Typically, engineers and scientists fail to engage in the policy-making process, the consequence of which is an incoherent mix of national energy policies that accidentally undermine each other, fail to achieve strategic aims, or are impossible from the outset. The Webber Energy Group at the University of Texas at Austin is seeking to rectify this problem by bridging the divide between policymakers and engineers & scientists for issues related to energy and the environment. For our research, we apply our technical skills to analyze the societal context of our research problems. We bring the scientific method and technical expertise to bear on policy-oriented research questions as a way to inform decision-makers and help get the world onto a better energy path.