Experts and Staff
A dedicated experts and staff run the day-to-day operations of the Institute, and manage its research outputs, training, and public engagement activities. For media or interview inquiries with the Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian or any other of the Payne Institute leadership, please contact Greg Clough at (303)384-2218 or gclough@mines.edu.
Gregory Clough
Deputy Director, Payne Institute
Engineering Hall 123
303-384-2218
gclough@mines.edu
Baba Freeman
Payne Institute ESG Research Associate
Energy, Critical Minerals and Metals
1600 Jackson Street, Suite 370A
bifreeman@mines.edu
Brad Handler
Payne Institute Program Manager,
Sustainable Finance Lab, and Researcher
1600 Jackson Street, Suite 370
bhandler@mines.edu
JORDY M. LEE
Payne Institute Program Manager
1600 Jackson Street, Suite 370E
303-384-2737
jorlee@mines.edu
ANNA AHLSTROM LITTLEFIELD
Payne Institute CCUS Program Manager
and Research Associate
1600 Jackson Street, Suite 370A
303-384-2742
annalittlefield@mines.edu
Aaron Malone
Payne Institute Research Associate
Research Assistant Professor, Mining Engineering
Brown Hall, BB210
amalone@mines.edu
ALICIA POLO Y LA BORDA CAVERO
Payne Institute Research Associate
Program Manager, Center for Mining Sustainability
303-273-3978
aliciapoloylabordac@mines.edu
Cat Rachwalski
Payne Institute Operations Coordinator
1600 Jackson Street, Suite 370
crachwalski@mines.edu
Juliana Reid
Communications and Events Manager
1600 Jackson Street, Suite 370B
303-384-2730
jreid@mines.edu
COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATES
Elsa Barron
Payne Institute Communications Associate
Brooke Bowser
Payne Institute Communications Associate
Simon Lomax
Payne Institute Communications Associate
and Editor-at-Large
EARTH OBSERVATION GROUP
Chris Elvidge
Senior Research Associate
Director of Earth Observation Group
1600 Jackson Street, Suite 370J
303-384-2731
celvidge@mines.edu
Tilottama (Tilo) Ghosh
Payne Institute Research Associate
Earth Observation Group
1600 Jackson Street, Suite 370H
303-384-2735
tghosh@mines.edu
Feng Chi (David) Hsu
Payne Institute Research Associate
Earth Observation Group
1600 Jackson Street, Suite 370G
303-384-2733
fengchihsu@mines.edu
Tamara Sparks
Payne Institute Research Associate
Earth Observation Group
1600 Jackson Street, Suite 370H
tsparks@mines.edu
Mikhail (Misha) Zhizhin
Payne Institute Research Associate
Earth Observation Group
1600 Jackson Street, Suite 370I
303-384-2736
mzhizhin@mines.edu
ADVANCED ENERGY SYSTEMS
Suzanne Beach
Program Coordinator
Advanced Energy Systems
(303)273-3627
sbeach@mines.edu
Valerie C. Holt
Administrative Director and Instructor
Advanced Energy Systems
(303)273-3620
vholt@mines.edu
Student researchers
William Daniels
PhD, Applied Math & Statistics

Sankalp Garg
MS, Mineral & Energy Economics

Tobias Hull
PhD, Advanced Energy Systems

Meng Jia
PhD, Applied Math & Statistics

Olga Khaliukova
PhD, Applied Math & Statistics

Austin Kinzer
PhD, Advanced Energy Systems

Zachary Lee
BS, Computer Science

Wyatt Lindsey
MS, Humanities Engineering & Science

Hope McLaughlin
MS, Advanced Energy Systems

Maia Menefee
MS, Advanced Energy Systems

Cansu Perdeli Demirkan
PhD, Earth Resources Dvlp. Engineering

Michael Tanner
MS, Mineral & Energy Economics

Bryce Walsh
BS, Engineering

Daming Wang
BS, Computer Science