AERIS LAB
Analytics for Energy Resilience, Infrastructure, and Systems
Founded in 2024, AERIS LAB is a research group at NC State University led by Principal Investigator Serena Kim. We develop machine learning models, datasets, and software to study energy systems, policy, and infrastructure. Our projects use natural language processing to measure public sentiment toward solar energy, computer vision to detect rooftop solar panels, and predictive modeling to support electric vehicle–building energy integration. We combine these computational methods with geospatial analysis, surveys, and interviews to understand energy adoption and infrastructure governance.
Our Mission
We combine modern tools with proven methodologies to deliver practical solutions that foster positive and meaningful change in communities and society.
Ethical Research
We are dedicated to upholding the highest standards of ethical research, ensuring that our work is conducted with transparency, integrity, and a commitment to the responsible use of data.
Data-Driven Insights
We are committed to generating insights through rigorous data analysis, leveraging recent methodological developments to inform decision-making and address pressing social challenges.
Community Engagement
We prioritize collaborative partnerships, working with diverse private, nonprofit, and public entities to co-create solutions that incorporate diverse perspectives, focusing on real-world problems.
Research Themes
Selected Research Projects
Public sentiment on solar energy
We have developed methodologies and datasets to measure public sentiment on solar energy in the United States using millions of social media data points. Our interactive map offers 10 years of data on city- and state-level sentiment on solar energy for over 3,500 cities across the country, with a balanced panel of 587 cities.
Interactive Map Publication (2025) Publication (2020)
Integration of Electric Vehicles and the Electric Grid
We are investigating how improving the exchange of energy and information between electric vehicles (EVs) and the electric grid can benefit people. So far, we have built a machine learning algorithm for V2B systems to save building users more energy by using one-day-ahead energy use prediction by 15 minutes.
Project Website Publication (2023) Publication (2025)
Rooftop Solar PV Detection
We have developed a methodology and dataset for measuring household-level rooftop solar adoption rates in Colorado, USA, using an effective collection and processing of 1 million aerial images. Our predictive model achieves over 70% explained variance in explaining the proportion of roof areas covered by rooftop solar panels.
GitHub Repo Publication (2023)
Institutional Ecosystem Mapping
Institutional ecosystem mapping refers to a class of tools and methods for understanding the institutional structure and dynamics associated with complex policy domains. In collaboration with The Fire Chasers, we are co-creating datasets and an interactive web-based application to visually represent the diversity and scope of our current and potential partners. Our goal is to develop an environmental justice-based database and systems that will guide current and future investments and collaboratives.
Interactive MapSponsors
Current Members
Principal Investigator (PI)
Serena Kim, PhD
Principal Investigator, AERIS LAB
Assistant Professor, NC State University.
Serena is a computational social scientist whose research applies data science to social problems, with expertise in US energy policy and the energy transition. Her work combines machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, and geospatial analysis to study renewable energy adoption, public perceptions, and infrastructure governance. Her research is also informed by institutional analysis and collective action frameworks.
NC State Faculty Profile Full Biography LinkedInStudent Researchers
Jen Yip
PhD Student, Public Administration. NC State.
Jen is a consultant specializing in applied research, data analytics, strategy, and operations. She has held executive leadership roles in early-stage start-ups and large companies including Google (formerly DoubleClick), NBC Universal, and InMobi. Jen earned her MBA in Information Systems and Marketing from NYU Stern School of Business and BS in Applied Economics and Business Management from Cornell University.
Ethan Telep
BS Student, Computer Science. NC State.
Ethan is a software developer and research assistant with the AERIS Lab. Ethan is a senior in Computer Science at NC State, concentrating in artificial intelligence with a minor in statistics. His interests span the intersections of computing, environmental systems, and applied machine learning, with a focus on connecting technology to ecological and engineering challenges.
Affiliated Researchers
Christal Soderman
PhD Candidate, Public Affairs. CU Denver.
Crystal is a doctoral candidate and research assistant with the University of Colorado Denver. Her research focuses on energy policy with focus on energy equity, environmental justice, and the impact of perceptions of energy resources on the impact of societal values and perceptions of energy resources on energy policy.
Lan Sang
PhD Candidate, Information Systems. CU Boulder.
Lan is a Ph.D. Candidate in Information Systems at Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado Boulder. Her research focuses on social media analysis, large language model (LLM) and IS Healthcare. Prior to joining Leeds, Lan earned her master's degree in computational linguistics from CU Boulder.
