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

• Daniel Aldana Sanin; “Multiobjective Real Options Design: An Evaluation Methodology for the Orinoco-Meta Corridor Megaproject;” SM, 2000 (6/1/2000) (Fred Moavenzadeh)
• Babar Bhatti; “Extreme Rainfall, Flood Scaling and Flood Policy Options in the United States;” SM, 2000 (6/1/2000) (Daniele Veneziano)
• Sean Biggs; “Sequestering Carbon from Power Plants: The Jury is Still Out;” SM, 2000 (6/1/2000) (Henry D. Jacoby, Howard J. Herzog)
• Pamela Campos; “Information Technology and Organizational Integration;” SM, 2000 (9/1/1999)
• Christopher Conklin; “Using Scenarios in Regional Strategic Transportation Planning: An Evolving Methodology;” SM, 2000 (9/1/1999) (Joseph M. Sussman)
• Sawan Deshpande; “A Scheduling Policy Experiment for Lean Implementation;” SM, 2000 (9/1/1999) (Stanley B. Gershwin)
• III, John Falker; “Conflict Analysis of Air and Space Modes of Transportation;” SM, 2000 (9/1/1999) (James K. Kuchar)
• Wei Guo; “China's TVE Cokemaking Sector: Environmental and Energy Policy Analysis;” SM, 2000 (2/1/2000) (Karen R. Polenske, David H. Marks)
• Lien Hoang; “Multi-Attribute Trade-Off Analysis: A Case Study of Electrical System Expansion Options in Vietnam;” SM, 2000 (6/1/2000) (Richard D. Tabors)
• Mon-Fen Hong; “Implications of Regulation and policy on Economics of Vehicle Recycling;” SM, 2000 (6/1/2000) (Joel P. Clark)
• Jennifer Howard Grenville; “Inside Out: A Cultural Study of Environmental Work in Semiconductor Manufacturing;” PhD, 2000 (6/1/2000)
• Spencer Lewis; “Designing for Sustainability and Upgradeability in an Aerospace System;” SM, 2000 (6/1/2000)
• Benjamin Leyre; “Determinants of the Impacts of Emission Permits Banking on the Behavior of Greenhouse Gas Sources;” SM, 2000 (6/1/2000) (A. Denny Ellerman)
• Guanghai Li; “Industrial Boilers in China: Improving Efficiency and Reducing Health Cost;” SM, 2000 (6/1/2000) (Kenneth A. Oye)
• Jeffrey MacDonagh-Dumler; “Industrial Ecology of Metals: Barriers and Incentives to Closing Loops;” SM, 2000 (6/1/2000) (John R. Ehrenfeld, Lawrence Susskind)
• Deirdre Pettigrew; “Evaluation of the Structure of Automotive Environmental Regulatory Policy;” SM, 2000 (2/1/2000) (Joel P. Clark)
• James Reynolds; “Policy Analysis for the Development of Venture Capital and Entrepreneurship in France;” SM, 2000 (6/1/2000) (Simon Johnson)
• Ryan Schaefer; “Dual-Use Technology Utilization within the Exploration and Development of Civil Space.;” SM, 2000 (6/1/2000)
• Vikas Sehgal; “Product Plateforms: A Hedge Against Uncertainty;” SM, 2000 (9/1/1999) (Don P. Clausing)
• Patrick Steinemann; “Economic Performance of Product and Process Firms Focus and Diversification in the Automotive Supplier Industry;” PhD, 2000 (6/1/2000) (John Heywood)
• Mark Stoughton; “Dynamics of Technology Adoption in Basic Industry: Implications for Cleaner Production Policy;” SM, 2000 (6/1/2000)
• Mark Stoughton; “Dynamics of Technology Adoption in Basic Industry: Implications for Cleaner Production Policy;” PhD, 2000 (9/1/2000)
• Pascal Thorens; “ISO 14001 as a Tool for Environmental Protection: Lessons from Early Adopters in the US, and Policy Recommendations;” SM, 2000 (6/1/2000) (John R. Ehrenfeld)
• Luis Tsuji; “Tradoffs in Air Force maintenance: Squadron Size, Inventory Policy, and Cannibalization;” SM, 2000 (9/1/1999) (Joseph M. Sussman)
• Jason Van Wey; “Alternative Sustainment Options for Military Aircraft: technology and Regulatory Poicy Issues;” SM, 2000 (9/1/1999) (Kirkor Bozdogan)
• Mort Webster; “Uncertainty and Learning in Sequential Decision-Making: The Case of Climate Change;” PhD, 2000 (6/1/2000)
• Annalisa Weigel; “Spacecraft system-level integration and test discrepancies: characterizing distributions and costs;” SM, 2000 (6/1/2000) (Joyce M. Warmkessel)
• Nicolas Westphal; “Partnerships between Shopping Smart Agents and Electronic Retailers;” SM, 2000 (Erik Brynjolfsson)