Robert Kaufmann
Professor, Earth & Environment
- Title Professor, Earth & Environment
- Office STO 463
- Email kaufmann@bu.edu
- Phone 617-353-3940
- Education BS, Biology, Cornell University, 1979
MA, Economics, University of New Hampshire, 1984
PhD, Energy Management & Policy, University of Pennsylvania, 1988
My research falls into two areas; global climate change and energy markets. Research on global climate change focus on the how human emissions drive the temperature, the snow albedo feedback effect, and modelling glacial cycles. To assess how climate change will affect society, I analyze how real estate markets price weather-related hazards in the Florida Keys and whether these prices are accurate. My research on energy markets focuses on world oil markets and carbon-free technologies. Currently, I focus on how learning and social norms drive adoption of solar energy and electric vehicles.
Beyond my academic interests, I am a founding partner of First Fuel Software, which was recently purchased by Uplight. We combine a variety of mathematical techniques and engineering methods to conduct energy audits of commercial buildings without stepping foot inside the building. This greatly reduces the cost of audits and accelerates the rate at which conservation measures reduce energy use, carbon emissions, and save people money.
Global climate change, energy markets