Zach WhitlockBiography
Feed Overview




Hello! Welcome to my page. 

I am a researcher specializing in energy technology and data science. 

I bring an interdisciplinary background in materials engineering and public policy to research projects, combining techno-economic modeling (CellEst, BatPaC, GREET, etc.), geospatial analysis, and legislative tracking with a sensitivity to policy windows. 

The goal is to inform energy, minerals, and climate policy, but contributing to interdisciplinary literatures and taking "snapshots" of complex government programs is innately motivating to me. My research has been featured in E&E News (Politico), Axios, and regional outlets. 

I‘m based in Washington, DC but also authorized to contribute to projects across the EU and UK.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me over email with questions on my work or perspectives. Thanks for visiting!    

Onshoring the Mineral Supply Chain: Structural Constraints, Policy Tools, and Research Gaps
  • Type: RFF Blog
  • Co-Authors: Beia Spiller, Ambarish Kota, Emma DeAngeli, and Nafisa Lohawala
  • Publisher: RFF
  • Date: May 8, 2026


Why One-off Federal Investments Won’t Make or Break US Critical Mineral Supply
  • Type: RFF Blog
  • Co-Authors: Ambarish Kota, Nafisa Lohawala, and Beia Spiller
  • Publisher: RFF
  • Date: Jan. 6, 2026


If/Then: A Last Hurrah for Transatlantic Fossil Fuel Trade?
  • Type: RFF Blog
  • Co-Authors: Milan Elkerbout
  • Publisher: RFF
  • Date: Dec. 8, 2025


In a Sea of Critical Minerals Supply, Can US Policy Create an Island?
  • Type: RFF Blog
  • Co-Authors: Beia Spiller, Emma DeAngeli, Ambarish Kota, Nafisa Lohawala, Kristen McCormack
  • Publisher: RFF
  • Date: Nov. 13, 2025


Resource Nationalism and the Resilience of Critical Mineral Supply Chains
  • Type: RFF Policy Report
  • Co-Authors: Sangita Kannan and Michael Toman
  • Publisher: RFF
  • Date: Nov. 10, 2025


Save It or Spend It? How New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Texas Manage Oil and Gas Revenues for the Future  
  • Type: RFF Policy Report
  • Co-Authors: Daniel Raimi
  • Publisher: RFF
  • Date: Nov. 3, 2025


If/Then: The Ambitions of the Litigated Community Change Grants
  • Type: RFF Blog
  • Co-Authors: Jordan Wingenroth
  • Publisher: RFF
  • Date: Aug. 25, 2025 

Constraining the Choice Set: Oklahoma’s Limited Approach to Building Economic Resilience
  • Type: RFF Policy Report
  • Co-Authors: Daniel Raimi, Ann Eisenburg, Noah Kaufman, Nyakundi Michieka, Travis Roach
  • Publisher: RFF
  • Date: May 13, 2025 

Community Responses to Flooding in Risk Mitigation Actions: Evidence from the Community Rating System
  • Type: Journal Article
  • Co-Authors: Yanjun (Penny) Liao, Simon Sølvsten
  • Publisher: Journal of Risk and Insurance
  • Date: Apr. 17, 2025

Booming and Busting: The Mixed Fortunes of US Oil and Gas-Producing Regions
  • Type: RFF Issue Brief
  • Co-Authors: Daniel Raimi, Sarah Doctor, Noah Kaufman
  • Publisher: RFF
  • Date: Feb. 26, 2025 

From Catastrophe to Caution: The Effect of Wildfires on Community Hazard Mitigation Investments
  • Type: RFF Working Paper 
  • Co-Authors: Yanjun (Penny) Liao, Simon Sølvsten
  • Publisher: article forthcoming 
  • Date: Dec. 12, 2024

Building Economic Resilience in Western Colorado’s Oil and Gas Communities
Geospatial analysis for Almost Everything Almost Everywhere All at Once: Why Place-Based Policies Are Not Targeting the Right Places
The Energy Transition and Local Government Finance: New Data and Insights from 10 US States
  • Type: Journal Article
  • Co-Authors: Daniel Raimi, Elena Davert, Haley Neuenfeldt, Amy Van Zanen 
  • Publisher: Environmental Research: Energy
  • Date: Jul. 12, 2024

Can Federal Efforts Help Build Economic Resilience in New Mexico’s Oil and Gas Communities?