Industry PhD project title: CER and Grid Integration
RACE University: Curtin University
WA industry partners:
- DevelopmentWA
- Hesperia
- Cisco-Curtin Centre for Networks
- Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre
- Western Power
- Hawaiian Investments
Previous education and work background: I am a Master in Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University, USA and a Master in Economics from Delhi University, India. I worked in the public health research in India for 8 years before migrating to Australia. For the last 13 years in Perth, WA, I have worked in the electricity industry in several capacities – as a consumer advocate, in electricity market policy and regulation, and in the network business.
What attracted you to the RACE Industry PhD?
I was attracted to the idea of trialling full grid integration for consumer energy resources to support net-zero strategies at a precinct scale and amplifying the learnings to grid scale. The partnership between academia and industry was another important factor for me as I am keen to leverage my industry knowledge and network to increase collaboration with academia.
What innovation/change would you like to see in 5-10 years’ time?
The change I hope for most is for environmental and biodiversity protection to become embedded in economic growth. Harm to the environment can no longer be considered an externality when the costs of this harm are outweighing the benefit of economic growth. I hope that the fundamentals of the science of economics can be changed to properly price these externalities in the cost of human consumption.
Favourite quote:
If you can dream it, you can do it