Expertise

Topics:  Product Design, Technical Innovation, Environmental Engineering, Additive Manufacturing, Consumer Behavior, Optimization, Advanced Vehicle Systems, Generative Manufacturing

Industries: Energy, Consumer Goods, Manufacturing

Whitefoot’s research advances the theoretical foundations and computational modeling of engineering design and technology change in the context of market and regulatory systems to inform product development, manufacturing, and policymaking. Her research bridges methods in engineering design and economics to examine a variety of topics, including product variety and product-line design, transportation energy, environmental policies, consumer choice, and automation and parts consolidation in manufacturing.

Media Experience

Gen Z and Millennials Favor EVs, Survey Shows — What Does That Mean for the Future of Gas-Powered Vehicles?  — Yahoo! Finance
“There are many policy incentives available that lower the cost of purchasing an EV,” said Kate Whitefoot, associate professor of mechanical engineering, engineering and public policy at Carnegie Mellon’s College of Engineering. “Not everyone is aware that many of these are available for used EVs as well, which may be attractive to Gen Z and millennials. The federal government offers a tax credit and many states offer additional rebates for purchasing used EVs as well as new EVs. “

This Carnegie Mellon Researcher Says Tesla Started a Revolution by Advancing EV Performance Specs  — Nautilius Magzine
I caught up with Kate Whitefoot to find out. Whitefoot is both a mechanical engineer and a policy wonk at Carnegie Mellon University. She works at an impressive and ever-more-relevant intersection of ideas.

Opinion | A Drive to Understand National Capabilities in Critical Technologies  — The New York Times
The team members Elsa Olivetti of M.I.T. and Kate Whitefoot of Carnegie Mellon are searching for strategies that would help both the environment and American jobs, such as domestic development of alternative battery chemistries and new techniques for recycling critical minerals.

The simple, impactful way to make cars cleaner  — Vox
“Efficiency regulations are still really important even as automakers are making pledges to electrify their fleets,” said Kate Whitefoot, an associate professor of engineering and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University.

California’s gas car ban will change how everyone drives  — Vox
The open question now is whether the state can meet the targets set out by the new rule. “It is expected that EVs will dominate the new vehicle market nationwide in the future,” said Kate Whitefoot, an associate professor of engineering and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University, in an email. “The uncertainty is exactly when this will occur. This regulation by California would serve to accelerate that timeline.”