Research Library

The mass production and disposal of non-degradable fossil-based plastics is responsible for alarming environmental and social issues when not managed responsibly. Towards manufacturing environmentally-friendly materials, biopolymers, that is, polymers synthesized by living organisms, emerge as promising sustainable alternatives as they combine attractive mechanical properties, compostability, and renewable sourcing.

This article argues that Sultan Sa‘id bin Taymur played a more fundamental role in developing Oman than what is commonly portrayed.

The authors respond to a critique of their prior article, elaborating on how "a switch from fossil fuel systems to renewables involves sharp declines in risk and mining."

Reversing a more typical pattern of using existing security ties to attract investors, Guyana and Qatar have demonstrated how two small states can use foreign direct investment by oil and gas firms to bolster security ties with the U.S., writes energy fellow Jim Krane in a new article for Resources Policy.

An emerging perspective in U.S. public discourse claims that a buildout of renewable electricity would exacerbate supply risks, mining intensity, and import dependence. This ScienceDirect article from fellow Jim Krane and graduate student Robert Idel contends the opposite is true, demonstrating how transitioning to renewables hugely reduces the materials, mining and political risk involved compared to coal.

Argentina is a risky place for foreign investors. But the country’s Vaca Muerta offers a case study on how unconventional shale gas investment may be lower risk, with implications that could spur shale production outside the U.S.

The authors examine the legacy and outcomes of Japanese foreign direct investment in the Persian Gulf from the late 1950s until the early 1980s.

This study leverages validated patient-reported outcomes measures  to analyze the association between "financial toxicity" and quality of life and satisfaction among women undergoing ablative breast cancer surgery. Journal of the American College of Surgeons

For petrostates like Saudi Arabia, new tactics and strategies will be needed to recapture the strategic interest of global powers, and to cope with the transition away from fossil fuels. Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, Fall 2020.

This study presents an integrated framework for hurricane risk assessment of petroleum infrastructure under changing climatic conditions, calculating risk in terms of monetary loss.