Prof. Melissa C. Lott

Professor Melissa C. Lott is Senior Director of Research of the SIPA Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) at Columbia University and a Professor of Practice at Columbia’s Climate School. At CGEP, she lead’s the Center’s research team, co-leads the CGEP Power Sector and Renewables Research Initiative, and serves as the Acting Director of the Carbontech Development Initiative and Energy Opportunity Lab. In 2022, Dr. Lott was selected to serve on the United Nations Council of Engineers for the Energy Transition (CEET), which will serve as an independent advisory council to the UN Secretary-General. She is also a member of the Energy Systems Integration Technical Review Panel at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Dr. Lott is also a current member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on the Future of Economics of Equitable Transition.

Dr. Lott has worked as an engineer and advisor for nearly 20 years in the United States, Europe, and Asia. While her work has spanned the entire energy system, Dr. Lott is internationally recognized for her work in the electricity and transportation sectors. Dr. Lott has been featured as a Solar 100 Thought Leader, an IEEE Women in Power, and a Forbes 30 under 30 in Energy in recognition of her research and contributions to global energy sector dialogues.

Dr. Lott specializes in technology and policy research, working to increase our understanding of the impacts of our energy systems on air pollution and public health. She directly applies this understanding to help decision-makers mobilize technology and policy solutions to support the transition to net-zero energy systems. She has authored more than 350 scientific articles, columns, op-eds, journal publications, and reports. Dr. Lott was previously a founding author on Scientific American’s Plugged In.