Daniel M. Kammen
Daniel M. Kammen is Professor in the Energy and Resources Group
Energy and Resources
Group (ERG)
, Professor of Public Policy in the Goldman School of Public
Policy and is Professor of Nuclear Engineering in the Department
of Nuclear Engineering at the University
of California, Berkeley
. He is also the founding Director of the Renewable
and Appropriate Energy Laboratory (RAEL).
Kammen received his undergraduate degree in physics from Cornell
University
(1984), and his masters and doctorate in physics from Harvard (1986
&
1988) for work on theoretical solid state physics and computational
biophysics.
He was then the Wezmann & Bantrell Postdoctoral Fellow at the
California
Institute of Technology in the Divisions of Engineering, Biology, and
the
Humanities (1988 - 1991). First at Caltech and then as a Lecturer in
Physics
and in the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Kammen
developed
a number of projects focused on renewable energy technologies and
environmental
resource management. At Harvard he also worked on risk analysis as
applied
to global warming and methodological studies of forecasting and hazard
assessment. Kammen received the 1993 21st Century Earth Award,
recognizing
contributions to rural development and environmental conservation from
the Global Industrial and Policy Research Institute and Nihon
Keizai
Shimbun in Japan.
From 1993 - 1998 Kammen was an Assistant Professor of Public and
International
Affairs in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International
Affairs
at Princeton University. Kammen played a key role in developing the
interdisciplinary
Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy (STEP) Program at
Princeton,
that awards undergraduate and masters certificates and a doctoral
degree.
He was STEP Chair from 1997 - 1999 and co-chair before that. In July of
1998 Kammen joined the interdisciplinary Energy and Resources Group
(ERG)
at the Univeristy of California, Berkeley as an Associate Professor of
Energy and Society. Kammen is a Fellow of the American Physical Society
and a Permanent Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences.
Dr. Kammen's research interests include: the science, engineering,
management,
and dissemination of renewable energy systems; health and environmental
impacts of energy generation and use; rural resource management,
including
issues of gender and ethnicity; international R&D policy, climate
change;
and energy forecasting and risk analysis. He is the author of over 90
journal
publications, a book on environmental, technological, and health risks
(Should We Risk It?, Princeton University Press) and
numerous reports on renewable energy and development. He has been
featured
on radio, network and public broadcasting television and in print as an
analyst of energy, environmental, and risk policy issues and current
events.
His recent work on energy R&D policy appeared in Science,
and
Environment,
and has been featured on PBS, KQED, CNN, and in many newspapers via the
Reuters news service.
Kammen advises the U. S. and Swedish Agencies for International
Development,
the World Bank, and the Presidents Committee on Science and Technology
(PCAST), and is a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change
(Working Group III and the Special Report on Technology Transfer). Dr.
Kammen serves on the technical review board for the GEF (the STAP), is
a lead author for the Special Report on Technology Transfer of the
Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change, and advises the World Bank and the American
Academy
of Arts and Sciences and well as the African Academy of Sciences.
To learn more about Dan Kammen's reseach go to the
Renewable
and Appropriate Energy Laboratory web site or view his CV.
Back to the Top
Courses
Fall 2004
ER 170/270: Environmental Classics
Overview:
What is the history and evolution of environmental thinking and
writing? How have certain "environmental classics" shaped the way in
which we think about nature, society and development? (And, as a
corollary, what has shaped the intellectual history of programs like
the Energy and Resources Group?). This course will use a selection of
20th century books / papers that have had a major impact on academic
and wider public thinking about the environment / development to probe
these issues. The selection includes works that have influenced
environmental politics, policy and scholarship in the USA as well as in
the developing world. We will not only read these classics, but we will
also read reviews and critiques of these books both those written
at the time of first publication, and more recent commentaries to
explore the evolution of thought on these transforming ideas.
MSE/ER C226: Photovoltaic Materials
Overview:
This technical course focuses on the fundamentals of photovoltaic (PV)
energy conversion with respect to the physical principles of operation
and design of efficient semiconductor solar cell devices. Incorporating
ideas from a variety of disciplines, the course aims to equip students
with the concepts and analytical skills necessary to assess the utility
and viability of various modern PV technologies in the context of a
growing global renewable energy market. Traditional materials science
and device physics are integrated with the practical issues of
connectivity, cost and market analysis, and policy considerations to
provide a complete picture of the engineering and development of modern
PV systems. Background in solid state physics or
semiconductor electronics is strongly recommended.
MSE/ER C226 Course Information
ER 100: Energy and Society
Overview:
In this course, you will develop an understanding and a real
working knowledge of our energy technologies, policies, and
options. This will include analysis of the different opportunities and
impacts of energy systems that exist within and between groups defined
by national, regional, household, ethnic, gender distinctions. Analysis
of the range of current and future energy choices will be stressed, as
well as the role of energy in determining local environmental
conditions, and the global climate.
ER 100 Course Information (PDF)
ER 100 Course Information
Fall 2003
ER 290: Energy and Development
Overview:This graduate seminar will examine the relationship
between development
theory and practice with respect to issues of energy use, technology
and
culture. We will explore the often divergent ideas about development
that
have emerged from civil society, academia, multinational development
agencies, and national development plans in order to investigate the
differing perspectives currently envisioned for a sustainable energy
future. The course will focus on energy options at the household and
community level, paying particular attention to the needs of
individuals,
primarily in rural areas of developing nations. It will then examine
theories of energy systems as a national, often centrally planned
infrastructure. The seminar will explore ideas of 'appropriate
technology', and cultural and political aspects of energy services, and
environmental impacts. Specific themes in the class will include gender
analysis, renewable energy alternatives, the emergence of decentralized
energy options, and new energy and environmental linkages.
Download Flyer
ER 290 Course Information
Download ER 290 Syllabus
ER 100: Energy and Society
Overview:
In this course, you will develop an understanding and a real
working knowledge of our energy technologies, policies, and
options. This will include analysis of the different opportunities and
impacts of energy systems that exist within and between groups defined
by national, regional, household, ethnic, gender distinctions. Analysis
of the range of current and future energy choices will be stressed, as
well as the role of energy in determining local environmental
conditions, and the global climate.
ER 100 Course Information
Fall 2002
ER 290: Environmental Classics
Overview:
What is the history and evolution of environmental thinking and
writing? How have certain "environmental classics" shaped the way in
which we think about nature, society and development? (And, as a
corollary, what has shaped the intellectual history of programs like
the Energy and Resources Group?). This course will use a selection of
20th century books / papers that have had a major impact on academic
and wider public thinking about the environment / development to probe
these issues. The selection includes works that have influenced
environmental politics, policy and scholarship in the USA as well as in
the developing world. We will not only read these classics, but we will
also read reviews and critiques of these books both those written
at the time of first publication, and more recent commentaries to
explore the evolution of thought on these transforming ideas.
ER 290 Course Information
Download ER 290 Syllabus
ER 100: Energy and Society
Overview:
In this course, you will develop an understanding and a real
working knowledge of our energy technologies, policies, and
options. This will include analysis of the different opportunities and
impacts of energy systems that exist within and between groups defined
by national, regional, household, ethnic, gender distinctions. Analysis
of the range of current and future energy choices will be stressed, as
well as the role of energy in determining local environmental
conditions, and the global climate.
ER 100 Course Information
Download ER 100 Syllabus
Spring
2002
ER 120: Renewable Energy
Overview: This course will be an examination of the diverse
aspects and issues surrounding the development, implementation,
economics, policy issues, and local and global impacts of renewable
energy. The course will develop and examine a highly interdisciplinary
set of scientific, engineering, economic, policy, and social science
aspects of energy systems. This course will be a frank analysis of the
opportunities, issues, and obstacles for greatly expanded use of
renewable energy systems. The project components -- laboratory,
practical, policy, and analytic exercises -- will be used to build
expertise in many aspects of energy analysis, management, use, and
impact.
ER
120 Course Information
Spring
2001
ER 290: Energy and Development
Overview: This graduate seminar will examine the relationship
between development
theory and practice with respect to issues of energy use, technology
and
culture. We will explore the often divergent ideas about development
that
have emerged from civil society, academia, multinational development
agencies, and national development plans in order to investigate the
differing perspectives currently envisioned for a sustainable energy
future. The course will focus on energy options at the household and
community level, paying particular attention to the needs of
individuals,
primarily in rural areas of developing nations. It will then examine
theories of energy systems as a national, often centrally planned
infrastructure. The seminar will explore ideas of 'appropriate
technology', and cultural and political aspects of energy services, and
environmental impacts. Specific themes in the class will include gender
analysis, renewable energy alternatives, the emergence of decentralized
energy options, and new energy and environmental linkages.
ER 290
Course Information
Fall 2000
ER 100: Energy and Society
ER 200: Interdisciplinary Energy Analysis
Overview: This course examines the use and impacts of energy
in society. To take on such a mission, this course will explore the
scientific, technical, economic, social, political and cultural
implications and impacts of past, present, and future patterns of
energy use. The perspectives and tools studied and applied in the
course will range from scientific, technical and analytic
methods to economic, institutional analysis, and the evaluation of
social and political forces. This will include analysis of the
differential opportunities and impacts of energy systems that exist
within and between groups defined by national, regional,
household, ethnic, gender distinctions. Analysis of the range of
current and future energy choices will be stressed, as well as the
role of energy in determining local environmental conditions, and the
global climate.
ER 100 and ER 200 Course Information
Spring
2000
ER 120 Renewable Energy
Overview: This course is an examination of the diverse
aspects
and issues surrounding the development, implementation, economics,
policy
issues, and local and global impacts of renewable energy. The course
develops
and examines a highly interdisciplinary set of scientific, engineering,
economic, policy, and social science aspects of energy systems. The
course
both advocates clean and efficient energy futures, and at the same time
is a frank analysis of the opportunities, issues, and obstacles for
greatly
expanded use of renewable energy systems. The project components --
laboratory,
practical, policy, and analytic exercises -- build expertise in many
aspects
of energy analysis, management, use, and impact.
ER 120 Syllabus
Back to the Top
|
Exploring Environmental, Health, and
Technological Problem Solving
Daniel M. Kammen and David
M. Hassenzahl
(Princeton University Press,
1999)
How dangerous is smoking? What are the risks
of nuclear
power or of climate change? What are the chances of dying on an
airplane?
More importantly, how do we use this information once we have it? The
demand
for risk analysts who are able to answer such questions has grown
exponenetially
in recent years. Yet programs to train these analysts have not kept
pace.
In this book, Daniel Kammen and David Hassenzhal address this problem
by
drawing together, organizing, and seeking to unify previously disparate
theories and methodologies connected with risk analysis for health,
environmental,
and technological problems. They also provide a rich variety of case
studies
and worked problems, meeting the growing need for an up-to-date book
suitable
for teaching and individual learning that will appeal to a wide range
of
people in environmental science and studies, health care, and
engineering,
as well as policy makers confronted by the increasing number of
decisions
requiring risk and cost/benefit analysis.
|
 |
Visit the Risk
Analysis Teaching and Learning Website
. This website, put together by David M. Hassenzahl, is designed to
support risk analysis educators and students. It contains a variety of
unsolved problems, examples of course syllabi, tutorial materials,
links, presentations, reading lists, and other materials.
This book is available at many bookstores and can be ordered
from the following WWW sites:
Princeton
University Press
Amazon.com
Back to the Top
Last updated 9/1/2001
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