ASU geography professor named 2025 AAAS Fellow

Martin J. “Mike” Pasqualetti, professor in the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning at Arizona State University and senior Global Futures scientist in the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, has been named a 2025 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The lifetime honor recognizes Pasqualetti’s decades-long contributions to the geographical study of energy and its intersections with society, land use and sustainability.

Election as an AAAS Fellow is a lifetime distinction, awarded to scientists and scholars whose work has advanced science or its applications for the benefit of society. Founded in 1848, AAAS is among the world’s largest multidisciplinary scientific societies and publishes the Science family of journals.

A member of the ASU faculty since 1977, Pasqualetti has been a dedicated educator and mentor for almost 50 years. Pasqualetti has played a central role in advancing the field of energy studies at ASU, starting with the “Energy Activities at Arizona State University,” a summary he published in the early 1980s that identified, for the first time, the university's potential to contribute to energy studies.

His long-standing commitment to student mentorship has been a defining feature of his career at ASU. He has taught a wide range of energy-focused courses and advised generations of students who have gone on to careers in academia, planning, public policy and environmental research. He developed several energy courses, including Energy in the Global Arena; Energy and Environment; and The Thread of Energy, a freshman-level introduction to the role of energy in every aspect of life. He also helped establish a certificate in energy sustainability and a PhD in sustainable energy. 

His research has contributed to broader conversations about how renewable energy development affects place identity and land-use decision-making, particularly in regions experiencing rapid energy transitions. His work is widely cited for integrating human and cultural perspectives into energy research, often dominated by technical or economic analyses.

“I’m deeply honored to be named an AAAS Fellow,” Pasqualetti said. “This recognition reflects the collective efforts of students, colleagues and collaborators over many years, and it reinforces the importance of studying energy as both a technical and social system that shapes our everyday lives.” As he puts it: “Energy is a social issue with a technical component, not the other way around.”

The AAAS Fellowship adds to a record of honors recognizing Pasqualetti’s scholarly impact. In 2019, he was named a Fellow of the American Association of Geographers, one of the discipline’s highest recognitions. In 2018, he was named the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year by the University of California, Riverside. In 2015, he received the AAG Alexander and Ilse Melamid Medal, which honors outstanding contributions to the geographical study of energy.

Pasqualetti now joins a distinguished group of Arizona State University faculty who have been named AAAS Fellows — a cadre of scientists, engineers and innovators recognized for achievements across disciplines. Historic and recent ASU fellows include ASU President Michael Crow and SGSUP Emeritus Professors Patricia Gober and Anthony Brazel, reflecting ASU’s excellence in communicating and interpreting science to the public.

He has published extensively on a range of energy topics, including nuclear power plant decommissioning, energy democracy, the water-energy nexus, the geography of energy, energy security, the social acceptance of renewable energy landscapes and, most recently, the growing need to recycle energy landscapes of all types.

He serves on numerous editorial boards, including that of Energy Research & Social Science, and has advised organizations such as the U.S. Department of Energy, the Natural Resources Defense Council, U.S. Congress Office of Technology Assessment, the National Academy of Sciences, and the Arizona Energy Office (now part of the Governor’s Office of Resiliency). More recently, he has also been a principal contributor to LightWorks and Energy Forward. As a champion of renewable energy, he serves on the board of directors of the Land Art Generator Initiative, whose tagline is “making renewable energy beautiful.” 

Pasqualetti’s work has informed energy policy and planning at regional, national and international scales. Pasqualetti has served as chair of the Arizona Solar Energy Advisory Council under two Arizona governors and was a founding member of the Arizona Solar Center. He has also served as ASU’s liaison to the International Renewable Energy Agency headquartered in Abu Dhabi.

AAAS Fellows are formally recognized at the annual AAAS Fellows Forum, which includes an induction ceremony and celebratory reception. Pasqualetti is scheduled to be honored at the 2026 ceremony in Washington, D.C., alongside scientists and scholars from around the world.

Pasqualetti’s selection underscores ASU’s commitment to interdisciplinary research that addresses complex global challenges. As societies navigate the transition to renewable energy systems, his work continues to offer critical insights into how energy development reshapes landscapes, influences public acceptance and informs more equitable and sustainable planning decisions. 

His recognition as a 2025 AAAS Fellow marks both a career milestone and a broader acknowledgment of geography’s essential role in shaping a more sustainable energy future.