Sociotechnical Systems Research Center gains new leadership with the appointment of Jessika Trancik as its director.
Professor Jessika Trancik, a renowned researcher in the field of technology innovation and energy systems, has been appointed as the new director of the Sociotechnical Systems Research Center (SSRC) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Trancik's research primarily focuses on evaluating the costs, performance, and environmental impacts of various energy technologies. Her work spans across multiple energy services such as electricity generation, transportation, heating, and industrial processes. Key industries and applications include solar and wind energy, energy storage, low-carbon fuels, electric vehicles, and nuclear fission.
As a Rhodes Scholar, Trancik completed her PhD in materials science at the University of Oxford. Before joining MIT in 2010, she worked for the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, and the Earth Institute at Columbia University.
Trancik's research has been applied in numerous areas. She has informed government innovation policy to guide energy technology development and adoption. In the renewable energy industry, she has helped reduce the costs of technologies like solar panels by identifying impactful innovations. In the energy storage and electric vehicle sectors, she has assessed technology performance and societal impacts. She has also contributed to broader energy services, including heating and industrial applications for decarbonization.
Trancik has been instrumental in measuring progress and informing the development of solar photovoltaics, batteries, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and other low-carbon technologies. She is the brainchild behind carboncounter.com, an app designed to help users choose cars with low costs and low environmental impacts.
As the director of the SSRC, Trancik leads interdisciplinary work exploring the intersection of technology and society. The centre convenes and supports researchers focused on problems and solutions at the intersection of technology and its societal impacts. Trancik's academic background includes work in materials science and engineering, and she teaches courses for students across MIT's five schools and the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing.
Trancik's course, IDS.521/IDS.065 (Energy Systems for Climate Change Mitigation), is about addressing energy systems for climate change mitigation. Her research examines the pace and drivers of technological change, helping identify where innovation is occurring most rapidly. The Trancik Lab, under her leadership, develops methods drawing on engineering knowledge, data science, and policy analysis.
In summary, Trancik's research influences energy technology innovation, climate policy, and industry strategies primarily in renewable energy, transportation electrification, energy storage, and sustainable industrial processes. Her work aims to accelerate transitions to low-carbon energy systems, addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our time.
- Professor Jessika Trancik, now the director of the Sociotechnical Systems Research Center (SSRC) at MIT, is a well-known figure in the realm of technology innovation and energy systems research.
- Trancik's research explores the costs, performance, and environmental impacts of various energy technologies, particularly in sectors like electricity generation, transportation, heating, and industrial processes.
- Solar and wind energy, energy storage, low-carbon fuels, electric vehicles, and nuclear fission are among the key industries and applications Trancik investigates.
- Trancik holds a PhD in materials science from the University of Oxford, work experience at the United Nations and the Earth Institute at Columbia University, and joined MIT in 2010.
- In government innovation policy, Trancik's research has helped guide energy technology development and adoption.
- In the renewable energy industry, her work has contributed to reducing the costs of technologies like solar panelsby identifying impactful innovations.
- In addition to renewable energy, Trancik has assessed technology performance and societal impacts in the energy storage and electric vehicle sectors.
- She has expanded her research to broader energy services, including heating and industrial applications for decarbonization.
- Trancik is responsible for measuring progress and informing the development of solar photovoltaics, batteries, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and other low-carbon technologies.
- Trancik created carboncounter.com, an app that assists users in making informed decisions about car purchases based on costs and environmental impacts.
- As the director of the SSRC, Trancik oversees interdisciplinary work exploring the intersection of technology and society, convening and supporting researchers in this field.
- Trancik teaches courses for students in MIT's five schools and the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, including a course focused on addressing energy systems for climate change mitigation.
- Trancik's research seeks to influence energy technology innovation, climate policy, and industry strategies in areas such as renewable energy, transportation electrification, energy storage, and sustainable industrial processes, helping to drive transitions to low-carbon energy systems and address critical global challenges.
