Jennie C. Stephens

Jennie C. Stephens is the Dean’s Professor of Sustainability Science and Policy and director of Northeastern’s School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs. She is also director of strategic research collaborations at the Global Resilience Institute at Northeastern. Her research, teaching, and community engagement focus on social and political aspects of the renewable energy transition and responses to climate change. Her research focuses on institutional and cultural innovation in the energy sector, including gender diversity and energy democracy, and technological optimism and the “usability” of climate science in climate mitigation and adaptation. Professor Stephens is a 2015-2016 Leopold Leadership fellow, and her book Smart Grid (R)Evolution: Electric Power Struggles (Cambridge University Press, 2015) explores social and cultural debates about energy system change (co-authored with Wilson & Peterson). Before Northeastern, Professor Stephens was on the faculty at the University of Vermont (2014-2016) and Clark University (2005-2014). She earned her PhD at Caltech in environmental science & engineering and her BA at Harvard in environmental science & public policy.