Dr. Magdalena klemun

Assistant Professor, Division of Public Policy
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Magdalena’s research interests are in understanding how the economic and environmental performance of technologies evolves as a function of policy and engineering design choices, with a particular interest in the role of hardware vs. non-hardware ('soft') innovations. Magdalena received her Ph.D. from the Institute of Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS) at MIT, M.S. in Earth Resources Engineering from Columbia University, where she studied as a Fulbright Scholar, and her B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology from Vienna University of Technology.

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our lab values

Our group often starts from on-the-ground problems, not disciplinary knowledge gaps. We rarely use existing models and ask “what can we do with the model” but rather start from the question and develop an approach to answer it. Our lab builds first-of-a-kind datasets and novel approaches to asking and answering questions about energy systems, energy innovation, and climate policy.

As a lab, we seek collaborations across disciplines, ranging from social scientists to engineers. Our goal is to learn from people that think differently and are leading experts in domains that are new to our work. Finding joy in the “discomfort” that comes with working across disciplines, and being curious and intellectually flexible enough to do so, is a hallmark of this lab group.

Current Team

Team Gallery
Dantu Lu
Dantu Lu

PhD Candidate

Dantu Lu is a PhD candidate in the Division of Public Policy. His research interests are in technology management, energy transitions, sustainability, and business processes. He holds a BSc in Applied Mathematics from UCLA and an MA in Climate and Society from Columbia University. Prior to joining the Deployment Lab, he was the Chief Operating Officer of Grid Symphony, Inc, a smart grid and smart building company in New York City.

Ian Varela Soares
Ian Varela Soares

PhD Candidate (co-advised w Prof. Masaru Yarime)

Ian Varela Soares is a PhD candidate in the Division of Public Policy. His research interests are in sustainability and technology, specifically in the interplay between digitalization and decarbonization. Ian holds a Bachelor degree in International Relations from Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro and an LLM in Energy and Climate Law from the University of Groningen.

Qi Gao (PhD student)
Qi Gao (PhD student)

Qi Gao is a second-year PhD student in the Innovation, Policy, and Entrepreneurship Thrust at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou). His research focuses on cost reduction strategies for carbon removal technology. Before beginning his research journey, Qi worked for a nonprofit organization that assists Chinese businesses in developing low-carbon strategies and showcasing their climate actions at several United Nations Climate Change Conferences (COP24-COP27). He holds an MA in Philanthropic Studies from Indiana University and a BSc in Business from Western Oregon University and Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai.

Arati Poudel
Arati Poudel

Research Associate

Arati is a Research Associate with the Division of Public Policy. Her research interests include climate and renewable Energy policy, just transition, and interdisciplinary climate change issues. Through her research, policy interventions, and activism, Arati actively advocates for climate justice issues locally and globally. Prior to HKUST, Arati was a Senior Research Officer at Digo Bikas Institute, a research think tank in Nepal. During COP 27 and COP 28, she presented at UNFCCC side events and spoke at various national and international platforms. Additionally, Arati serves as an advisor to an established youth network in Nepal, Nepalese Youth for Climate Action.