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

2024 Thesis Prize Winners

• Michael Giovanniello; “Modeling and Implementation of the U.S. Hydrogen Production Credit” (2024). Advisor(s): Dharik Mallapragada; Ruaridh Macdonald.
• Kailin Graham; “Doing the Dirty Work: Employment vulnerability to the energy transition implications for climate policy and politics” (2024). Advisor(s): Christopher R. Knittel.

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

• Farri T. Gaba; “Solutions to the Generalized UAV Delivery Routing Problem for Last-Mile Delivery with Societal Constraints” (2022). Advisor(s): Matthias Winkenbach
• Jonathan Garrett Novak; “Policy and Design Courses of Action to Improve Resilience of Proliferated Low Earth Orbit Constellations Against Adverse Solar Weather” (2022). Advisor(s): Daniel E Hastings.
• Aaron Matthew Schwartz; “The Role of Natural Gas in Future Low-Carbon Energy Systems” (2022). Advisor(s): Dharik S Mallapragada.

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.

• Assessing the Socio-Economic Risks in Electric Vehicle Supply Chains (Thesis)
• Characterizing the Changes in Material Use due to Vehicle Electrification (Environmental Science & Technology, Jul 2021)

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.

• Combining AI with passions (MIT News, March 2019)

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.

• Shift to renewable electricity a win-win at statewide level (MIT News, Aug 2019)

Thesis Database

Thesis Titles, 1977 to 2015

• Ronald Adams; “Regulatory Policies Promoting Small Scale Hydropower in New England: A Policy Analysis;” SM, 1982 (5/1/1982)
• Daryl Beardsley; “Resource Recovery in the Electroplating Industry: A Linear Model;” SM, 1982 (5/1/1982)
• Sohail Bengali; “An Energy Assessment of Portugal's Industrial Growth Policies;” SM, 1982 (5/1/1982)
• Vincent Bouthonnier; “System Effectiveness Analysis for Command and Control;” SM, 1982 (5/1/1982)
• Robert Chen; “Risk Analysis of a Global Sea Level Rise Due to a Carbon Dioxide-Induced Climate Warming;” SM, 1982 (5/1/1982)
• Renata Davidson; “Analysis of PURPA Section 210;” SM, 1982 (5/1/1982)
• Donna DeVol Kramer; “Regulating Energy Conservation in Buildings in Massachusetts;” SM, 1982 (2/1/1982)
• Nancy Gorelick; “An Alternative Method of Toxics Control: A Proposal for Encouraging Voluntary Measures to Minimize Exposure to Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Solvents from the Drycleaning Industry and Metal Cleaning Proces;” SM, 1982 (5/1/1982)
• Shunichi Kometani; “The Potential for High Strength Steels in Automobiles;” SM, 1982 (5/1/1982)
• Lep Sang Lee; “The Use of Acoustic Profiling Information in Reducing Uncertainties in Sea Bottom Exploration;” SM, 1982 (5/1/1982)
• Jayaprakash Lingamneni; “Strategies for Increasing Oil and Gas Production in Oil Importing Developing Countries;” SM, 1982 (5/1/1982)
• John Newman; “Measuring the Economic Effects of Deep Sea Mining on Less Developed Countries;” SM, 1982 (5/1/1982)
• Scott Pace; “Engineering Design and Political Choice: The Space Shuttle, 1969-1972;” SM, 1982 (5/1/1982)
• Michael Poulsen; “Development of a Methodology for Recognizing Potential High Priority Health Hazards From Emerging Chemical Technology;” SM, 1982 (5/1/1982)
• Joan Winston; “CAD System Evaluation Using Intangible Output Measures: Basic Methodology and Preliminary Data;” SM, 1982 (5/1/1982)