Vivian Nwadiaru

Vivian is an energy systems modeller and equity researcher specializing in optimization, simulation, and decision analysis for affordable, clean, and resilient power systems. Her work integrates quantitative modelling with participatory approaches to inform equitable energy planning, with emphasis on energy access, distributed storage, community values, and climate resilience across both US and international contexts.

She holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she was a fellow of the National Science Foundation-funded ELEVATE program within the UMass Energy Transition Institute. Her dissertation focused on community-informed modelling of energy storage systems.

Vivian brings experience working with environmental justice communities in Massachusetts, as well as with Argonne National Laboratory, GIZ, and the African Union Department of Infrastructure and Energy. She is also an alumna of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s International Climate Protection Fellowship. At SEI, she will support the global community of LEAP and NEMO users and contribute to tools and analyses that advance just, climate-friendly, and sustainable energy transitions.