Paulina Jaramillo
Trustee Professor, Engineering and Public Policy
Courtesy Appointment, CMU-Africa
Originally from Medellin - Colombia, Paulina Jaramillo is a naturalized citizen of the U.S., where she has lived more than half her life. She is currently a professor of engineering and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). Jaramillo is also a fellow of the Scott Institute for Energy Innovation and Research at CMU and a research affiliate of the Kigali Collaborative Research Center. She also holds a courtesy appointment in CMU Africa. Finally, Jaramillo is a lead author for the IPCC’s 6th Assessment Report as part of Working Group III.
Jaramillo’s past research focused on life cycle assessment of energy systems with an emphasis on climate change impacts and mitigation research. As a professor at CMU, she is currently involved in multi-disciplinary research projects to better understand the social, economic, and environmental implications of policy-driven changes in the operations of the energy system. Over the past five years, her research and education efforts have expanded to include issues related to energy access and development in the Global South. She has also worked to incorporate values and beliefs in energy planning in historically disenfranchised communities and to understand the implications of energy access in gender equity.
Jaramillo’s interest in energy for the Global South stems from her firm belief that what happens in developing countries as they try to provide energy that supports development will have profound implications in global environmental systems. There is an opportunity, however, to build sustainable and equitable modern energy systems that benefit from decades of technological development and experience elsewhere while accounting for local conditions and stakeholder interests. Through her research, Jaramillo aims to create the knowledge that will be required to meet global energy needs and climate mitigation efforts.
Building Open Access Energy System Models
Sustainable Energy Access in the Developing World
Education
2007 Ph.D., Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University
2004 MS, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University
2003 BS, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Florida International University
Media mentions
Carnegie Mellon University Africa
EPP students developed research, met with stakeholders in Rwanda
Three CMU Engineering and Public Policy students spent part of their summer conducting research at CMU-Africa. They collaborated with educators and stakeholders there to integrate their research with the needs and expertise of the local community, and to strengthen ties between students in Pittsburgh and Kigali.
CMU Engineering
Jaramillo completes ELATES, accepted into AAAS fellowship
EPP Professor Paulina Jaramillo is honing her policy outreach skills by participating in prestigious fellowship programs.
Engineering and Public Policy
Jaramillo completes ELATES program, accepted into AAAS fellowship
Engineering and Public Policy Professor Paulina Jaramillo completed the ELATES at Drexel fellowship—a national leadership development program for women in STEM fields in academia.
Heatmap
Jaramillo weighs in on the rules surrounding hydrogen production
EPP’s Paulina Jaramillo spoke with Heatmap about the current rules surrounding hydrogen production in the U.S.
Public Source
Jaramillo comments on the US exporting natural gas
EPP’s Paulina Jaramillo spoke with Public Source about how natural gas is not the solution to the climate crisis. Jaramillo claims that “getting rid of coal and reducing all your other fossil fuel combustion,” is what is necessary to effectively decarbonize.
Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation News
Engineering faculty engage in industrial decarbonization research partnership
MSE’s Chris Pistorius and EPP’s Valerie Karplus and Paulina Jaramillo, alongside Assistant Professor of Economics and Public Policy Edson Severnini, joined collaborators in Germany to begin an international research partnership.
Scott Institute
Three CMU energy projects receive Scott Institute Seed Grants
Three CMU-led energy projects have been awarded seed grants from the Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation.
Engineering and Public Policy
Jaramillo accepted into ELATES program
Engineering and public policy professor Paulina Jaramillo has been accepted into next year's ELATES fellowship program at Drexel University.
Carnegie Mellon University Africa
Energy course continuum: a CMU-Africa and Pittsburgh collaboration
Barry Rawn and his colleagues teach a continuum of seven alternative energy courses to both CMU-Africa and Pittsburgh students.
CMU Engineering
Improving air quality in Africa
CMU-Africa, CMU-Pittsburgh, and global collaborators create an air quality testing center in Ghana with new funding from the Clean Air Fund.
Engineering and Public Policy
INDABA partnership launches with $1.5 million from NSF
Valerie Karplus and Paulina Jaramillo have been awarded a $1.5 million grant to establish the Industrial Decarbonization Analysis, Benchmarking, and Action (INDABA) partnership.
Yale Climate Connections
Jaramillo quoted on hydropower research
EPP’s Paulina Jaramillo was quoted on her research exploring hydropower’s potential as a renewable energy source in Sub-Saharan Africa. “Solar is not available at night, but hydro could be,” Jaramillo told Yale Climate Connections.