The 2025 IEEE SusTech Sustainability Forum brings together researchers, industry professionals, and legal experts to discuss new solutions for environmental challenges. Participants will share the latest research, industry practices, and emerging technologies that promote sustainability in various fields. The forum also includes a session on environmental laws, with an attorney explaining key regulations and policies that affect sustainability efforts.
Dr. Zohrabian is a managing consultant at Energy and Environmental Economics Inc. (E3). She specializes in integrated resource planning for decarbonizing electricity systems, utilizing data-driven methods and decision-making frameworks to help utilities, regulatory agencies, and private corporations navigate a path to a low-carbon future. For over three years, she has supported various policy decisions and clean energy roadmaps for several regulatory agencies, including the California Public Utilities Commission for the adoption of the latest Preferred System Plan and the last three transmission plans, and the California Air Resources Board for the adoption of a carbon-neutral economy target by 2045. Currently, she serves as the technical lead for E3’s electricity capacity expansion model, where she continuously explores opportunities to evaluate the role of emerging technologies, such as offshore wind, hydrogen, and long-duration energy storage. Before joining E3, she earned a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Southern California, where she explored greenhouse gas mitigation strategies, particularly in the intersection of water and energy systems. Her work has been published in journals such as Applied Energy, Energy Policy, and Journal of Cleaner Production.
Carineh Ghafafian has had the privilege of balancing multiple perspectives in her experiences as a materials, mechanical, and aerospace engineer. She has worked at the intersection of all three fields on sustainable composite applications, including wind energy and hydrogen storage solutions. Within composites manufacturing, her work has focused on repairing components for extended service, incorporating recyclability into existing structures, and developing waste reduction production methods to directly address the need for end-of-life solutions. In addition to her student mentoring at work, she has made conscious efforts to weave in teaching of STEM topics to diverse audiences, including women from migrant backgrounds who resettled in Germany and pre-university students in small towns in Armenia. Her experiences in different industries and multiple countries have driven her to advocate for an end-of-life prioritization when approaching design problems.
Razieh Etezadi is a Technical Lead and Lead Designer at the University of Southern California (USC), where she plays a key role in two California Energy Commission (CEC)-funded research projects. With expertise in chemical engineering and process design, she leads green hydrogen production and biogas upgrading efforts. Razieh successfully managed the design, construction, and operation of a high-purity hydrogen production facility capable of generating over 25 kg of hydrogen daily and a biogas plant that improved methane purity by over 90%.
She holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from USC, where she received a prestigious five-year scholarship and the Merit Award for her research. Razieh has extensive experience in project management, process optimization, and system automation, using advanced tools like MATLAB, Aspen, and COMSOL to develop dynamic models and optimize energy consumption. Her work has significantly contributed to advancing sustainable energy systems, improving both process efficiency and safety.
Serge Adamian is the founder of Hydrogenian, Inc., a company focused on development of electrolyzer, carbon capture, and high-value CO2 sourced products. Prior to Hydrogenian, Adamian managed Ecotrade, Inc, a consulting company with focus on assessment of commercial-scale renewable energy projects. He also managed SunChiller, Inc a company that marketed high temperature solar thermal systems and collectors for industrial, commercial, and residential applications. In that capacity he initiated multiple award-winning large-scale solar thermal installations in the United States.
Prior to SunChiller and Ecotrade, Adamian founded and managed H2 ECOnomy, a company focused on the development and marketing of Hydrogen fuel cells and SolarEn International Corporation based in the United States and Armenia engaged in the diverse fields of solar thermal collector manufacturing and deployment, software development, and wind-farm project assessment.
Adamian’s work experience includes US Export Council for Renewable Energy based in Washington, DC, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and Parsons based in Pasadena, California.
Adamian has been retained as consultant by the US Agency for International Development and US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories. He has advised foreign governments on strategies and policies for deployment of renewable energy.
Adamian has BS degree in civil engineering, MS degree in engineering with focus on renewable energy, and MBA. He is registered as Professional Engineer (PE) in the State of California. He is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM).
Adamian has authored multiple technical papers and reports. He is a past president and current board member of the Southern California Chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers and a past president of the Armenian Engineers and Scientists of America. He has been a member of the board of directors of ArmElNet, an electric utility company in Armenia and a member of the board of directors of the Armenian Development Agency tasked with the promotion of investments and exports.
Tanya Abrahamian is an environmental policy advisor for an investor-owned utility. Prior to joining her current company, she spent over six years as an environmental policy analyst at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) primarily in the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards where she worked on Clean Air Act rulemakings and guidance. Prior to joining EPA, Tanya worked as an environmental consultant and was a legal fellow with the Georgetown Climate Center. Tanya has a B.A. from UCLA in business economics (applied economics) where she studied carbon trading systems and a law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center where she focused on energy and environmental law.
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