MIT Industrial Performance Center (IPC)

Industrial Performance Center - Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The Industrial Performance Center (IPC) is an MIT-wide research unit, based in the School of Engineering. The Center is comprised of faculty members, students and research associates from the Schools of Engineering, Management, Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Science, and Architecture and Planning. Our interdisciplinary teams observe, analyze and report on strategic, technological, and organizational developments in a broad range of industries and examine the implications for society and the global economy.

The IPC serves as a listening post on industry, monitoring patterns of organizational and technological practice, interpreting them for our partners and sponsors, and bringing our observations and insights to bear on the core disciplines and educational curricula of the Institute. Through our research we seek to help leaders in business, labor, government, and universities better understand global industrial developments and to work with them to develop practical new approaches for strengthening public policies, business strategies, technical practices, and educational programs.

Good research begins with a good question.

How can the energy innovation system be designed to accelerate growth in new low-carbon energy technologies and address the risks of climate change?

How can local economic communities survive and prosper in the rapidly changing global economy?

Richard Lester analyzes the role of innovation in the forthcoming U.S. energy transition, and suggests a set of principles to guide the development of an effective national energy innovation system.

Richard Lester and doctoral student Ashley Finan explore the impact of President Obama’s pledge to reduce U.S. carbon emissions by 83% by mid-century on the U.S. energy infrastructure. Professor Lester comments on the President’s trip to the Copenhagen climate change summit in the Wall Street Journal.

IPC Energy Innovation Project Senior Advisor Mason Willrich proposes a new policy framework for the future development of America's electric transmission grid. The paper calls for the exercise of Federal authority over fragmented state policies to make the grid system coherent.

IPC Senior Research Affiliate Tim Sturgeon and Prof. Clair Brown of Berkeley awarded $1M NSF grant to conduct a national survey of globalization, innovation and employment.

Richard Lester proposes An Innovation Strategy for the Downturn in the 2008 Index of the Massachusetts Innovation Economy.

Other IPC news

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 Massachusetts Avenue, E38-104, Cambridge, MA 02139