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.

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 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.

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.

Research Associate

Swathi Akella is a Research Associate with the Division of Public Policy. Prior to this, she worked as a Senior Consultant with FTI Consulting, Inc. in India, where she was responsible for conducting research supporting strategic solutions for investment, policy implementation and development, governance compliance and risk mitigation. She has also worked as a journalist reporting on policy and socio-economic developments in India. Swathi holds a postgraduate degree in Public Policy from HKUST and a postgraduate diploma in Journalism from Asian College of Journalism, India.

PhD Graduate (co-advised with Zhongming Lu)

Stefano Mingolla is a Postdoctoral Associate at the Carnegie Institution for Science. He completed his PhD in the Division of Environment and Sustainability at HKUST. His research interests are in techno-economic modeling of decarbonization pathways for hard-to-abate sectors, including the chemical industry. Stefano holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Brescia and a Master's degree in Green Economy and Sustainability from the University of Ferrara.