An Assessment of the E-screen and Its Implications;” SM, 1996 (9/1/1995)
  • Jr., L. James Valverde; “Modern social theory and the logic of possibility;” SM, 1996 (6/1/1996)
  • Mort Webster; “Analysis of Uncertainty in Large Models with Application to Climate Policy;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Paul Wellenius; “Technological Progress and Environmental Regulation as Drivers of Productivity Growth: Evidence from the U.S. Coal Industry, 1972-1994;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Emily Yeh; “Effects of Telecommunications Sector Reform and Continuing Technological Change on Spatial Aspects of Communication in China;” SM, 1996 (9/1/1995)
  • Darren Zinner; “Payor vs. Societal Perspective for Healthcare Technology Coverage Decisions: Effects and Recommendations;” SM, 1996 (5/1/1996)
  • Assef Zobian; “A Framework for Pricing Transmission and Ancillary Services in Competitive Electric Power Markets;” SM, 1996 (9/1/1995)

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