Mauricio Uriona Maldonado

About

I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) in Florianópolis, Brazil. Since 2022, I have also served as an Extra-Ordinary Associate Professor at the Department of Industrial Engineering at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.

My research adopts a socio-technical systems perspective to navigate the complex transitions toward low-carbon economies. I specialize in using System Dynamics simulation modeling to design and test policies that address “wicked problems” in sustainability. While my background covers renewable energy and electric mobility, my recent work focuses on two emerging and critical frontiers:

• Green Hydrogen Economies: Modeling the infrastructure, export potential, and socio-economic impacts of the hydrogen transition.
• Solar Radiation Management (SRM): Investigating the governance and potential repercussions of climate engineering in the Global South.

I hold a PhD in Knowledge Management and Engineering from UFSC, with co-supervision at Duke University. My training extends to specialized coursework in System Dynamics at MIT and Innovation Economics at the University of Tampere (Finland).

I have broadened my research network through visiting scholar positions at the University of Minho (Portugal), Universidad Nacional del Sur (Argentina), Universidad Militar Nueva Granada (Colombia), University of Bremen (Germany), University of Tampere (Finland), and Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Spain). Prior to my academic career, I worked as an innovation management consultant at the Federacao das Industrias de Santa Catarina (FIESC).

You can find my full CV in the Brazilian Lattes format here or my international CV here.

Teaching

Undergraduate Level (BSc in Production Engineering)

EPS5222 - Modelos Economicos Quantitativos (Quantitative Economic Models) Visit Course Website
An introductory microeconomics course emphasizing active learning. We explore market failures, externalities, and competition through debate and applied quantitative modeling.

EPS7008 - Gestao Estrategica da Tecnologia de Informacao (Strategic Information Technology Management) Visit Course Website
An introductory course on Data Science and Machine Learning. The curriculum leverages the DataCamp platform to teach students how to apply data analytics to strategic business problems.

EPS2361 - Analise de Dados (Data Analysis) Visit Course Website
This is the new course for the new undergraduate program in Production Engineering. It is an introductory course on Data Science and Machine Learning.

Graduate Level (MSc & PhD in Production Engineering)

Inovacao em Produtos, Servicos e Processos (Innovation in Products, Services, and Processes) A foundational course covering theories of innovation, technological change, and evolutionary economics applied to engineering contexts.

Simulacao e Prospeccao de Cenarios (Simulation and Scenario Prospecting) An introductory course on System Dynamics modeling, focusing on how to construct simulations for scenario forecasting and policy design.

Topicos Avancados em Simulacao e Prospeccao de Cenarios (Advanced Topics in Simulation and Scenario Prospecting) An advanced laboratory for complex system modeling, where students build rigorous simulations to test policy interventions in dynamic environments.

Fundamentos Economicos e Tecnologicos das Energias Renovaveis (Economic and Technological Foundations of Renewable Energies) An intermediate course analyzing the intersection of microeconomics, ecological economics and energy economics, with deep dives into renewable technologies, electromobility, and the green hydrogen transition.

Research

My research program investigates the mechanisms by which countries transition from high-carbon systems to resource-efficient, low-carbon economies. I apply this lens to sectors including renewable energy, electric mobility, green hydrogen, and climate engineering (SRM) by:

1. Assessing Governance: Mapping the stakeholders and institutional structures required for energy transitions.
2. Evaluating Instruments: Analyzing the effectiveness of policy mechanisms and new business models.
3. Simulating Futures: Using computer modeling (System Dynamics) to explore long-term policy scenarios and identify unintended consequences before implementation.