Omar Asensio

Dr. Omar I. Asensio is an Associate Professor in the School of Public Policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he directs the Data Science and Policy Lab. He is a faculty affiliate at the Institute for Data Engineering and Science (IDEaS), the Machine Learning Center, and the Strategic Energy Institute, and a Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems Faculty Fellow. His research focuses on the intersection of big data, machine learning, and public policy, particularly in energy systems, electric mobility, and environmental sustainability.

Research Interests: Dr. Asensio’s work applies computational and statistical tools to study civic data, behavioral strategies, and policy evaluation. His current projects address EV charging infrastructure, smart city initiatives, dynamic pricing mechanisms, and behavioral interventions for resource conservation. He also explores sustainable plastics consumption and housing energy efficiency through open data platforms.

Scientific Awards:

• National Science Foundation CAREER Award
• ARCS Emerging Sustainability Scholar Award
• APPAM 40-for-40 Fellowship
• ONE-NBS Research Impact on Practice Award
• 2021 Gold Star Faculty Research Award
• 2023 Faculty Excellence in Research Award
• 2021-2025 Million Dollar Club Award

Grants and Collaborations: His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, Microsoft, ESRI, and the U.S. State Department Diplomacy Lab. He collaborates with city governments, industry partners, and international organizations to address climate and electrification challenges.

Labs and Teams: As director of the Data Science and Policy Lab, Dr. Asensio leads a team conducting causal inference and prediction policy studies. The lab is located in Georgia Tech’s CODA Building and has access to high-performance computing resources, including the PACE cluster and Microsoft Azure.