Faculty Spotlight: Fiona Burlig

Why It Matters

Burlig’s policy‑integrated research equips India’s leaders with evidence to steer a massive, low‑carbon energy transition that safeguards the livelihoods of over a billion citizens.

Key Takeaways

• Cape Town experience sparked focus on poverty and energy transitions.
• Research examines rural electrification impacts on Indian livelihoods.
• Studies renewable integration versus coal in India's power grid.
• Projects forecast tools to help Indian farmers adapt climate change.
• EPIC embeds policymakers early for research with immediate policy impact.

Summary

The video spotlights Fiona Burlig, a faculty member whose early experience living in Cape Town revealed stark economic inequality and ignited a career dedicated to improving livelihoods amid energy transitions. Her academic journey began with a dissertation on rural electrification in India, and she has since expanded to examine how increasing renewable capacity reshapes the Indian power system and its implications for coal use. Burlig’s current projects develop climate forecasts for farmers and explore affordable access to electricity and clean water for low‑income rural populations, emphasizing India’s unique scale—over a billion people facing disproportionate climate risks. At EPIC, she champions a collaborative model that brings government partners into research from day one, ensuring findings translate directly into policy decisions that balance development, climate mitigation, and public health.

This approach aims to guide India’s transition from a coal‑dominant grid to a renewable‑heavy system while safeguarding the poorest communities, making the research both academically rigorous and immediately actionable for policymakers.

Original Description

Fiona Burlig, an assistant professor in the Harris School of Public Policy, talks about her work studying the challenges of energy access and climate impacts in poor rural communities in India.