Semida Silveira

Semida Silveira serves as a Professor of Practice in the Systems Engineering Program within Cornell University's College of Engineering. She is also a Faculty Associate at the Institute for European Studies and a member of the CEET Council of Engineers for the Energy Transition. Her career spans three decades of work in sustainability, particularly energy and climate policy across European and developing country contexts.

Her research interests focus on science-based societal transformation toward a global low-carbon circular economy and sustainable development. Silveira employs a systems approach to address energy system transformation as an entry point for achieving multiple goals including climate change mitigation, improved air quality and health, industrial innovation, circular economy, and sustainable development. Her specific research areas include urban sustainability, energy and climate policy, sustainable mobility, low-carbon circular economy, energy efficiency in industries, energy access, and bioeconomy.

Her publication record demonstrates a strong focus on practical applications of sustainable energy systems across multiple geographic contexts including Stockholm, Indonesia, and Brazil. The research shows consistent themes of optimizing renewable energy systems, analyzing waste-to-energy solutions, and developing sustainable transportation infrastructure.

Scientific Awards:

• Honorary medal from the Brazilian Embassy in Stockholm for extensive work promoting cooperation between Sweden and Brazil
• Jabuti literature Prize 2001 in Brazil for the book Electricity for Sustainable Development

Silveira actively engages with international organizations, as evidenced by her recent participation in the Global Green Industrialization Dialogue 2025 in Vienna under the auspices of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization. She has served on numerous advisory committees including the Swedish Royal Academy of Science, Swedish Research Council, and Finnish Academy of Sciences. Her work emphasizes partnerships between academia and the private sector, as well as collaborations within the Global South and between north and south to adapt technologies to local contexts and expand applied research.

She leads initiatives through the Cornell Energy Systems Institute and Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, focusing on developing educational programs for future sustainability leaders and promoting international cooperation to accelerate the sustainable energy transition.