Hi, I’m Romita. I believe sustainability is a problem that should be solved creatively with technology. Sustainability in this sense is the ability to maintain and improve our human ecosystems, our utility systems, and our financial institutions. Approaching sustainability from a technical standpoint views the idea as a complex problem with dynamic limitations and behaviors that can be solved with various mathematical and computational techniques. 

 

We often have very lofty goals when we think of sustainability, but the truth is a region may not have enough solar power or a region might not receive enough tax credits to support electrification. That doesn’t mean that a project is impossible, but rather it means we need a technical solution that addresses the financial and physical limitations we have. 

 

Computational modeling provides fantastic insight into predicting chaotic phenomena like wildfire spread. It answers questions like how functional is a solar powered microgrid for a given region. It also helps us design financial agreements and deals that allow for solar developers and utility companies to thrive. Computational modeling provides insight into the gray area of decision-making. It allows us to define the gray area and shift it for various audiences.