IDCE Faculty

Abigail R. Mechtenberg, Ph.D.

Education

• University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 2004 to 2009
  Ph.D. in Applied Physics and M.S. in Physics Research in Sustainable Energy Systems
  Thesis: Understanding the Importance of an Energy Crisis
• 
  University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, Fall 1997 to Fall 1999
  M.Ed. in Educational Psychology
  Research in Physics Education and Item Response Theory analysis
• 
  Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, Fall 1994 to Summer 1997
  B.S. in Physics
  Research in Nuclear Physics at Cyclotron Institute

• Research Interests

• Sustainable energy systems; applied physics; physics education; East Africa; Uganda; poverty eradication;

Grants

National Science Foundation, United States of America
RCN-SEES (OISE - 1140190 ): Sustainable Energy Systems, 2011-2016 $750,000
PI: Thomas Seager, Co-Pi: Abigail Mechtenberg

African Studies Center - University of Michigan's Energy Institute, Ann Arbor, MI
Electricity and Human Development Pilot Program, 2010 $10,000
Highlighted in http://www.ii.umich.edu/asc/aboutus/newsletters in November issue

Michigan Memorial Phoenix Energy Institute - University of Michigan's Energy Institute, Ann Arbor, MI
Electricity and Human Development Devices, 2009 $5,000
Highlighted in http://www.energy.umich.edu/res/area_energy_design.html

Office of Vice President and Research - Energy Section, Ann Arbor, MI $46,500
Energy and Human Development, 2008
Highlighted in http://research.umich.edu/news-from-u-m/category/energy/page/5/

Biography

Mechtenberg's research is in sustainable energy systems with a focus on understanding that national security and environmental stability rely on optimization of energy production, storage and consumption based on cultural values as well as technological feasibility. Motivated by Gro Brundtant's quote, "We must be uncompromising in our determination to eradicate poverty," Mechtenberg proposes an interactive research methodology which both informs the developed world on how to prepare for an energy crisis as well as interacts with the developing world on how to manage energy crises.

From remote microgrid optimization research for the US military (FOBs) and Ugandan hospital, Mechtenberg's portfolio includes inported high tech as well as locally co-designed solutions. This research paradigm is solidified by using a pedagogy for a physics, engineering, and business of energy course in developed countries as well as technical schools in developing countries (based off of her previous physics teaching experience). Together research and teaching combine to define, manage, and potentially mitigate energy crises: predicted in US and hidden in Uganda.

Selected Publications

Abigail Mechtenberg, Moses Musaazi, Nancy Senabulya, Paul Musasizi, and Emmanuel Miyingo. Health Care Facilities with Unreliable and Unavailable Grids - A Story Untold and a Solution Unfolding. Energy for Sustainable Development. [accepted and in-press date posted soon]

Abigail Mechtenberg, Kendra Borchers, Emmanuel Miyingo, Chelsea Random, John Vianney Makanda, and Moses Musaazi. Human Power as a Viable Electricity Portfolio Option below 30 W/Capita. Energy for Sustainable Development. [accepted and in-press date posted soon]

Abigail Mechtenberg, Moses Musaazi, Emmanuel Miyingo, and Jake Graham. Locally Built African Microgrids Viable with(out) Stagnant Centralized Grids. Energy for Sustainable Development. [accepted and in-press date posted soon]

Bawden, Kim, V. Prado, T. Seager, A. Mechtenberg, and E. Bennett. Ultra-Low Energy Army Installations. Proceedings of the ASME 2011 Conference on Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures and Intelligent Systems, SMASIS2011, September 18-21, 2011, Phoenix, Arizona, USA, SMASIS2011-5074.

Diane Peters, Abigail Mechtenberg, and John Whitefoot, Panos Papalambros. Model Predictive Control of a Microgrid with Plug-in Vehicles: Error Modeling and the Role of Prediction Horizon. ASME 2011 Dynamic Systems and Controls Conference [invited session]

John Whitefoot, Abigail Mechtenberg, and John Whitefoot, Panos Papalambros. Optimal Component Sizing and Forward-Looking Dispatch of an Electrical Microgrid for Energy Storage Planning. ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference. DETC2011-48513. [DAC –Best Paper Award]

Prado V, Seager TP, Mechtenberg AR, Bennett E. 2011. Achieving Optimal Deployment of Renewable Energy Technologies in the Battlefield. Proceedings of the 2011 IEEE International Symposium on Sustainable Systems and Technology, Chicago IL, 16-18 May 2011.

Abigail Mechtenberg, Diane Peters, and Christopher Depick. Rapid Reactive Hybrid: Modes of Operation, Design, and Control Methodology. International Journal of Mechanical Design. [working paper]

Abigail Mechtenberg, Tom Wenzel, Deena Patel, and Marc Ross. Fuel Economy and Safety: Second-Hand Crash Deaths. [working paper and preliminarily findings on-line].

Abigail Mechtenberg. Thesis: Understanding the Importance of an Energy Crisis. Committee Members: Brad Orr, Marc Ross, Roy Clark, Jean Krisch, and Rebecca Hardin. University of Michigan, 2009.

Abigail Mechtenberg. Fuel Economy: From Niche to Status-quo Manufacturing. In S. Das (Editor), Sustainable Mobility Applications for Engineering. Detroit, Michigan, USA: SAE International, 2009. [invited book chapter]

Abigail Reid Mechtenberg, Jacqueline D. Spears and Paul Hewitt. Media Workbook Conceptual Physics Update, tenth edition. Addison Wesley, 2009. ISBN 9780321548351.

Abigail Mechtenberg. Fuel Economy - Fuel Economy: From Niche to Status-quo Manufacturing. Society of Automotive Engineers, 2009 SAE World Congress - Technical Paper 09SDP-0022.

Abigail Reid Mechtenberg and Paul Hewitt. Media Workbook Conceptual Physics ninth edition. Addison Wesley, 2004. ISBN 0-8053-9034-0.

Abigail Reid Mechtenberg. The Role of Mass in Fuel Economy and Safety of Automobiles. University of Michigan, S4-Summer Institute Journal, 2004.

G.K. Ajupova, C.A. Gagliardi, Y.-W. Lui, A.A. Reid, R.P. Schmitt and H.M. Xu. Progress in Research, 1995-1995, Cyclotron Institute, Texas A&M University, p. 69.

Courses

Environmental Science and Policy
IDCE30205 - Climate Change, Energy, Development

Related Links

• Environmental Science and Policy
• Marsh Institute

Empowered Design: http://sites.google.com/site/empowerdesign2011/
Physics of Energy: http://www.physicsofenergy.org