MIT Technology and Policy Program

Research

Research

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

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2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2015
  • Michalis Aftias; “Introducing Basic Structural Engineering Concepts Through a Web-based Interactive Learning Environment;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Herbert H. Einstein)
  • Poonum Agrawal; “Development of a Conceptual Framework to Study the Relationship Between Environmental and Financial Performance;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Joanne Kauffman)
  • Mikal Balmforth; “Manganese and Health in the Welding Environment;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Thomas W. Eagar)
  • Anas Benbarka; “Air Pollution in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area: Analyzing Three Policies to Reduce Emissions from In-Use Vehicles;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001)
  • Jane Brydges; “A Hydrogen Fueling Station in 2005 - Will It Happen? How Do We Get from Here to There?;” SM, 2001 (2000) (Elisabeth Drake, David Laws)
  • Veronique Bugnion; “The efficiency of carbon sequestration by direct injection in the ocean;” SM, 2001 (Henry Jacoby)
  • Prabal Chakrabarti; “Financing of Water Projects;” SM, 2001 (2000) (John B. Miller)
  • Charles Chalermkraivuth; “Distributed Generation: The Strategies and Decision Criteria of Market Participants;” SM, 2001 (2/1/2001) (Dr. Marija Ilic)
  • Julia Chan; “Policy Implication and Technological Development of a New Environmental Benign Protection of Silicon Wafers;” SM, 2001 (9/1/2000)
  • Hao Chen; “Technological Evaluation and Policy Analysis for Cokemaking: A Case Study of Cokemaking Plants in Shanxi Province, China;” SM, 2001 (2000) (Karen R. Polenske, Francis C. McMichael, Janos M. Beer)
  • Frederique Chevrot; “Food Consumption and the Environment: Sustainable Policies;” SM, 2001 (2000) (Joanne Kauffman)
  • Kenneth Collison; “A Practical Approach to Optimal Pricing and Implementation of Inter-regional Transactions in Electricity Markets under Restructuring;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Marija D. Ilic)
  • Beatrice Cossa; “Economic and Policy Analysis of Mergers among Internet Backbone Providers;” SM, 2001 (2000) (William Lehr)
  • Jeremy David; “Economic Evaluations of Leading Technology Options for Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide;” SM, 2001 (2000) (Howard J. Herzog)
  • Daniel Dobbs; “Develpment of an Aerospace Manufacturing System Design Decomposition;” SM, 2001 (9/1/2000) (David S. Cochran)
  • Frank Felder; “Probability Risk Analysis of Restructured Electric Power Systems: Implications for Reliability Analysis and Policies;” PhD, 2001 (9/1/2001)
  • Alexandra Frangi; “Lightweight Body Designs as Enablers for Alternative Powertrain Technologies: Understanding Cost and Environment Performance Tradeoffs;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Joel P. Clark)
  • Helani Galpaya; “Financial Services and Data Heterogeneity: Does Standardization Work?;” SM, 2001 (9/1/2000) (Stuart E. Madnick)
  • Shervin Ghaemmaghami; “Structured Methods in the Product Design Community;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Larry Bucciarelli)
  • Suchandra Ghosh; “Elicitation of Objectives and Priorities for a Risk-Informed Performance-Based Regulatory System for US Department of Energy Facilities;” SM, 2001 (2000) (George Apostolakis)
  • Barclay Gibbs; “Increasing the Gasoline Tax in Mexico City: A Potential Policy Option to Supplant Early Implementation of Tier 2 Tailpipe Standards;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Jeffrey Steinfeld, Stephen Connors)
  • Lara Greden; “The Demand Side of China's Evolving Housing Market and Sustainability: Stakeholder Analysis and Policy Approaches;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Leon R. Glicksman, Nicholas A. Ashford, David H. Marks)
  • Martin Guespereau; “Food Labeling in Europe: Corporate and Government Policies;” SM, 2001 (2000) (James Foster)
  • Koichi Hasegawa; “Fuel Infrastructure Policy for Japan's Fuel Cell Vehicles;” SM, 2001 (2000)
  • Christopher Henry; “Competitive Strategies of the Portuguese Auto Parts Industry: Case Studies of Manufacturing Technologies and Logistics;” SM, 2001 (2000)
  • Jennifer Howard-Grenvill; “Inside Out: A Cultural Study of Environmental Work in Semiconductor Manufacturing;” SM, 2001 (2000)
  • Biao Huang; “Global Knowledge Network;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Nazli Choucri)
  • Burke Hunsaker; “Spheriodization of Iron Powder;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001)
  • Robert Hyman; “A More Cost-Effective Strategy for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Modeling the Impact of Methane Abatement Opportunities;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (John M. Reilly, David H. Marks)
  • Benon Janos; “Smart Materials and Structures: Technological Feasibility and Policy Assessment;” SM, 2001 (2000) (Nesbitt W. Hagood)
  • Wendy Jastremski Smith; “Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Contamination in Pittsfield, Massachusetts: An Investigation of Public Participation;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Nicholas A. Ashford, John DeVillars)
  • Gwenaelle Jeunhomme; “Measuring telecommunication Infrastructure Needs and Demand;” SM, 2001 (2000)
  • Anand Karasi; “Model Based Specification for Developing Safety-Critical-System Software;” SM, 2001 (2000) (Nancy G. Leveson)
  • Ashish Kelkar; “Future of Aluminum in the Auto-Industry;” SM, 2001 (2/1/2001) (Joel P. Clark)
  • Saurabh Khemka; “Business to Business Electronic Commerce;” SM, 2001 (9/1/2000) (Stuart E. Madnick)
  • Eun Kim; “The Economic Value of Sustainable Development as Applied to Enhanced Geothermal Power Generation;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Jefferson W. Tester, Howard J. Herzog)
  • Olga Kitsou; “Power Generation from Geothermal Resources: Challenges and Opportunities;” SM, 2001 (2000) (Jefferson W. Tester)
  • Tomohisa Koyama; “Policy Recommendations for the Facilitation of High-Tech Start-Ups in Japan;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Simon Johnson)
  • Donyaprueth Krairit; “Liberalizing Development: Effects of Telecommunications Liberalization in Thailand and the Philippines;” PhD, 2001 (6/1/2001)
  • Joosung Lee; “Low Greenhouse Gas Emission Aircraft Performance, Cost, and Emissions;” SM, 2001 (9/1/2000) (Ian A. Waitz)
  • Frederic Mahoue; “The E-World as an Enabler to Lean;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Deborah J. Nightingale)
  • Jean-Francois Massot; “Internalization of the External Costs of Transportation Systems: Policy Recommendation for the French Railway Company SNCF;” SM, 2001 (2000) (David H. Marks)
  • David McLain; “Modeling Risk and Uncertainty in Complex Projects;” SM, 2001 (2000) (Nancy Leveson)
  • Vikas Mehta; “Microcapillary - Based Biosensors and the Patentability of Genetic Information;” SM, 2001 (2000) (Paul Laibinis)
  • Bruno Miller; “Aircraft Emissions Reductions Through Operational Improvements: Opportunities, Challenges and Policy Implications;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (John-Paul Clarke)
  • Jeffrey Munson; “The Impact of Launch Vehicle Constraints on Space System Design;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001)
  • Fabien Naud; “Customer Value Management: Technology Perspective & Policy Implications;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Joel Clark)
  • Matthew Nuffort; “Managing Subsystem Commonality;” SM, 2001 (2/1/2001) (Eric Rebentisch)
  • Rodolphe Ollivier; “Project Management IT Solutions for Large-Scale Construction Projects;” SM, 2001 (2000) (Feniosky Pefla-Mora)
  • Sohil Parekh; “Evolution of Wireless Home Networks: The Role of Policy-Makers in a Standards-based Market;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001)
  • Ilyong Park; “Human Performance in Using Conflict Warning in Air Traffic Control;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Thomas B. Sheridan)
  • Emma Payne; “Broadcasting Diversity: How Internet Radio Broadcasters Measure Up;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Ben Compaine, Sharon Gillett)
  • Guillaume Quiviger; “Building new power plants in a CO2 constrained world: A Case Study from Norway on Gas-Fired Power Plants, Carbon Sequestration, and Politics;” SM, 2001 (2/1/2001) (Howard J. Herzog)
  • Santosh Raikar; “Interruptible Physical Transmission Contracts for the Electric Power Industry under Restructuring;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Marija Ilic)
  • Keith Russell; “Reengineering metrics systems for aircraft sustainment teams : a metrics thermostat for use in strategic priority management;” SM, 2001 (2/1/2001)
  • Joshua Schuler; “Underwriting US IPO's of Israeli Companies: Underwriter Presitge and Signals of Potential Success;” SM, 2001 (9/1/2000)
  • Hani Shakeel; “Community Knowledge Sharing: An Internet Application to Support Communications Across Literacy Levels;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Michael Best)
  • Ali Shirvani-Mahdavi; “Social and Communication Networks among Global R&D Facilities: The Case of a Large Chemical Company;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001)
  • Aleyn Smith-Gillespie; “Building China's High-Tech Telecom Equipment Industry: A Study of Strategies in Technology Acquisition for Competitive Advantage;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Alice H. Amsden)
  • Leo Sommaripa; “Applying Decision Analysis to Management of Contaminated Sediments: Case Study of the Boston Harbor Navigation Improvement Project;” SM, 2001 (2000) (Dr. Judith Pederson, Eric Adams)
  • David Steare; “Launch Capacity Modeling and Value Analysis of U.S. Eastern Range Commercial Operations;” SM, 2001 (9/1/2000) (Joyce Warmkessel)
  • Ian Sue Wing; “Induced Technical Change in Multi-Sector General Equilibrium Emissions Policy Models;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001)
  • Ian Sue Wing; “Induced Technical Change in Computable General Equilibrium Models for Climate-Change Policy Analysis;” PhD, 2001 (6/1/2001)
  • Abhinav Taneja; “Knowledge Mediaries;” SM, 2001 (9/1/2000) (Deborah J. Nightingale, Stuart E. Madnick)
  • Achilleas Tsamis; “Measuring Regional Innovation for Sustainable Development;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Nicholas Ashford)
  • Toshiki Tsuchida; “Design of an Information Entity--The InfoCo- For the Electric Power Industry under Restructuring;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Marija Ilic)
  • Prabhakar Vaidyanathan; “Regulatory and Legal Incentives for Corporate Learning and Innovation in the Context of Product Liability;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001) (Nicholas Ashford)
  • Francisco Veloso; “Local Content Requirements and Industrial Development: Economic Anlaysis and Cost Modeling of the Automotive Supply Chain;” PhD, 2001 (2/1/2001)
  • Terry Vendlinski; “Affecting U.S. Education through Assessment: New Tools to Discover Student Understanding;” PhD, 2001 (2/1/2001)
  • Brandon Wood; “An Analysis Method for Conceptual Design of Complexity and Autonomy in Complex Space System Architectures;” SM, 2001 (6/1/2001)
  • Brian Zuckerman; “Long-Term Trends, Adaptation, and Evaluation in U.S. Regulatory Policy;” PhD, 2001 (2/1/2001)

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