William Babis

William Babis serves as an Associate Scientist in the Climate and Equity program at SEI US, where he conducts data-driven research to enable the deployment of decarbonization technologies and promote effective, responsible use of AI.

At SEI, William co-developed SEI’s Anajia Guajira: a data and communication mobile platform for Indigenous communities navigating an influx of prospective renewable energy development on Indigenous lands. He co-organized participatory workshops with local community members, enhancing SEI’s ability to liaise with public and private stakeholders as trusted community advocates. William has also helped develop greenhouse gas accounting frameworks that reliably quantify corporate emission-reduction efforts. This includes participation in a coalition of corporate actors and researchers (TCAT) to quantify corporate claims to low-carbon energy interventions. He has also helped develop improved methods for measuring the climate benefits of fuel-efficient cookstove projects in sub-Saharan Africa and establish best practices for quantifying data-center greenhouse gas emissions.

William is a key contributor to SEI’s AI Task Force to advise internal AI initiatives and develop internal guidance on ethical use of AI. William has developed AI-powered research tools and co-authored peer-reviewed publications using these tools to evaluate energy policy landscapes. He has published research on the geopolitical implications of AI’s environmental footprint and spoken on panels about AI sustainability and governance.

William is concurrently pursuing a PhD in energy economics and public policy at Tufts University. His research evaluates electricity market reforms that incentivize optimal investments in energy projects to ensure a reliable, affordable, and deeply decarbonized grid. Prior to joining SEI, William co-founded an AI startup that participated in UC Berkeley’s SkyDeck accelerator program. He holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Boston College and has held research positions at NASA and Resources for the Future.