Sustainability PhD grad committed to sustainable energy transitions, energy justice
Rebecca Shelton will graduate this spring with a PhD in sustainability from the College of Global Futures. She has also been named the spring 2024 outstanding graduate of the School of Sustainability. Courtesy photo
Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2024 graduates.
In the face of the current climate crisis, scientists, scholars, lawmakers and corporations in the U.S. and worldwide are speeding up the shift to renewable energy systems and decarbonization.
This spring, as a graduate from Arizona State University's College of Global Futures with a PhD in sustainability, Rebecca Shelton is joining this energy justice movement.
“Her talents in communication, her research integrity and rigor, and her personal ethics all set her on a path to make a considerable impact on issues that really matter for social justice,” said her PhD advisor Hallie Eakin, professor at the School of Sustainability.
“Throughout all her work, she has been motivated to give back to her community and to use her work to influence social change at all levels.”
From Central Appalachia, Kentucky, Shelton — also the spring 2024 outstanding graduate of the School of Sustainability — witnessed her community's economic and social struggles during energy transitions, such as the decline of the tobacco economy and, now, the challenges of shifting from coal to alternative energy sources.
This experience ignited her passion for studying sustainable energy transformations and enacting equitable legislative changes for impacted communities while transitioning to a more sustainable future.
“Her deep ties to Appalachia and her experience working in impoverished communities in Mexico City, rural Peru and rural Kentucky have given her insights into social inequity, sustainability transitions and the complexity of economic and social ties to place and vocation that few students have,” Eakin said.
She has been tackling the pressing issue of integrating justice and equity into clean energy policies through her dual roles as a full-time scholar and practitioner.
As a scholar, she has a prolific record of leading and contributing to 12 publications, demonstrating her academic leadership and commitment to interdisciplinary sustainable science and energy policies.
During her time at ASU, Shelton worked alongside Eakin as a research assistant for MEGADAPT and the Transformations to Sustainability Project in Mexico. Shelton’s research initiatives included examining water scarcity and flooding in Mexico City and developing community engagement strategies for communicating complex urban system models to local communities.
“The project introduced me to social and interdisciplinary science and was an incredibly valuable experience,” Shelton said.
In addition to pursuing a PhD degree at ASU, she is the director of policy at Appalachian Citizens Law Center.
Shelton's dissertation, titled “The Politics of Justice in the Energy Transition: Policy Advocates and Justice Dilemmas,” researched justice advocacy in New Mexico and Illinois energy policy initiatives.
Through extensive stakeholder interviews, engagement with over 90 stakeholders involved in the legislative process, and analysis of legislative documents, she examined the impacts of advocating for just and equitable energy systems on climate policy legislative processes and outcomes.
“The wealth of knowledge she pulled together is incredibly impressive, and her deep insights into these two very complex policy processes from the perspective of justice advocates are cutting edge,” Eakin said.
After graduation, Shelton plans to continue working for the law center and seek opportunities to research the politics of energy justice.
Below, the new PhD graduate shared with us about her journey at ASU.
Question: What drew you to sustainability, and why did you choose to attend ASU?
Answer: I started out as an environmental scientist; specifically, I had a master's degree in integrated plant and soil science. As I was pursuing these degrees in natural science, I realized over and over again that the biggest roadblocks to progress towards sustainability were politics and social systems, which I knew little about.
That’s why I decided to pursue an interdisciplinary degree in sustainability. I was looking for an interdisciplinary program and thought the School of Sustainability at ASU offered an exciting opportunity to pursue the degree.
Q: Can you share what you do as director of policy at Appalachian Citizens Law Center?
A: I conduct policy analysis and lead campaigns on environmental justice issues and worker health and safety in the Central Appalachian region. Specifically, my work focuses on coal mine reclamation, black lung disease, drinking water, and promoting healthy communities and economies in the face of a declining coal industry.
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to those still in school?
A: Take the path that makes the most sense to you. Do not be afraid to adjust or change course. Respect and value those who support you and invest in your success.
Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?
A: I’m not sure that $40 million is enough money to solve any one problem, but I actually really appreciate the approach that MacKenzie Scott took in her yield grant funding opportunity.
Providing transformative amounts of funding to many organizations and causes that do outstanding work might be the way that I would distribute the funding.
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