Matt Cox, a 2014 Ph.D. graduate of the School of Public Policy, played an instrumental role in advancing recent City of Atlanta legislation to help reduce energy burden among low-income residents.
Why tackling energy burden is important: Atlanta is among the nation’s five most energy-burdened cities. If the program performs as advocates expect, it “could be the most impactful climate and energy policy Atlanta has adopted,” says Cox, who as CEO of non-profit Greenlink Analytics uses his Georgia Tech education to find and advocate for equitable climate and energy policies across the Southeast.
“This program will ensure that no resident must choose between food on the table and heating or cooling their homes, making a tangible difference in our community,” City Councilwoman Liliana Bakhtiari said in a statement.
Of note: Cox, who helped develop the energy analytics platform used by Greenlink while a Ph.D. student at Georgia Tech, worked on a similar program for Athens, Georgia.
Key context: Helping reduce climate change impacts is a key goal of the School. For instance, Regents’ Professor Marilyn A. Brown recently helped Georgia create its first-ever climate action plan. Professor Daniel Matisoff recently won an award for his work on the benefits of green building pilot programs. And educating a new generation of sustainable energy leaders is the mission of the School’s innovative Master of Sustainable Energy and Environmental Management degree.