PHD Scholars Projects
PSEG Foundation PhD Scholars Program
The PSEG Foundation PhD Scholars Program, administered through the Stevens Center for Sustainability (SCS), supports doctoral students conducting innovative research in sustainability, resilience, energy systems, environmental engineering, and socio-technical systems. The program is designed to advance solutions to pressing environmental challenges while fostering the next generation of researchers committed to improving the quality of life in Environmental Justice (EJ) communities throughout New Jersey and beyond.
Supported by the PSEG Foundation, the program provides multi-year scholarships, faculty mentorship, interdisciplinary research opportunities, and engagement with industry and community partners. The program emphasizes research with real-world impact, encouraging scholars to connect their work to the needs of overburdened and underserved communities while contributing to a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient future.
Current PSEG PhD Scholars
text to come
Zexin Liu
Ph.D. in [Program]
Faculty Advisor: Prof. Lei Wu
Student Bio
Zexin Liu is a PSEG PhD Scholar and a doctoral student in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology, advised by Prof. Lei Wu. His research focuses on integrating energy and environmental justice into power system operations and market design. By developing justice-aware technical frameworks, Zexin aims to ensure equitable resource allocation, mitigate market price volatility, and provide affordable access to clean energy.
Research Title: Equity-Oriented Two-Stage Market Clearing With Differentiated LMPs to Mitigate Energy Overburdens on Disadvantaged Communities:
Low‑Cost Colutions for Removing Emerging Contaminants
Parisa Javidan
Ph.D. in [Program to come]
Faculty Advisor: [To come]
Student Bio
Parisa Javidan is a Ph.D. candidate at Stevens Institute of Technology whose research centers on developing sustainable, low-cost solutions for removing emerging contaminants from water systems. Her work focuses on repurposing water treatment residuals (WTRs), an abundant byproduct of drinking-water purification, as effective sorbents for mitigating per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in aquatic environments. Her research has demonstrated the potential of WTRs to capture and retain PFAS, offering an environmentally responsible reuse pathway for materials typically treated as waste. As a PSEG Ph.D. Research Scholar for Environmental Justice, Parisa is advancing this work by developing enhanced materials for stormwater infrastructure that both adsorb and light-degrade PFAS, helping reduce disproportionate contamination burdens in urban and overburdened communities. Her research aims to translate sustainable materials and treatment strategies into practical, field-ready tools that support equitable access to clean water and strengthen community resilience.
Research Title: Low-Cost Solutions for Removing Emerging Contaminants
Research Poster
[Poster to be added]
Intelligent Energy Systems, Renewable Energy Integration
Tajkia Tamanna
Ph.D. in Systems Engineering
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Philip Odonkor
Student Bio
Tajkia Tamanna is a PhD scholar at Stevens Institute of Technology and a recipient of the PSEG PhD Scholarship. Her research focuses on intelligent energy systems, renewable energy integration, and optimization of power networks. She works on data-driven modeling and decision-making for sustainable and resilient energy infrastructures. She holds a strong academic background in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and previously served as a University Lecturer in EEE in Bangladesh. Tajkia aims to bridge theory and real-world applications in developing efficient and sustainable power systems.
Research Title: Validation of Emergent Energy-System Architectures in New Jersey: Measuring System Fitness for Environmental Justice
Research Poster
[Poster to be added]
Manufacturing of Energy Materials Particularly Electrowriting
Ritam Ghosh
Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering
Faculty Advisor: [To come]
Student Bio
Ritam Ghosh is a PhD student in Materials Science and Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology, with a Master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He has over three years of industry experience in electrochemical systems, including work on PEM-based technologies focused on diagnostics, MEA testing, and performance optimization.
His research focuses on advanced manufacturing of energy materials, particularly electrowriting of functional polymers for next-generation electrode architectures. His work aims to develop predictive frameworks linking material properties and processing conditions to structure and performance, enabling more efficient and scalable energy technologies.
By improving the performance and manufacturability of clean energy systems, his work contributes to broader environmental justice goals by supporting more accessible, reliable, and sustainable energy solutions for underserved communities.
Research Title: Manufacturing of Energy Materials Particularly Electrowriting
Research Poster
[Poster to be added]