Department: Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in the Built Environment
Advisor: Hyun Woo (Chris) Lee
I propose a two-pronged research effort to support Seattle’s equitable transition to clean transportation through electric vehicle charging infrastructure (EVCI) planning. First, I will develop a spatial optimization model to identify priority areas for charger placement and capacity based on equity and accessibility indicators. Second, I will construct a life-cycle cost analysis framework to estimate the full capital and operational costs of EVCI. Together, these approaches aim to inform a robust, data-driven decision support tool for planners and policymakers. The Clean Energy Institute Graduate Fellowship will provide critical support for acquiring and integrating diverse datasets from demographic and land use to utility and cost data, which are needed to implement this work. The fellowship will also enable me to engage with community stakeholders and planning agencies, aligning academic research with practical, equity-focused outcomes. This research aligns with CEI’s mission to accelerate a just clean energy transition through infrastructure innovation and applied policy planning.