Directory

Gilbert Michaud, PhD

About

Gilbert Michaud, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Policy at the School of Environmental Sustainability at Loyola University Chicago, and is the Coordinator of the School’s “Climate & Energy” Focus Area.  Michaud also serves as a Faculty Affiliate at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, and as a Senior Research Fellow at Global Law Initiatives for Sustainable Development (gLAWcal).  Michaud has published peer-reviewed academic papers in leading journals such as the Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, The Electricity Journal, Renewable Energy Focus, International Journal of Energy Research, Journal of Computational Social Science, and Economic Development Quarterly, among many other scholarly venues.  He is author or co-author of roughly 90 technical reports and commentary pieces, and has been quoted in several national news media outlets, including NPR, The Associated Press, The Washington Post, The New York Times, TIME Magazine, and Forbes.  He currently serves as the national policy division chair for the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) and as associate editor of Frontiers in Sustainable Energy Policy, and previously served as a guest editor for a special issue of Solar Energy journal focused on solar policy and economics for climate action.  Previously, Michaud was a faculty member at the George V. Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service at Ohio University.  He holds a PhD in Public Policy and Administration from the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University, as well as a certificate in Data Analytics from Cornell University. 

Degrees

• PhD, Public Policy and Administration, Virginia Commonwealth University

Research Interests

A community-engaged scholar, Michaud’s research portfolio focuses on renewable energy policy, electricity markets, and sustainable economic development.  Recent work has focused on the unfolding energy transition, including studies on workforce and tax impacts, pollution mitigation scenarios, and innovative clean energy deployment programs.  Currently, Michaud serves as a co-principal investigator on a U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) grant studying the community acceptance of large-scale solar projects across the United States.  Other sponsored research activities have included economic impact studies for solar developers, emissions modeling, and several other projects funded by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA), Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE), American Electric Power (AEP), Utility Scale Solar Energy Coalition (USSEC), and Solar United Neighbors (SUN).  

Michaud is the Principal Investigator (PI) of the Michaud Energy Policy Research Group at Loyola University Chicago.  For more information, please view Michaud’s Google Scholar page or request his CV.      

Professional & Community Affiliations

• Association of Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM)
• American Solar Energy Society (ASES)
• Regional Studies Association (RSA) 

Courses Taught

• ENVS 310: Introduction to Environmental Law & Policy
• ENVS 313: Energy Law & Policy
• ENVS 391C: Environmental Research Capstone
• ENVS 402: Sustainable Systems – Social Science Perspectives
• ENVS 413: Energy Law & Policy 

Awards

• Virginia Commonwealth University 10 Under 10 Award (2023)
• Midwest Energy Innovator of the Year Award, Association of Energy Engineers (2022)
• Emerging Leader Award, Global Energy Show (2022)
• Best Article of the Year Award, Strategic Planning for Energy and the Environment Journal (2019)
• Midwest Energy News 40 Under 40 Award (2018) 

Selected Publications

• Hao, S., Michaud, G. (2024). Assessing property value impacts near utility-scale solar in the Midwestern United States. Solar Compass, 12, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solcom.2024.100090.  
• Michaud, G. et al. (2024). An attainable site suitability index for utility-scale solar facilities. Environmental Research: Energy, 1. 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1088/2753-3751/ad4972.   
• Michaud, G. (2024). Short circuiting policy: Interest groups and the battle over clean energy and climate policy in the American states (book review). Journal of Energy & Natural Resources Law, 42(4) 671-6751–5. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646811.2023.2289317.