UC San Diego

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The Deep Decarbonization Initiative at UC San Diego is building a new research program that looks at how humans interact with the technological systems that will be deployed as economies shift to zero carbon emissions. These systems include electric vehicle (EV) charging networks and new kinds of office and residential buildings that allow for more user interaction with major energy loads such as air conditioning systems. To advance this program, D2I will hire at least one post-doctoral scholar for a term of likely two years (extendable) to work physically at UC San Diego in two domains. First, the successful scholar will pursue their own research agenda broadly in this them, drawing on one or more diverse areas of social science such as behavioral economics, psychology, political economy, and organizational sociology. Second, the scholar will work with D2I leadership along with key members of the UC San Diego faculty and in plant operations to help stand up a larger research program—efforts that might include demonstration studies, joint funding applications, seminars, and conferences, and sharing of best practices.

UCSD offers a unique environment for this research, for it is not only a leading research institution but it also has on campus state-of-the-art EV and building control systems that stand ready to provide massive amounts of data for well-designed behavioral research. It has one of the largest on- campus EV charging networks in the world; with support from the National Science Foundation, it is also far advanced in deploying decentralized, monitorable load controllers across a sample of the campus building system. The project already has on hand $39M from NSF along with a mandate to experiment with the equipment—experiments that can generate rich data streams.
In addition, UCSD campus already has many funded EV charging networks, with still more funds already in train—also for projects that generate large amounts of data, along with a keen interest in understanding where and how policies and other incentives might alter charging behavior in ways that can help integrate EVs into electric grids in more capable ways. In addition, state and federal funding offer opportunities for research that examines important topics in Environmental Justice, such as access to and use of on- campus charging systems for people from disadvantaged communities.