Melissa Lott

Dr. Melissa Lott is an energy systems engineer, researcher, and communicator with a career spanning more than two decades at the intersection of energy, climate, and public health. Lott leads energy technology innovation at Microsoft, shaping strategy and solutions that support the company's global datacenter fleet. Before joining Microsoft, she was a professor at Columbia University and served as an adviser to senior leaders across the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Lott completed her doctorate at University College London, where her research focused on energy systems and policy. She previously served as senior director of research at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy and has held positions at the Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre, International Energy Agency, and U.S. Department of Energy. At the International Energy Agency, Lott was the primary author of the agency's technology roadmap on energy storage. She has authored hundreds of scientific articles, columns, op-eds, and reports on the energy transition, electricity systems, and transportation.

Lott is also known for her public communication on climate and energy issues. She hosts "The Big Switch" podcast, which explores how energy systems can be rebuilt to address climate change. Lott was featured in the PBS documentary "Chasing Carbon Zero" and is a recipient of the AGU Pavel S. Molchanov Climate Communications Prize. She has been recognized as a Solar 100 Thought Leader, an IEEE Women in Power honoree, and a Forbes 30 Under 30 in Energy.

Lott serves on the United Nations Council of Engineers for the Energy Transition, an independent advisory council to the UN Secretary-General, and is a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on the Future of Economics of Equitable Transition. As the head of energy technology innovation at Microsoft, she leads efforts to accelerate low-carbon energy technology solutions, drawing on extensive experience in low-carbon electricity systems. Lott is recognized for translating complex technical and policy challenges into accessible insights for audiences across industry, government, and the public.