Robert Kaufmann

Professor of Earth & Environment at Boston University

Schools

  • Boston University

Links

Biography

Boston University

Professor Kaufmann’s research focuses on three areas: global climate change, world oil markets, and land-use changes. Research on global climate change includes topics such as are humans causing climate co change and how will changes in climate affect natural ecosystems and human well-being? His research on world oil markets combines the geological, engineering, and economic determinants of oil supply, oil demand, and oil prices. Currently, he focuses the degree to which large changes in oil prices are driven by market fundamental and speculation. Lastly, he also analyzes the relationship between socioeconomic development and land use change. To do so, he develops ways of linking satellite images to ground based measures of economic activity and apply these techniques to economic development in the Pearl River Delta of China and soybean production in the Brazilian Amazon.

Beyond his academic interests, Professor Kaufmann is a founding partner of First Fuel Software. They combine a variety of mathematical techniques and engineering methods to conduct energy audits of commercial buildings without stepping foot inside the building. This greatly reduces the cost of audits and accelerates the rate at which conservation measures reduce energy use, carbon emissions, and save people money.

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Cases

Why energy independence doesn’t actually mean much at all

January 21, 2015

PRI’s The World Robert Kaufmann, College of Arts & Sciences “We are as free from the grip of foreign oil as we’ve been in almost 30 years,” said President Barack Obama in his State of the Union Speech on Tuesday night. But what do these words actually mean in practice?… Expert quote: “There’s more oil floating around in the […]

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Is this weather a good thing?

March 21, 2012

WBIN Robert Kaufmann, College of Arts & Sciences View video

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Oil prices expected to rise with demand

March 12, 2012

Morning Call Robert Kaufmann, College of Arts & Sciences Allentown’s Tom Schweyer doesn’t worry much about oil prices… View article

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Analysts: White House, Congress have little control over gas prices

March 11, 2012

The Hill Robert Kaufmann, College of Arts & Sciences Federal policymakers have few options to lower gas prices in the short-term, according to energy analysts… View article

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Lexington co. perfects energy audits from afar

February 29, 2012

Boston Herald Robert Kaufmann, College of Arts & Sciences An American company is sizing up commercial buildings as far away as Europe to see what changes would make them more energy-efficient — and its employees are doing it without ever leaving their Lexington office… View article

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Why are gas prices so high?

February 27, 2012

WHYY Radio Robert Kaufmann, College of Arts & Sciences Gas prices are soaring again and could bite into consumer spending and the recovering economy… View article

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Is Coal Actually Saving us from Global Warming?

January 17, 2012

OilPrice.com Robert Kaufmann, College of Arts & Sciences In a contradiction that scientists, skeptics, businesses, governments and the media never saw coming, coal emissions may actually be both contributing to global warming and reducing it… View article

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