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renewable-energy@mit.edu
(617) 253 - 2026
105 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA 02139
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Our Team
LARRY SUSSKIND
Professor of Urban and Environmental Planning (he/him) | MIT Science Impact Collaborative
The Principal Investigator is Larry Susskind, Ford Professor of Urban and Environmental Planning in the MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning and Vice-Chair of the inter-university Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School. Professor Susskind is well known in the urban and environmental planning fields for his published work on facility siting, collaborative approaches to public policymaking, and decarbonization. He has supervised more than 75 doctoral dissertations and 150 master’s theses at MIT. He is an applied social scientist with background in public policy, public administration, environmental planning, negotiation and dispute resolution, social entrepreneurship, and conflict resolution.
JUNGWOO CHUN
Lecturer, Department of Urban Studies and Planning (he/him) I MIT Science Impact Collaborative
Jungwoo Chun is the Co-Principal Investigator and a Lecturer in Climate, Sustainability, and Negotiation at the Department of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP) at MIT. His research and teaching engage multiple dimensions of climate change and sustainable cities, with a particular focus on public dispute mediation, just energy transitions, and sustainability governance. He teaches 11.255 Negotiation and Dispute Resolution in the Public Sector and holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Policy and Planning from MIT DUSP.
SANJANA PAUL
MCP 2025 (she/her) | MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning
Sanjana is a Master of City Planning candidate in MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning. She holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and physics, and is the executive director and co-founder of Earth Hacks, an environmental hackathon organization. Previously, she worked as an atmospheric science software developer at NASA, an NSF REU participant in extreme ultraviolet engineering in the Kapteyn-Murnane Lab in JILA at the University of Colorado Boulder, and as a Conservation Innovation Fellow at Conservation X Labs.
ELISE ECHARTE
Class of 2027 (she/her) | Mechanical Engineering, Computing, Environment and Sustainability
Elise is an undergraduate student at MIT pursuing a major in mechanical engineering with a concentration in computing and a minor in environmental and sustainability. Outside of school she is involved in the MIT Women’s Volleyball Team, Scholars of Finance, NEET’s Climate and Sustainability Thread, and Alpha Phi. She is very interested in the intersection of business and sustainability, specifically looking at finance as a means of accelerating the energy transition through tools like green bonds.
EMMA HICKMAN
Class of 2027 (she/her) | Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science Concentration
Emma is an undergraduate student at MIT studying mechanical engineering with a concentration in computer science. Outside of academics, she is on the volleyball team, as well as a member of Scholars in Finance. She is passionate about sustainability and finds the future of renewable energy very exciting.
ISELLE BARRIOS
Class of 2025 (she/her) | Chemical Engineering
Iselle is an undergraduate student at MIT studying chemical engineering with a concentration in energy. She is interested in using engineering and policy to advance climate change mitigation, adaptation, and environmental justice. She is a project co-lead for MIT Engineers Without Borders and a member of the women's club soccer team. In her free time, Iselle enjoys playing violin in the MIT Video Game Orchestra and live-action role-playing with the MIT Assassins Guild.
COLIN LARSEN
MCP 2026 (he/him) | Department of Urban Studies and Planning
Colin is a Masters in City Planning candidate at MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning. He was previously a grassroots organizer in Vermont and is interested in rural/urban divides and development negotiations.
WOODS WINDHAM
Class of 2027 (he/him) | Mechanical Engineering and Philosophy
Woods is an undergraduate student at MIT, studying mechanical engineering and philosophy. At MIT, he is a member of the men's soccer and basketball teams, NEET(climate and sustainability), and the Roadkill Buffet comedy improv group. He has been named an MIT Free Speech Alliance Debate Fellow, Burchard Scholar and has been an undergraduate TA for CC.110. He has been working for the MIT Renewable Energy Clinic for just over a year. He is particularly passionate about the intersection of scientific innovation and policy.
KAHLEN WHEATON
Class of 2027 (she/her) | Urban Studies and Planning
Kahlen is an undergraduate student at MIT pursuing a degree in Urban Studies and Planning with a concentration in Political Science. She is passionate about the intersection between sustainability and environmental justice. She is involved in UA Sustain and works at the Edgerton Center, helping teach STEM classes to kids from local schools. She loves playing volleyball with the MIT club, running with friends, reading, and trying new foods.
LIZZIE YOON
Class of 2028 (she/her) | Materials Science and Engineering
Lizzie is an undergraduate student at MIT, studying materials science and mechanical engineering. At MIT, she is a member of the women's varsity field hockey team, Alpha Phi, and Little Beavers. She has been working for the MIT Renewable Energy Clinic since January 2025. She is particularly interested in the intersection of mechanical engineering and sustainable energy solutions, focusing on innovative materials and design for renewable energy applications.
LUCINDA SUN
Class of 2028 (she/her) | Architecture
Lucinda is an undergraduate student at MIT pursuing a major in Architecture with minors in Materials Science and Engineering and Art, Culture, and Technology. She is passionate about sustainability in the built environment and contributing to advancing renewable energy developments. Lucinda enjoys drawing, playing music, and exploring fashion in her free time.
EMILIA CHARNO
MCP 2026 (she/ella) | Department of Urban Studies and Planning
Emilia is a Master of City Planning student researching how to localize benefits of the clean energy transition in communities sited with legacy pollution. She currently works for the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, supporting their evaluation of networked geothermal in the Commonwealth. Emilia previously worked in community economic development in Brooklyn, NY. Originally from New York, Emilia loves exploring state and national parks, dancing salsa, and caring for urban street trees!
GABRIEL BONNAMY
MCP (he/him) | Department of Urban Studies and Planning
Gabriel Bonnamy is a Masters candidate in Environmental Policy and Planning at MIT, specializing in energy infrastructure siting disputes. His professional experience includes working at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs where he conducted comprehensive analyses of critical mineral supply chains, strategic stockpile management, uranium enrichment policies, and climate geopolitics. Gabriel also gained experience at the French Ministry for the Ecological Transition, working directly within the Secretary of State's cabinet. Research interests encompass community energy systems, climate literacy advancement, energy policy, and the complex intersection of climate change and security issues. Prior to joining MIT, he completed a joint degree in Economics and Geography at the University of St Andrews in Scotland.
Former Members