Graduate Student Directory

Adewale A. Adesanya

PhD Student, Environmental and Energy Policy

adesanya@mtu.edu
AOB Annex 207

Advisors

Chelsea Schelly and Roman Sidortsov

Education

M. Eng., Energy and Environmental Management, Europa Universitaet Flensburg, Germany
BS, Industrial and Production Engineering, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Research Interests

100% Renewable Electricity for Cities and Communities
Renewable Energy Technology Adoption
Energy Policy and Justice
Community Energy Development
Sustainable Energy Systems Modelling
Climate Change
Applied Informatics in Energy Planning and Energy Efficiency

Tyler Allen

MS Student, Industrial Archaeology

tdallen@mtu.edu

Thesis Topic

Social Drug use at Coalwood lumber camps
Advisor: LouAnn Wurst

Education

BA, History, West Virginia State University

Research Interests

Industrial Archaeology
Rural Communities
Planned Communities
Coal Heritage
Historic Archaeology
Labor movements

Michael Bleddynn

PhD Student, Industrial Heritage and Archaeology

mgbleddy@mtu.edu
Annex 204/Great Lakes Research Center 210

Advisor

Don Lafreniere

Education

MS, Professional Studies (GIS), Middle Tennessee State University
MA, Public History, Middle Tennessee State University
BA, History, University of South Carolina

Research Interests

Historical GIS
Rural Landscapes
Oral History
Folklore
Community Engagement

Kathie Brosemer

PhD Student, Environmental and Energy Policy

kmbrosem@mtu.edu

Dissertation Topic

Somewhere in the middle of aboriginal rights, climate justice, and pipelines.

Advisor: Roman Sidortsov

Education

MS work, Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia
BS, Geology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Research Interests

Climate change
Indigenous People's Rights - Treaty and otherwise
Pipelines through indigenous territory and treaty-protected resources

Ryan Brown

MS Student, Industrial Archaeology

rywbrown@mtu.edu

Erin Burkett

PhD Candidate, Environmental and Energy Policy

emburket@mtu.edu
AOB Annex 203

Advisor

Richelle Winkler

Education

MS, Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan
BS, Zoology, Michigan State University

Research Interests

Human dimensions of fisheries and wildlife
Great Lakes ecology and fisheries
K-12 science education

Brent Burns

PhD Student, Environmental and Energy Policy

Education

MEng, Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison
BS, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Research Interests

My research interest is in the development renewable energy policies with specific interest in offshore wind power policy analysis in the great lakes and ocean coastal waters of the United States.
I also serve as the Director of Corporate Partnerships for Michigan Technological University. As the primary point of contact for any general or strategic industry inquiries, I am responsible for leading the connection of the interests from companies with appropriate campus initiatives/constituents.

Kelley J.H. Christensen

PhD student, Environmental and Energy Policy

kelleyc@mtu.edu

Education

MS, Technical Communication, Montana Tech
BJ, News-editorial Journalism, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
BA, American Literature, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Research Interests

Community engagement with environmental remediation (specifically Superfund)
Trust and distrust in government agencies
Environmental policy
Use of technology in engaging citizens in environmental remediation

Brendan Doucet

MS Student, Industrial Archaeology

bjdoucet@mtu.edu
Annex 208

Thesis Topic

American Fur Company Fishing Operations on Isle Royale

Education

BA, Anthropology, Wayne State University

Sophia Ford

MS Student, Environmental and Energy Policy

skford@mtu.edu
AOB 202

Advisor: Melissa F. Baird

Education

BS, Geology, Kansas State University

Research Interests

Environmental Justice
Class and Inequality
Property
Mining and Mineral Policy
Feminism and Feminist Theory

Laura Grotjan

PhD Student, Industrial Heritage and Archaeology

lmgrotja@mtu.edu
AOB Annex 204

Advisor: Sarah Fayen Scarlett

Education

MA, Art History, University of Wisconsin-Madison
BA, Fine Arts, University of Wisconsin-Platteville

Research Interests

Vernacular architecture
Material culture
Agricultural landscapes
Historical archaeology

Talva Jacobson

PhD Student, Industrial Heritage and Archaeology

ttjacobs@mtu.edu

Advisor: Timothy Scarlett

Education

MA, Historic Archaeology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Newfoundland, Canada
BFA, Visual Art, University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada

Research Interests

Industrial Heritage and Landscapes
The Selling of Heritage and how it is used by the living community
Communication, Re-use, and Adaptation
Rehabilitation, Conservation, and Identity
Hazard Management, Sustainable Planning, Community Development, and Public Archaeology
Risk Perception, Preparedness, and Resilience

Robert A. La Fave

PhD Student, Environmental and Energy Policy

ralafave@mtu.edu

Dissertation Topic

"Urban Sprawl and Community Sustainability in the Global Marketplace of the 21st Century"
Advisor: Adam Wellstead

Education

M.P.A., Public Management, School of Public, Non-Profit and Health Administration, Grand Valley State University (2007).
B.A., Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy, James Madison College at Michigan State University (2003).

Research Interests

Current focus: Community Development and Public Policy
Energy Policy
Land Use
Renewable Energy Policy
Public Policy

Hongmei Lu

PhD student, Environmental and Energy Policy

hongmeil@mtu.edu
AOB 202

Advisor: Audrey L. Mayer

Education

MSc, Landscape Architecture, Wageningen University
MSc, Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University
BSc, Ornamental Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University

Research Interests

Public private partnership (PPP) in urban green infrastructure development and management
Policy and management of vertical gardens and green wall/roof in Shanghai metropolitan area
Advocacy of home gardening as green infrastructure in densely populated metropolis

William Lytle

PhD Student, Environmental and Energy Policy

wjlytle@mtu.edu
AOB Annex 206

Advisor: Chelsea Schelly

Education

MS, Forestry, Michigan Tech
BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management, Michigan Tech

Research Interests

Social license
Sustainable development
Environmental justice
Critical analysis of conservation

Mayra S. Morgan

PhD Candidate, Environmental and Energy Policy

906-487-2113
mosanche@mtu.edu
AOB 202

Dissertation Topic

Ecotourism and Women's Empowerment: A Case Study in Quintana Roo, Mexico
Advisor: Richelle L. Winkler

Education

MS, Social Anthropology, Autonomous University of Yucatan (UADY), Yucatan, Mexico
BS, Social Anthropology, Autonomous University of Yucatan (UADY), Yucatan, Mexico

Research Interests

Sustainable tourism
Ecotourism
Conservation and community development
Human dimensions of natural resources
Gender relations
Women's rights
Children's rights

Andy Mueller

PhD Candidate, Industrial Heritage and Archaeology

amueller@mtu.edu

Sun Nguyen

MS Student, Environmental and Energy Policy

svnguyen@mtu.edu
AOB 202

Thesis Topic

The incorporation of public participation in decision making on the proposed PolyMet mine in Northeastern Minnesota.
Advisor: Nancy Langston

Education

BA Environmental Studies University of Wisconsin-Madison

Research Interests

State and Federal policies that dictate the decision-making process of mining projects
Minerals policies
Stakeholder analyses and public participation in public policies; government-to-government relationships

Roland Ofori

PhD Student, Environmental and Energy Policy

roofori@mtu.edu
AOB 202

Dissertation Topic

Education

MS, Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Michigan State University
BA, Economics and Philosophy (minor), University of Ghana

Research Interests

Agent-based modeling
Non-market valuation
Community sustainability
Environmental economics and policy
Energy economics and policy
International development

Emily Woods Prehoda

PhD Candidate, Environmental and Energy Policy

Cell: 512-585-6091
ewprehod@mtu.edu

Education

MS, Environmental and Energy Policy, Michigan Technological University

Research Interests

Energy Policy
Solar PV Technology

Jennifer E. Rachels

PhD Student, Environmental and Energy Policy

jrachels@mtu.edu

Dissertation Topic

Blue Collar Jobs in the Green Workforce: What is a ‘Good Job’?

Education

MPA, Hawai’i Pacific University
BS, Ed, Recreation- Natural Resource Management, University of Georgia

Research Interests

Primary interest: The workforce of the energy sector, in the context of history and the coming market transformation
Project and program failures in international economic development (particularly electricity projects)
Public-private partnerships for utility-scale energy resource development
Energy use and poverty

Hamza Raheel

PhD Student, Environmental and Energy Policy

hfraheel@mtu.edu

Education

MS, Engineering Management, University of Kansas
BS, Chemical Engineering, High Institute of Petroleum
AAS, Process Plant Technology, Montana State University

Research Interests

I am a PhD student in the Environmental and Energy Policy program. I focus primarily on fossil-fuel subsidies, their social, economic and environmental impact (more broadly sustainable development), and the challenges to their reform.
Before joining Michigan Tech, I worked in oil and gas industries for almost nine years. I have two undergraduate degrees in Chemical Engineering and an AAS in Process Plant Technology from the High Institute of Petroleum, in Tripoli, and MSU-Billings, MT, respectively. Also, I have a Master of Science in engineering management from University of Kansas. My master's field research was on the use of ISO 14001 in Oil & Gas industries.
When I am not at school, you can find me swimming in the pool, playing soccer, or just going for a hike in the nearby woods, depending on the weather and time of year. I love horse riding, traveling and best of all mechanical projects like working on cars!