Jill Engel-Cox is a senior research advisor at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Over her 30-year career, Dr. Engel-Cox has been an engineer, researcher, program manager, and strategic planner for a diverse suite of renewable energy, clean technology, and environmental programs in the United States, Asia, and Middle East. Her first job was climbing smokestacks in Los Angeles, followed by leading industrial pollution prevention programs for small and medium sized businesses and R&D laboratories in the United States and internationally. In the past decade, she has led international strategic planning and technology assessments for renewable energy and environmental sustainability research programs, working extensively in Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. She also teaches an course in energy issues for the University of Colorado Denver Global Energy Management program and industrial processes and environmental communications courses at Johns Hopkins University Engineering for Professionals Program.

Research Interests

Environmental sustainability

Industrial decarbonization and pollution prevention

Clean energy manufacturing and supply chains

Circular economy for energy materials

Air quality and atmospheric systems

Energy and environmental policy

Education

Ph.D., Environmental Science, University of Maryland Baltimore County

M.S., Mechanical/Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University

B.A., Plan II, The University of Texas at Austin

B.S., Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin

Professional Experience

Program Director, Clean Energy Manufacturing Analysis Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (2015–2018)

Adjunct Faculty, Global Energy Management Program, University of Colorado Denver (2019–present)

Instructor, Johns Hopkins University (2006–present)

Director, International R&D Planning, Battelle (2011–2015)

Research Leader, Battelle (2008–2011)

Senior Research Scientist, Battelle (1999–2008)

Associations and Memberships

Community Advisory Board Member, Community Sustainability Advisory Board for the City of Golden, Colorado

Featured Work

Integrating Renewable Energy into Mining Operations: Opportunities, Challenges, and Enabling Approaches, Applied Energy (2021)

Multi-input, Multi-output Hybrid Energy Systems, Joule (2021)

Materials Challenges and Opportunities for Energy Generation, Conversion, Delivery, and Storage, JISEA Technical Report (2021)