Electricity Innovation and Health Care in the Developing World
Abigail R. Mechtenberg
- Visiting Assistant Professor of Energy Systems, Franklin W. Olin College
- Research Scientist, Community and Environment, George Perkins Marsh Institute
- Research Scientist, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Northeastern University
Unreliable electrical infrastructures threaten global health care. Although researchers have begun to examine the impact of power failures in the U.S. on hospitals, there exists a lack of systematic research about these risks in low human development index (HDI) countries. In this talk, Mechtenberg will discuss how electrical reliability affects global health care and argue for a new energy education policy pathway for electricity innovation.
Mechtenberg earned a doctoral degree in applied physics from the University of Michigan and a master’s in educational psychology from UC Santa Barbara. Her research focuses on sustainable energy systems that optimize energy production, storage, and consumption based on cultural values and technological feasibility. Her research and teaching combine to define, manage, and potentially mitigate energy crises across the globe, with the ultimate aim of sustainable development.
12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
(lunch will be provided)