About the Hub

The Integrated Energy Systems and Communities Hub brings together researchers across the University of Virginia to study the energy system as a complex, interconnected network linking infrastructure, technology, policy, and human behavior. The hub advances new modeling and data-driven approaches including digital twins, AI, and large-scale simulations, to understand how energy systems interact with transportation, water, land use, and communities. By integrating methods from engineering, data science, public policy, and social science, the hub aims to develop resilient, equitable, and sustainable energy-focused solutions. These collaborations will seed innovative research and proposals that help communities navigate the transition to next-generation energy systems.

Our Team

Co-lead by Andrés Clarens and Madhav Marathe, the hub convenes expertise across multiple energy-research domains. Our expertise spans multiple energy research domains, uniting faculty and researchers from across Grounds. Representing the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, the Environmental Institute, the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, the Darden School of Business, the School of Law, and the Biocomplexity Institute, the team combines diverse perspectives to address the interconnected challenges of energy systems. This interdisciplinary collaboration enables integrated approaches to energy policy and law, community impacts, and advanced scenario modeling, fostering solutions that reflect the complexity of today's energy landscape.