Six PhD students conducting research in energy-related fields have been awarded Michigan Memorial Phoenix Energy Institute Energy Fellowships.

The Energy Fellowships were created in support of MMPEIí¢â‚¬â„¢s mission to develop, coordinate, and promote multidisciplinary energy research and education at U-M.

Students will work closely with faculty advisors to stimulate new research directions in energy. The fellowships include two years of funding.

Originally, only three fellowships were planned. Due to the generosity of U-Mí¢â‚¬â„¢s Office of the Vice President and Research and the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies, that number was increased to five.

In addition, a sixth award was made to provide an opportunity for a student to participate in an upcoming project sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy to study the technical challenges and societal impact of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

One of the recipients was Shawn Johnson, a student of the School of Natural Resources and Environment. Johnson will begin his PhD studies in Resources and Policy behavior at the School of Natural Resources and Environment in fall 2007 and his project is entitled, í¢â‚¬Å“Multi-sector, Multi-jurisdictional Collaboration Toward Sustainable Energy Pathways: Best Practices and Lessons Learnedí¢â‚¬ . Using literature searches and interviews, Johnson will examine several regional collaborative efforts in the U.S. to see how these initiatives address issues of energy supply and demand and how such actions and policies are shaping the behavior of individuals, non profit organizations, governments, and businesses.

í¢â‚¬Å“One of my specific interests is the role of collaborative decision-making bodies in identifying and pursuing secure, affordable, and sustainable energy pathways,í¢â‚¬  Johnson said.

Johnson has masterí¢â‚¬â„¢s degree in public affairs and a certificate in science, technology and environmental policy from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University and a bachelorí¢â‚¬â„¢s degree in political science and German from Montana State University. He is currently an associate with the Public Policy Research Institute at the University of Montana and spent three years as a legislative assistant for U.S. Senator Max Baucus.

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