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NEW YORK — The Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs announced today that Dr. Melissa C. Lott and David R. Hill have joined the center to focus on the broad and interlinked trends defining a dramatic shift underway in the global power sector. They will leverage CGEP’s policy and industry expertise to conduct original research, manage collaborative projects that contribute to the university’s wider research, and engage with public and private sector leaders, journalists, and students.
Dr. Lott joins as a Senior Research Scholar working on the technological, economic and public health tradeoffs of changes in the global power sector. “CGEP’s interdisciplinary team, global focus and extensive network make it an ideal place to explore the impacts of accelerating the transition to a low-carbon power sector,” said Dr. Lott. “It is an honor to join the Center on Global Energy Policy, and I look forward to developing new research in conjunction with CGEP’s other scholars.”
“Electricity is more than a single sector or market segment. Rather, it’s a complex ecosystem, and a sustainable future will require power markets to deliver clean, affordable and reliable generation. Policy makers and industry will need to work together to create thoughtful policy and smart reforms,” said Jason Bordoff, Professor of Professional Practice in International and Public Affairs and Founding Director of CGEP. “Melissa’s deep knowledge and expertise will contribute greatly to the understanding of critical issues and enhance our research, teaching, engagement and, ultimately, our impact on solutions for the sector.”
Prior to joining CGEP, Dr. Lott served as the Assistant Vice President of the Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre, where she led the development of the flagship APEC Energy Demand and Supply Outlook. Dr. Lott also served as the primary author of the International Energy Agency’s technology roadmap on energy storage. She was previously a Presidential Management Fellow at the U.S. Department of Energy, where she was the Lead of Energy Modeling and Simulation for the CFO’s Program Analysis and Evaluation Office. Dr. Lott holds a Ph.D. from University College London and master’s degrees in both mechanical engineering and public affairs from the University of Texas at Austin. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biological systems engineering from the University of California, Davis. An author of more than 350 articles on energy, Dr. Lott is known for her role as a founding author of Scientific American’s Plugged In energy column.
Hill joins as an Adjunct Senior Research Scholar working on evolving wholesale and retail power markets, appropriate pricing for reliability in those markets, and potential regulatory and legal approaches for bringing innovative and lower-cost energy resources to consumers. “I’m so pleased to join the Center on Global Energy Policy. There’s no question that CGEP produces cutting-edge research valued by the corporate and policy community, and I welcome the opportunity to work among its talented scholars,” said Hill.
Bordoff added, “Changes in the power sector present tremendous opportunity for new business models, new financing solutions and new technologies to achieve a decarbonized energy future. David brings deep policy expertise that provides both an understanding of the changing context of the power sector and insight into how to make our research and knowledge available to those who can use it.”
Previously, Hill served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel at NRG Energy, and was responsible for the company’s legal, regulatory, environmental, and government affairs activities and personnel. In this role, he worked with other company leaders to navigate the rapidly changing U.S. electric power sector. Prior to NRG, he was a partner at Sidley Austin LLP in Washington, DC, where he was co-lead of the firm’s energy practice. From 2005 to 2009, he served as General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Energy, and for three years before that was Deputy General Counsel for Energy Policy.
CGEP’s mission is to enable public and private sector leaders to make more informed choices about the world’s most pressing energy issues by providing an independent and interdisciplinary platform for insights and data-driven analysis, convening and information-sharing, education and training, and actionable recommendations on the current and future global energy system.
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