Abstract: The Energy & Environment Lab (E&E Lab) is part of the University of Chicago Urban Labs and Harris School of Public Policy. The lab works in close partnership with federal, state, and local agencies to identify, rigorously evaluate, and help scale programs and policies that reduce pollution and improve environmental outcomes. The lab uses natural experiments, randomized control trials (RCTs), behavioral economics, and machine learning, while leveraging advances in monitoring technology, to develop and test cost-effective solutions to energy and environmental challenges.

This seminar will provide an overview of the E&E Lab’s work and methodological approach and discuss illustrative projects, including a) an RCT leveraging real-time data for monitoring and enforcement of water conservation policies; b) developing predictive analytics models to improve inspection efficiency at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and c) introducing and testing the impact of advanced remote sensing technology to help state agencies reduce air pollution (e.g., methane from oil and gas facilities and particulate matter from heavy duty trucks).

Bio: Olga Rostapshova has 15 years of experience in economic analysis, experimental and quasi-experimental evaluation design, and project management. Her research and evaluation experience has focused on the electricity sector; water infrastructure; private-sector development; health, water and sanitation; and climate change. Rostapshova holds a B.A. in economics and B.S. in engineering from Swarthmore College and a Ph.D. in public policy from Harvard University.