Shows
Solve for X: Innovations to Change the WorldThe grid: Is it time to rethink our power systems? (Replay)Our energy grid is something most of us only think about when it isn’t working. But growing demand for electricity is placing an even greater strain on a system that’s already facing increased pressure from extreme weather events. Can we build a more sustainable and dependable grid? In this episode, which originally aired September 2022, we explore how when it comes to climate change the challenge of greening the grid is as much an issue of complex engineering as it is about policy and equity. Featured in this episode:Josh Wong is the former CEO of Op...
2025-12-1828 min
Climate with KianaEnergy Data and Equity with Dr. Destenie NockIn this episode, we hear from Dr. Destenie Nock about energy justice and her organization Peoples Energy Analytics. We discuss her work using utility energy data to further energy equity. This is an extended cut of the video version of this interview, which is available on youtube.Dr. Nock is the founder and CEO of Peoples Energy Analytics and a Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. Her work and research addresses the intersections of energy affordability, sustainability, energy justice, and designing equitable power systems. Connect with Dr. N...
2025-12-0419 min
With Great PowerThe energy economics of safe, comfortable homesDestenie Nock knows what it’s like to struggle with the high cost of energy. When she was in grad school, her electricity got cut off because she couldn’t afford to pay the bills. At the time, she was pursuing her doctorate in engineering with a focus on the power sector at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She knew many others struggled to pay their utility bills, and she wanted to find solutions. So years later, after joining the engineering faculty at Carnegie Mellon University, she launched Peoples Energy Analytics –a startup working to improve how utilities...
2025-03-0420 min
Breaking Math PodcastHow Analytics Can Revolutionize Affordable EnergyIn this episode, Dr. Destine Nock, CEO of Peoples Energy Analytics and a Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, joins Autumn to dive deep into the world of energy equity. They explore how cutting-edge data analytics are revolutionizing the landscape of affordable energy access. As the global demand for sustainable energy solutions continues to grow, the need to ensure fair and inclusive energy distribution becomes more critical than ever. Together, our hosts break down how data-driven insights are being leveraged to develop and implement policies that make energy more accessible to underserved communities, tearing down socioeconomic barriers and paving the...
2024-11-1941 min
Brother, Mine - An Audio DramaHow Analytics Can Revolutionize Affordable EnergyIn this episode, Dr. Destine Nock, CEO of Peoples Energy Analytics and a Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, joins Autumn to dive deep into the world of energy equity. They explore how cutting-edge data analytics are revolutionizing the landscape of affordable energy access. As the global demand for sustainable energy solutions continues to grow, the need to ensure fair and inclusive energy distribution becomes more critical than ever. Together, our hosts break down how data-driven insights are being leveraged to develop and implement policies that make energy more accessible to underserved communities, tearing down socioeconomic barriers and paving the...
2024-11-1941 min
Resources RadioAdding Equity to Environmental Models, with Amanda GiangIn this week’s episode, host Daniel Raimi talks with Amanda Giang, an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia, about considering equity in computational models of systems that are at the interface of people and the environment. Giang discusses the steps involved in adapting the models; weighing the benefits of granular, individualized data against considerations of personal privacy; the limitations of modeling and quantitative analysis; and the challenges of communicating with decisionmakers about the complexity and uncertainty of model results.
References and recommendations:
“Equity and modeling in sustainability science: Examples and opportunities throughout the process” by Amanda Giang, Morgan...
2024-09-1630 min
Brown Girl GreenThe Need for Energy, Equity, & JusticeIn this episode, we meet with Daphany Rose Sanchez. Daphany is an experienced community organizer and an expert in climate and housing. Born and raised in New York City public housing, Daphany witnessed and lived through the intersections of housing discrimination, climate divestment, and economic injustice. Her experience moved Daphany to fight for climate resiliency in the communities she grew up in, organizing neighborhoods across every borough in the city while working alongside renewable energy companies to provide people with the tools they need to reduce their energy bills and keep their homes protected from natural disasters. She graduated...
2024-03-0948 min
Physics World Stories PodcastPhysics for fairness: tackling global sustainability challenges through science
This year, 2023, marks the half-way point to the 2030 deadline for achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Recent global developments, including conflicts and the COVID-19 pandemic, make SDGs such as “Zero Hunger” and “Reduced Inequalities” seem more daunting than ever. The scale of the challenge is clear; but professionals working on the frontline of sustainable development are as committed as ever to enabling positive change.
That includes physicists and engineers, and July 2022 – July 2023 was the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development. In this episode of the Physics World Stories podcast you will hear from with two p...
2023-10-1340 min
Public Power UndergroundUtility Maximization, Community Input, and Solarpunk Stories with Prof. Dr. Destenie NockProf. Dr. Destenie Nock joins Dr. Ahlmahz Negash and Paul Dockery for a conversation about what the grid of the future *should* look like. The discussion dives deep into (1) the energy equity gap, (2) a methodology for finding the optimal expansion of a power system under the objective of maximizing social benefit, (3) the Gini coefficient, and (4) how to use the Strategic Objective Hierarchy combined with the expertise of social scientists to translate community input into rigorously measurable inputs into an optimization model!You can find the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Share...
2023-07-201h 29
New Books in African American StudiesEnergy Costs, Poverty, and RaceDestenie Nock, an assistant professor in the Engineering and Public Policy and Civil and Environmental Engineering Departments at Carnegie Mellon University and CEO of People’s Energy Analytics, a new startup, talks about her co-authored paper “The Energy Equity Gap: Unveiling Hidden Energy Poverty” with Peoples & Things host, Lee Vinsel. The two also talk about the arc of Nock’s career; poverty, race, and infrastructure in the United States; and how Nock’s new company can help energy utilities identify and address hidden forms of energy poverty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoice...
2023-02-0959 min
Peoples & ThingsEnergy Costs, Poverty, and RaceDestenie Nock, an assistant professor in the Engineering and Public Policy and Civil and Environmental Engineering Departments at Carnegie Mellon University and CEO of People’s Energy Analytics, a new startup, talks about her co-authored paper “The Energy Equity Gap: Unveiling Hidden Energy Poverty” with Peoples & Things host, Lee Vinsel. The two also talk about the arc of Nock’s career; poverty, race, and infrastructure in the United States; and how Nock’s new company can help energy utilities identify and address hidden forms of energy poverty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoice
2023-02-0958 min
New Books in Public PolicyEnergy Costs, Poverty, and RaceDestenie Nock, an assistant professor in the Engineering and Public Policy and Civil and Environmental Engineering Departments at Carnegie Mellon University and CEO of People’s Energy Analytics, a new startup, talks about her co-authored paper “The Energy Equity Gap: Unveiling Hidden Energy Poverty” with Peoples & Things host, Lee Vinsel. The two also talk about the arc of Nock’s career; poverty, race, and infrastructure in the United States; and how Nock’s new company can help energy utilities identify and address hidden forms of energy poverty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoice...
2023-02-0959 minSolve for X: Innovations to Change the WorldThe grid: Is it time to rethink our power systems?Our energy grid is something most of us only think about when it isn’t working. But growing demand for electricity is placing an even greater strain on a system that’s already facing increased pressure from extreme weather events. Can we build a more sustainable and dependable grid? In this episode, we explore how when it comes to climate change, the challenge of greening the grid is as much an issue of complex engineering as it is about policy and equity. Featured in this episode:Josh Wong is the CEO of Opus One Solutions, a compa...
2022-09-1527 min
Resources RadioUnveiling Hidden Energy Poverty, with Destenie NockIn this week’s episode, host Daniel Raimi talks with Destenie Nock, an assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon University. Nock shares insights from a recent paper she coauthored that shows how, on hot days, Black and low-income households wait relatively longer than other households to turn on their air-conditioning units, which puts them at a greater risk of heat-related illnesses. She examines the reasons behind this behavior and provides an overview of energy insecurity and energy poverty in the United States.
References and recommendations:
“Unveiling hidden energy poverty using the energy equity gap” by Shuchen Cong, Destenie Nock, Yueming Lucy Qiu, a...
2022-09-1237 min
Catanation StudiosSeason 3 Episode 16 (City Heights Runners ft. Destenie M. Reyes)Send us a textDestenie M. Reyes Is A Former Student For Urban Life's City Heights Runners, & Now She Works As One Of The Coaches Of The Program. The Question Now Is How Did We Get Here?On This Podcast, Destenie Shares The Journey She Took From High School & College & What Brought Her Back To Be A Part Of City Heights Runners, A Non-Profit Organization Giving City Heights Students Have A Fun & Healthier Lifestyle With Hard Workout Routines But Be An Impact In These Student's Lives .To Be In Contact With City Heights...
2022-05-0414 min
Energy GangHappy Earth Day: Why a Low Carbon Life is Within ReachOn April 22nd, 2022 the world will be celebrating the 52nd annual “Earth Day”. Does Earth Day serve any useful purpose? How can we utilize the celebration of Earth Day for good? How is Earth day viewed by the world today, and how does this celebration push us closer to a low carbon life? In today's special episode of the Energy Gang, the conversation focuses on solutions and recent positive findings from the IPCC report. Making up the “Gang” this week is returning guest Emily Chasan, who is the Director of Communications at Generate Capital, the green investment firm. Also...
2022-04-221h 08
Just EnergyEnergy poverty and energy insecurity with Destenie NockIn this episode, Destenie Nock discusses her research and personal experience with energy insecurity, as well as her reflections on student mentorship and her blog, “black electricity”.
2022-02-1527 min
BartholomewtownDiscussing the Nonprofit Innovation LabSend a textBill Bartholomew welcomes United Way of Rhode Island President/CEO Cortney Nicolato, Social Enterprise Greenhouse Senior Manager for Strategic Initiatives Constance Ferber, Destenie Vital of What Cheer Flower Farm and Brent Runyon of Providence Preservation Society to discuss the 2021 Nonprofit Innovation Lab Support the show
2021-07-3025 min
The Big SwitchRegulation: Why the Rules MatterIn episode 2, we explored how to build a championship zero-carbon “team” on the grid. We could have the best players in the world — rooftop solar, batteries, net metering, demand response, high-voltage transmission, and so many others — but if the rules prevent these technologies from playing ball, then we won’t be able to decarbonize fast enough. How do we make sure the rules strike the right balance between innovation and reliability — while making the zero-carbon grid system equitable? In our fifth episode of season 1, Dr. Melissa Lott explores how the rules of the grid impact everyone....
2021-07-0637 minEnergy GangTracking the Equity Outcome of DecarbonizationWe can measure the energy transition in any number of ways. The hundreds of millions of solar panels and wind turbines installed. The gigatons of carbon reduced. Or the number of jobs created.But how do we measure the equity outcome?Our guest co-host, Dr. Destenie Nock, is focused on exactly this question. She is an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. Nock is creating new models for energy-systems planning that factor in positive social objectives, not just cost or reliability metrics.Any decarbonization strategy i...
2021-06-1649 min
Surviving TwentiesHealing from Bad Right Decision: A discussion of the Traumatic Impact of AbortionAt the tinder age of 19, Destenie discovered that she was pregnant. She knew that she or her boyfriend were not ready for a child and adoption was not an option. At her college's medical clinic she made the decision to have an abortion. Join us as Destenie discusses her abortion story and the traumatic impact. To learn more about Destenie and her abortion story feel free to visit her blog www.socialworkunicorn.com.IG:Thesocialworkunicorn
2020-06-2034 min
Blk + In Grad SchoolEp 89: Getting on The Tenure-Track w/ Destenie Nock, Ph.D.Destenie Nock finished her PhD in Industrial Engineering in 2019 from UMass Amherst and is the first Black woman to join the faculty for the College of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon. Her research focuses primarily on energy planning, decision analysis, a
2019-12-0345 min
Lab Talk with LauraEp. 26 - Destenie, Hannah, and KimOn this episode I'm joined by Dr. Destenie Nock who recently completed a PhD in Industrial Engineering, and Hannah Johlas, PhD student in Mechanical Engineering. Destenie describes her research exploring the best ways to develop energy infrastructure in the global south, as well as planning for sustainable energy development in New England. Hannah explains how her computer simulations of fluid dynamics will help build better offshore wind farms. Both Hannah and Destenie are also co-chairs for the Graduate Women in STEM Outreach committee and they talk about the work they have done sharing their passion for science and engineering with...
2019-03-2759 min