Nihar Chhatiawala

Photo of Nihar Chhatiawala
Assistant Policy Researcher, RAND; Ph.D. Student, Pardee RAND Graduate School
Santa Monica Office

Education

M.S. in physics and entrepreneurship, Case Western Reserve University; B.S.E. in engineering physics, Case Western Reserve University

Overview

Nihar Chhatiawala is a Ph.D. student in the Research, Analysis, and Design stream at the Pardee RAND Graduate School and an assistant policy researcher at RAND. His research focuses on climate change (mitigation & adaptation), environmental protection, international development, and government adoption of advanced technologies.

Prior to joining Pardee RAND, Chhatiawala was a technical solutions engineer at Epic Systems Corporation, where he oversaw technical implementation and advised on best practices at hospitals to optimize clinical data exchange. He was also a fellow at the Great Lakes Energy Institute at Case Western Reserve University, where he co-founded a renewable energy technology startup, and an analyst at a bioscience startup accelerator. He has an M.S. in physics and entrepreneurship and a B.S.E. in engineering physics from Case Western Reserve University. 

Research Focus

Commentary

  • Smoke rises from the pipes of a heat power plant, Kiev, Ukraine, November 27, 2015, photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters

    Rebuilding Ukraine for a Changing Climate

    When the war in Ukraine ends, the country will in all likelihood undergo a massive reconstruction. Ukraine could rebuild in a way that would both lower its carbon footprint and construct infrastructure resilient to the effects of climate change.

    Jul 8, 2022 The Hill

  • Clouds of pollution released by an industrial plant, photo by rui_noronha/Getty Images

    How Could the United States Incentivize Investors to Decarbonize the Economy?

    While mandatory climate-related disclosure may improve information and decisionmaking for investors, it alone is unlikely to accelerate investment in decarbonization at the rate needed. To motivate private investment in climate mitigation, policymakers could explore additional policies.

    May 12, 2022 The Hill

  • Watering a topiary depicting growth, photos by robert and Naypong Studio/Adobe Stock

    The Growing Green Bond Market Could Plateau. How Can It Grow Further?

    If green bonds are a viable tool to reduce emissions and adapt infrastructure to the effects of climate change, how can governments encourage the issuance, sales, and growth in the share of green bonds in the total bond market?

    Nov 23, 2021 The RAND Blog