Ariel Miara, Ph.D.

  • Senior Research Associate, Vörösmarty Lab, Environmental Sciences Initiative
  • Energy, Water and Environment Research Analyst, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Dr. Ariel Miara is a Senior Research Associate at the Environmental Sciences Initiative and an Energy, Water and Environment Research Analyst at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Ariel leads research on the interaction between energy systems, water resources, the environment and policy. His modeling and analysis work focuses on assessing the co-dependent productivity of energy-water infrastructure and their performance under future conditions, including energy requirements for water delivery and water supplies for electricity generation. He created the Thermoelectric Power and Thermal Pollution Model, which simulates power plant operations and water use, impacts on water resources and riverine ecosystems, and performance under environmental regulation and climate change. Ariel completed his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, with a focus on water resources and environmental engineering at The City College of New York.

Publications

C.J. Vörösmarty, J.M. Melillo, D.J. Wuebbles, A.K. Jain, A.W. Ando, M. Chen, S. Tuler, R. Smith, D. Kicklighter, F. Corsi, B. Fekete, A. Miara, H.H. Bokhari, J. Chang, T.-S. Lin, N. Maxfield, S. Sanyal, J. Zhang, and D. Vignoles. The C-FEWS framework: Supporting studies of climate-induced extremes on food, energy, and water systems at the regional scale. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 2023, 11.

S.G. Yalew, M.T.H. van Vliet, D.E.H.J. Gernaat, F. Ludwig, A. Miara, C. Park, E. Byers, E. De Cian, F. Piontek, G. Iyer, I. Mouratiadou, J. Glynn, M. Hejazi, O. Dessens, P. Rochedo, R. Pietzcker, R. Schaeffer, S. Fujimori, S. Dasgupta, S. Mima, S.R. Santos da Silva, V. Chaturvedi, R. Vautard, and D.P. van Vuuren. Impacts of Climate Change on Energy Systems in Global and Regional Scenarios. Nature, 2020, 5, 794–802.

A. Miara, S.M. Cohen, J. Macknick, C.J. Vörösmarty, F. Corsi, Y. Sun, V.C. Tidwell, R. Newmark, and B.M. Fekete. Climate-Water Adaptation for Future US Electricity Infrastructure. Environmental Science & Technology, 2019, 53, 14029-14040.

J. Syvitski, S. Cohen, A. Miara, and J. Best. River Temperature and the Thermal-Dynamic Transport of Sediment. Global and Planetary Change, 2019, 178, 168-183.

A. Miara, C.J. Vörösmarty, J.E. Macknick, V.C. Tidwell, B. Fekete, F. Corsi, and R. Newmark. Thermal Pollution Impacts on Rivers and Power Supply in the Mississippi River Watershed. Environmental Research Letters, 2018, 13, 3, 034033.

A. Miara, J.E. Macknick, C.J. Vörösmarty, V.C. Tidwell, R. Newmark, and B. Fekete. Climate and Water Resource Change Impacts and Adaptation Potential for US Power Supply. Nature Climate Change, 2017, 7, 793-798.

A. Miara, C. Tarr, R. Spellman, C.J. Vörösmarty, and J.E. Macknick. The Power of Efficiency: Optimizing Environmental and Social Benefits Through Demand-Side-Management. Energy, 2014, 76, 502-512.

A. Miara, P.T. Pienkos, M. Bazilian, R. Davis, and J. Macknick. Planning for Algal Systems: An Energy-Water-Food Nexus Perspective. Industrial Biotechnology, 2014, 10, 3, 202-211.

A. Miara and C.J. Vörösmarty. Balancing Thermoelectric Power Production and Thermal Pollution: Power Plant Cooling Specification/Decision-Making Guide. In Thermal Power Plant Cooling: Context and Engineering. C. King, EdASME Press: New York, NY, 2013, 22-27.

A. Miara, C.J. Vörösmarty, R. Stewart, W. Wollheim, and B. Rosenzweig. Riverine Ecosystem Services and the Thermoelectric Sector: Strategic Issues Facing the Northeastern United States. Environmental Research Letters, 2013, 8, 025017. Special Issue on Electricity, Water and Climate.

R.J. Stewart, W.M. Wollheim, A. Miara, C.J. Vörösmarty, B. Fekete, R. Lammers, and B. Rosenzweig. Horizontal Cooling Towers: Riverine Ecosystem Services and the Fate of Thermoelectric Heat in the Contemporary Northeast. Environmental Research Letters, 2013, 8, 025010.

A. Miara and C.J. Vörösmarty. A Dynamic Model to Assess Tradeoffs in Power Production and Riverine Ecosystem Protection. Environmental Science Processes and Impacts, 2013, 15, 1113-1126.