{"693061":{"#nid":"693061","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Hosts Macro-Energy Systems Workshop","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EStudents, researchers, and energy professionals from across North America and Europe gathered at Georgia Tech Aug. 13\u0026nbsp;\u2013\u0026nbsp;14 for the fourth Macro-Energy Systems (MES) Workshop. The biennial MES workshop is led by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.macroenergysystems.org\/\u0022\u003EMacro Energy Systems Society\u003C\/a\u003E, which promotes research and education in macro-energy systems and helps translate MES work into policy and practice.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHosted at the Georgia Tech Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design, the workshop was organized by a committee of researchers and practitioners from across the macro-energy systems community. The committee was chaired by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/micah-ziegler\u0022\u003EMicah Ziegler\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe two-day workshop brought together more than 130 participants and featured lightning talks, poster presentations, interactive learning sessions, and keynote addresses that strengthened connections across the macro-energy systems research community.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe energy challenges facing society today are increasingly interconnected, and solving them requires a systems-level perspective,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/christine-conwell\u0022\u003EChristine Conwell\u003C\/a\u003E, director of planning and operations at the Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cSupporting events like the MES Workshop, which provides a unique space for academic collaboration and knowledge sharing, aligns with the Strategic Energy Institute\u2019s commitment to advancing research and workforce development that support more resilient and effective energy solutions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe workshop received financial support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, which supports research and education in science, technology, engineering, math, and economics. Through its Energy and Environment program, the foundation helps advance interdisciplinary research and collaboration across the macro-energy systems field.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe Macro-Energy Systems Workshop has become a significant forum for interdisciplinary energy systems researchers to share and discuss their work,\u201d said Evan Michelson, director of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sloan.org\/programs\/research\/energy-and-environment\u0022 title=\u0022Original URL:\u0026#13;https:\/\/sloan.org\/programs\/research\/energy-and-environment\u0026#13;\u0026#13;Click to follow link.\u0022\u003EEnergy and Environment\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;program. \u201cWe were especially glad to help ensure participation from early-career researchers spanning a wide range of institutions, providing them access to the collaborations and conversations that will help them develop as scientists.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGraduate students and postdoctoral scholars played a central role in this year\u0027s workshop, presenting research on energy system planning, grid reliability, technology deployment, energy transitions, and policy. Their sessions gave the early-career researchers opportunities to share new approaches to studying large-scale energy systems, interact with faculty and industry experts, refine research ideas, and build collaborations beyond their home institutions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis year, we significantly expanded the MES Workshop to include more early-career scholars,\u201d said Ziegler. \u201cThe workshop provides a great opportunity for young researchers to develop ideas, connections, and a better understanding of how to design research to have a positive impact on the world.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe workshop also featured keynote presentations from\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/viterbi.usc.edu\/directory\/faculty\/Sanders\/Kelly\u0022\u003EKelly Sanders\u003C\/a\u003E, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Southern California, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/engineering.dartmouth.edu\/community\/faculty\/erin-mayfield\u0022\u003EErin Mayfield\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor at Dartmouth College\u0027s Thayer School of Engineering. Both speakers discussed insights from their experience contributing to policymaking and highlighted opportunities for energy systems research to inform policy decisions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInteractive sessions led by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/f276dd8a-0e13-5b66-b4cf-3d2960e01b2d\u0022\u003EMichelle Graff\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0026nbsp;Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy\u003C\/a\u003E encouraged participants to consider how macro-energy systems research can more effectively inform and support policymakers and other decision-makers. Graff developed and facilitated the sessions, with support from\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/lafollette.wisc.edu\/people\/edwards-morgan\/\u0022\u003EMorgan Edwards\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor of public affairs from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Micah Ziegler. The first session explored how researchers can identify policy windows and position their work to inform decision-making at the right time. The second focused on matching research to the appropriate audiences and jurisdictions, highlighting opportunities to inform policy at the state and local levels.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EStudents, researchers, and energy professionals from across North America and Europe gathered at Georgia Tech Aug. 13\u0026nbsp;\u2013\u0026nbsp;14 for the fourth Macro-Energy Systems (MES) Workshop. The biennial MES workshop is led by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.macroenergysystems.org\/\u0022\u003EMacro Energy Systems Society\u003C\/a\u003E, which promotes research and education in macro-energy systems and helps translate MES work into policy and practice.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHosted at the Georgia Tech Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design, the workshop was organized by a committee of researchers and practitioners from across the macro-energy systems community. The committee was chaired by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/micah-ziegler\u0022\u003EMicah Ziegler\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe two-day workshop brought together more than 130 participants and featured lightning talks, poster presentations, interactive learning sessions, and keynote addresses that strengthened connections across the macro-energy systems research community.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech hosted more than 130 students, researchers, and energy professionals for the fourth Macro-Energy Systems Workshop, chaired by Micah Ziegler, to strengthen collaboration across the macro-energy systems community."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-10-04 03:06:47","changed_gmt":"2026-10-04 03:48:12","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-09-28T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-09-28T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"681344":{"id":"681344","type":"image","title":"LR-03355-MESArticle.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E2026 MES Workshop Participants at the Kendeda Building for Innovative Design at Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1791083299","gmt_created":"2026-10-04 03:08:19","changed":"1791083299","gmt_changed":"2026-10-04 03:08:19","alt":"2026 MES Workshop Participants at the Kendeda Building for Innovative Design at Georgia Tech ","file":{"fid":"265722","name":"LR-03355-MESArticle.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/10\/03\/LR-03355-MESArticle.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/10\/03\/LR-03355-MESArticle.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3046310,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/10\/03\/LR-03355-MESArticle.jpg?itok=C9SurlQI"}},"681345":{"id":"681345","type":"image","title":"Participants-1787173106475.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EParticipants at the 2026 Macro-Energy Systems Workshop held August 11-13 at Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1791083770","gmt_created":"2026-10-04 03:16:10","changed":"1791083770","gmt_changed":"2026-10-04 03:16:10","alt":"Participants at the 2026 Macro-Energy Systems Workshop held August 11-13 at Georgia Tech","file":{"fid":"265723","name":"Participants-1787173106475.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/10\/03\/Participants-1787173106475.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/10\/03\/Participants-1787173106475.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":909914,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/10\/03\/Participants-1787173106475.jpg?itok=asORm3iu"}},"681346":{"id":"681346","type":"image","title":"ErinMayfield-1787173106297.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EErin Mayfield, assistant professor at Dartmouth College\u0027s Thayer School of Engineering gives a keynote at the 2026 MES Workshop.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1791085386","gmt_created":"2026-10-04 03:43:06","changed":"1791085386","gmt_changed":"2026-10-04 03:43:06","alt":"Erin Mayfield, assistant professor at Dartmouth College\u0027s Thayer School of Engineering gives a keynote at the 2026 MES Workshop","file":{"fid":"265724","name":"ErinMayfield-1787173106297.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/10\/03\/ErinMayfield-1787173106297.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/10\/03\/ErinMayfield-1787173106297.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":369919,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/10\/03\/ErinMayfield-1787173106297.jpg?itok=g_0uhLTE"}},"681347":{"id":"681347","type":"image","title":"KellySanders-1787173106220.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EKelly Sanders, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Southern California gives a keynote at the 2026 MES Workshop\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1791085486","gmt_created":"2026-10-04 03:44:46","changed":"1791085486","gmt_changed":"2026-10-04 03:44:46","alt":"Kelly Sanders, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Southern California gives a keynote at the 2026 MES 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