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Ross COLLINS

Academic Background:

• 2012 - present • MIT: PhD candidate in Engineering Systems
• 2012 • MIT: MS in Technology & Policy
• 2010 • University of Virginia: MS in Systems Engineering
• 2008 • University of Virginia: BS in Systems Engineering & Economics

Work Experience:

• 2012 - 2014 • IHS CERA • Cambridge, MA
  Contractor for Energy Innovation Pioneers Program at IHS CERAWeek in Houston, TX
• 2012 • US House of Representatives • Washington, DC  
  Congressional Fellow with Natural Resources Committee and Ranking Member Congressman Edward J. Markey
• 2010 • Institute for Cryogenics and Refrigeration • Shanghai, China  
  Awardee of NSF International Research and Education in Engineering program

Research Domain:

energy/environment; critical infrastructure; sustainability

Research Methodology:

system dynamics; policy and decision analysis; macroeconomics

Research Description:

Ross is developing dynamic models based on the comprehensive wealth accounting framework developed by the UN. The framework seeks to provide a more comprehensive measure of a nation's economic well-being, by accounting for natural and human capital, in contrast to more traditional measures like GDP. However, the current framework can only evaluate past time horizons to test for sustainability (defined as a positive per capita growth rate in the weighted sum of all forms of productive capital). Thus, the models will build on this framework by quantifying the interdependencies between different forms of capital such that policy experiments (in particular those relating to infrastructure) of long-term economic performance can be tested. This prospective analysis will allow policymakers to anticipate future bottlenecks and tradeoffs in the macroeconomic system in order to better inform decisions today.