Nathan Williams

Assistant Professor

Department of Sustainability

Golisano Institute for Sustainability

njwgis@rit.edu

585-475-5802

Office Location

SUS-2169

Nathan Williams

Assistant Professor

Department of Sustainability

Golisano Institute for Sustainability

Bio

Dr. Nathan Williams is an Assistant Professor at the Golisano Institute for Sustainability at the Rochester Institute of Technology. His research focuses on data driven energy policy and planning in underserved communities, with a particular interest in the use of renewable and decentralized energy technologies to expand access to affordable, sustainable electricity. More broadly, he is interested in how infrastructure systems can be planned in an integrated and sustainable manner to support social and economic development in underserved communities. Dr. Williams’ work focuses geographically on sub-Saharan Africa and Tribal Nations in the United States. His work is transdisciplinary in nature, drawing on methods from engineering, finance, social science, and data science.

Before coming to RIT, Dr. Williams was an Assistant Research Professor at Carnegie Mellon University and an instructor at the Carnegie Mellon University Africa campus in Kigali, Rwanda. He also spent several years developing utility-scale renewable energy projects in South Africa. His interest in energy and development was sparked while serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in an unelectrified rural community in Burkina Faso. He has a B.S. in Physics and Mathematics from Whitworth University, a M.Sc. in Physics from Nelson Mandela University, and a Ph.D. in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University.

Personal Links

Areas of Expertise

Sustainable Development

Energy Access

Renewable Energy

Energy Policy

Energy-Agriculture Nexus

Microgrids

Select Scholarship

Journal Paper

Lukuyu, June, et al. "Building the supply of demand: Experiments in mini-grid demand stimulation." Development Engineering 6. (2021): 100058. Web.

Udeani, Chukwudi, Paulina Jaramillo, and Nathaniel J Williams. "A techno-economic and environmental assessment of residential rooftop solar-Battery systems in grid-connected households in Lagos, Nigeria." Development Engineering 6. (2021): 100069. Print.

Muhwezi, Bob, Nathaniel J Williams, and Jay Taneja. "Ingredients for growth: Examining electricity consumption and complementary infrastructure for Small and Medium Enterprises in Kenya." Development Engineering 6. (2021): 100072. Print.

Published Conference Proceedings

Mugyenyi, Joel, et al. "Smart metering technologies for mini grids in Africa: An Overview." Proceedings of the 2021 IEEE PES/IAS PowerAfrica. Ed. Kennedy Aganah. Nairobi, Kenya: IEEE Xplore, 2021. Print.

Wamalwa, Fhazhil and Nathaniel J Williams. "Integration of an off-grid solar-PV-battery system after grid connection using model predictive control: A case study in Kenya." Proceedings of the 2021 IEEE PES/IAS PowerAfrica. Ed. Kennedy Aganah. Nairobi, Kenya: IEEE Xplore, 2021. Print.

Raji, Tunmise, et al. "Challenges of microgrid project development in sub-Saharan Africa: an industry perspective." Proceedings of the 2021 IEEE PES/IAS PowerAfrica. Ed. Kennedy Aganah. Nairobi, Kenya: IEEE Xplore, 2021. Print.

Invited Article/Publication

Williams, Nathan, Samuel Booth, and Ian Baring-Gould. "Survey Use in Micro-grid Load Prediction, Project Development, and Operations." NREL Technical Report. (2019). Web.

Currently Teaching

ISUS-720

Sustainability in the Global South

3 Credits

This course will examine sustainability challenges in the Global South through the frame of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The course will examine the history of economic growth and development globally, how this history has created inequities between and within countries today, and the pressures this development has placed on the natural environment. We will then review progress made in pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals before studying the current Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The course will discuss the SDGs through case studies, with a particular focus on the role of policy and technology. Students will apply core sustainability skills to assess sustainable solutions and policy options to solve development problems. Throughout the course, students will develop a more global view of sustainability and the multi-dimensional challenges faced by countries in the Global South.

ISUS-780

Capstone

1 - 6 Credits

An independent project in sustainability serving as a capstone experience for students completing the non-thesis option. This course requires a formal proposal and a faculty sponsor.

ISUS-790

Thesis

1 - 6 Credits

Independent research in sustainability leading to the completion of the MS thesis. This course requires a formal proposal and a faculty sponsor.

ISUS-791

Continuation of Thesis

0 Credits

MS or PhD students requiring additional time to complete their thesis

ISUS-807

Research

1 - 9 Credits

Research in fulfillment of Sustainability Ph.D. dissertation or M.S. capstone requirements.

ISUS-808

Multicriteria Sustainable Systems

3 Credits

This class will explore how decisions are made when confronted with multiple, often conflicting, criteria or constraints. The focus will be on the following analytical methods: linear and stochastic programming, optimization, and Monte Carlo simulation. Case studies will focus on sustainability multi-criteria problems such as energy planning, sustainable development, resource management, and recycling. Students will apply methods learned to a project involving their graduate research.

ISUS-877

Research Internship

0 Credits

The Research Internship is designed to enhance the educational experience of PhD students through full-time employment.

ISUS-890

Dissertation Research

1 - 9 Credits

Research fulfillment of Sustainability Ph.D. dissertation requirements.

In the News

November 20, 2024

RIT professor helps to tackle energy access in rural Africa

Williams’ collaborative work tackles the subject of energy access in Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2015, the United Nations established Sustainable Development Goal 7 to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
April 3, 2023

RIT Golisano Institute for Sustainability Ph.D. student wins Outstanding Graduate Woman

Sherralyn Sneezer was named this year’s Outstanding Graduate Woman for her commitment to working with indigenous communities to develop renewable energy systems on tribal land.
September 23, 2022

RIT sustainability professor’s research part of $5.5 million Rockefeller Foundation grant

Nathan Williams, an assistant professor in sustainability whose research focuses on African energy systems, will play a key role in a project made possible by a $5.5 million grant from the Rockefeller Foundation to accelerate development and promote climate resilient infrastructure investment across sub-Saharan Africa.