Anna-Katharina von Krauland, Ph.D., is an energy systems engineer who specializes in grid optimization and renewable energy planning. She is interested in how fast-growing electricity demand, especially from AI and data centers, can be met responsibly and cost-effectively with clean power. Her work at Project Drawdown focuses on developing a decision-support framework that identifies where next-generation clean technologies can be sited and deployed to meet this demand.
Prior to joining Project Drawdown, Anna-Katharina was a postdoctoral research scientist at the Columbia Climate School, where she optimized grid infrastructure to meet New York’s decarbonization targets. She earned her Ph.D. and M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Stanford University, where her research modeled renewable energy potential to guide energy planning decisions for policymakers, grid planners, and developers, and led the development of energy transition roadmaps that influenced state and federal legislation. She holds a B.S. in Biological Engineering from Cornell University.
In her free time, Anna-Katharina enjoys reading science fiction, dancing, traveling, and exploring coffee shops around New York City.