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
1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
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
  • Jason Amaral; “Marketing Engineering Materials to the Bicycle Industry: A Case Study for Duralcan Metal Matrix Composites;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Robert Atchison; “U.S. Health Care Reform and Medical Privacy Rights;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Monica Becker; “The Role of the US Environmental Protection Agency in Fostering Innovation to Develop Cleaner Industrial Technologies that Prevent Pollution;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Paulo Bellotti; “Strategic Management of Technology in the Chemicals/Materials Industry: Policy Recommendations for Brazil;” SM, 1994 (2/1/1994)
  • Judith Cardell; “Renewable Energy Technologies: Analysis and Policy Tools for Utility Integration;” SM, 1994 (2/1/1994) (Richard Tabors)
  • Chialen Chen; “Prospects for Automobile Recycling: An Integrated Approach of Systems Dynamics and Life-Cycle Assessment;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Adelbert Cheng; “The Head Gasket Ionization Probe As A Combustion Diagnostic For Spark Ignition Engines;” SM, 1994 (2/1/1994)
  • Russell Cohn; “Electric Vehicle Policy Analysis;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Kristine Cornils; “Developing an Economic Development Policy: the Evolution and Impact of a New DOE Mission;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Clifford Eubanks; “Public and Regulatory Dynamics Within The Nuclear Power Industry;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Frank Felder; “Hedging Natural Gas Price Risks by Electric Utilities: A Comparison of Fuel Switching to Financial Contracts;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Jeffrey Goldman; “Time and Place Specific Policies for Controlling Ozone Precursor Nitrogen Oxides in New England's Electric Power Sector;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Luis Gomez-Ugarte Garcia; “Technology Transfer Through R&D Organizaions - Industry Interaction: A Policy Analysis for a Public Research Institute in Mexico;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Yusuke Harada; “Managing Innovations in Worldwide Company, Case Study in Copy Industry;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Lindsay Haugland-Givan; “Advanced Water and Wastewater Treatment: Implications and Prospects for the Construction Industry;” SM, 1994 (2/1/1994)
  • Yuko Hayashi; “Japanese Government Policy to Innovative R&D in Pharmaceutical Industry;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Gemma Heddle; “Sociopolitical Challenges to the Siting of Facilities with Perceived Environmental Risks;” SM, 1994 (9/1/1993)
  • Alexander Hou; “Meeting U.S. Defense Needs in the Information Age: An Evaluation of Selected Complex Electronic System Development Methodologies;” SM, 1994 (2/1/1994)
  • Christina Houlahan; “Reduction of Front-End Loading of Inventory: Making the Airframe Industry Lean Through Better Inventory Management;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Masatoshi Kano; “International Multi-Company Collaborative Engineering: Strategies of Japanese Engineering and Construction Firms;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Thomas Lee; “Computerized Patient Records: Role-Based Information Security in a Federated Environment or? Metadata Management for Attribution in Heterogeneous Data Integration;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Leslie Liu; “The Net Environmental Effects of Carbon Dioxide Reduction Policies;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Ross McNutt; “Reducing DoD Product Development Time: The Role of the Schedule Development Process;” PhD, 1994 (9/1/1994)
  • Juan Pablo Montero; “Uncertainty and the Markets for Water Pollution Control;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Michael Opitz; “Potential Space-Heating Energy Efficiency Improvements in District-Heated Russian Apartment Buildings;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Henri Poupart-Lafarge; “Reaction and Transformation of Airlines in a Deregulated Environment: A Strategy For Air France;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Brian Schenck; “Learning and Greening: Integrating Environmental Pressures into Everyday Automobile Manufacturing Management;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Alan Shihadeh; “NOx Control and Environmental Regulation: Techniques and Discriminatory Scoial Outcomes;” SM, 1994 (2/1/1994)
  • Anthony Staak; “Strategies to Promote the Development and Transfer of Electronics Based Technology at South African Technikons;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Takeshi Sugiyama; “An Analysis of Alternative Fuels Promotion: The Case of Synthetic Gasoline Production in New Zealand;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Steven Taub; “The Energy Effects of Occupant Controlled Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Systems in Office Buildings;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Robert Taylor; “Accelerator-Based Conversion of Weapons-Grade Plutonium;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • Nicolas Terraz; “Propects for the Integration of Electric Power and Natural Gas Supplies in ASEAN;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)
  • John Weiss; “Adaptive Dialogues: A University's Response to Complex Environmental Problems;” SM, 1994 (5/1/1994)

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