Baruch College Secures $750,000 Sloan Foundation Grant to Advance U.S. Clean Energy Manufacturing Policy Research

Baruch College Secures $750,000 Sloan Foundation Grant to Advance U.S. Clean Energy Manufacturing Policy Research

December 17, 2025

Baruch College announced today that Associate Professor Gang He has been awarded a $750,000 three-year grant from Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to lead a major new research initiative focused on domestic clean energy manufacturing and supply-chain resilience.

The project, "Made in America? Unpacking the Drivers and Impacts of Domestic Clean Energy Manufacturing," brings together a national, interdisciplinary team to study how federal and state policies are reshaping clean-energy investments, supply chains, job creation, and long-term decarbonization pathways in the United States.

Professor He, a faculty member in Baruch College's Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, and also with CUNY Graduate Center and CUNY Institute for Demographic Research, will serve as Lead Principal Investigator. Co-PIs include researchers Dr. Kaifang Luo, postdoctoral researcher at Baruch College, Associate Professor Michael Davidson from the University of California San Diego, Associate Professor Ahmad Lashkaripour from Indiana University, Assistant Professor Minghao Qiu from Stony Brook University, and Dr. Ilaria Mazzocco from Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

Strengthening the Nation's Clean-Energy Manufacturing

The research team will analyze the economic, employment, environmental, and climate implications of emerging domestic manufacturing hubs and clusters and identify evidence-based strategies to strengthen U.S.'s clean-energy manufacturing.

The project will collaborate with experts from the University of Maryland Center for Global Sustainability, New York Climate Exchange, University of California Berkeley, University of Dayton, and Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, with additional partners for local implementation and policy impact.

Combining empirical analysis, energy-systems modeling, and case studies, the project will evaluate the effectiveness of federal and state manufacturing incentives, examine spatial patterns of clean-energy investments, map supply-chain shifts, estimate impact on clean energy jobs, assess impacts on emissions and climate effects, and organize a stakeholder workshop to gain insights on strengthening domestic clean energy manufacturing.

The project will also create research and training opportunities for Baruch College students through the Deep Energy and Climate Policy Lab.

Interdisciplinary and Cross Institutional Research Team

The research team includes experts in industrial policy, trade economics, energy systems, sustainability, and international supply chains. Each co-PI highlights the project's unique contributions:

Gang He, Baruch College

"This generous support from the Sloan Foundation enables us to take a rigorous, data-driven look at one of the most consequential industrial transformations underway in the United States. Understanding how domestic clean-energy manufacturing evolves, and who benefits, is essential for designing policies that support workers, communities, and a competitive low-carbon economy."

Kaifang Luo, Baruch College

"By coupling integrated assessment modeling with supply-chain analysis, we can better understand the technology evolution, cost trajectory, and decarbonization pathways associated with different combinations of industrial policies."

Michael Davidson, University of California San Diego

"Federal incentives are reshaping the geography of clean-energy manufacturing at a scale we haven't seen in decades. This project will help identify which policy strategies create durable industrial ecosystems, and which may struggle to take root."

Ahmad Lashkaripour, Indiana University

"Domestic manufacturing is deeply intertwined with global trade dynamics. By examining how U.S. policies interact with international supply chains, our work will shed light on trade implications that are critical for long-term competitiveness and economic resilience."

Minghao Qiu, Stony Brook University

"Clean-energy supply chains have profound consequences for environmental sustainability and climate mitigation. Our analysis will quantify how different manufacturing pathways affect emissions, air quality, and broader environmental outcomes, insights that are essential for guiding responsible industrial transformation."

Ilaria Mazzocco, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

"Effective industrial strategy requires more than data-it requires dialogue. This project will bring policymakers, industry leaders, and community stakeholders together through workshop and collaborative engagement to ensure that our research directly informs real-world decisions."

High-impact Research and Collaboration

"This project reflects Baruch's commitment to research that addresses society's most pressing challenges," said Baruch College President S. David Wu. "Professor He's work exemplifies the high-impact scholarship that is deeply connected to the public good. We are proud to see Baruch contributing meaningfully to the energy transition and to the future of American innovation."

"Professor He's interdisciplinary approach to understanding clean-energy manufacturing will not only advance policy debates but also broaden experiential learning opportunities for our students," said Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Linda Essig.

"Professor He's scholarship showcases Marxe School's research on public policy, climate solutions, and economic development," said Sherry Ryan, Dean of the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs. "This award not only elevates our research profile but also expands opportunities for our students to engage in cutting-edge, high-impact work."

"The proposed research project is an ambitious and timely effort that pairs national-level analysis of clean energy incentives with detailed, sector-focused case studies," said Evan Michelson, director of the Sloan Foundation's Energy and Environment program. "We are so pleased that this interdisciplinary team has been assembled to address complex questions that could inform decision-making on clean energy interventions at many levels."

More about the project can be found at: https://madeinamerica.netlify.app

About Baruch College

Baruch College is a senior college in the City University of New York (CUNY) with a total enrollment of more than 18,000 students, who represent 164 countries and speak 129 languages. Ranked among the top 15 percent of U.S. colleges and the No. 4 public regional university, Baruch College is regularly recognized as among the most ethnically diverse colleges in the country. For more about Baruch College, go here.

About Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a not-for-profit, mission-driven grantmaking institution dedicated to improving the welfare of all through the advancement of scientific knowledge. Established in 1934 by Alfred Pritchard Sloan Jr., then-President and Chief Executive Officer of the General Motors Corporation, the Foundation makes grants in four broad areas: direct support of research in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and economics; initiatives to increase access and opportunity in graduate science education; projects to develop or leverage technology to empower research; and efforts to enhance and deepen public engagement with science and scientists. sloan.org | @SloanFoundation