Dean’s Professor of Sustainability Science and Policy Jennie C. Stephens, who joined the Northeastern faculty this fall, says much attention on the “renewable energy transition” has focused on technological innovation. Her research, by contrast, focuses on social, cultural, and institutional innovations facilitating social learning within this transition.
Jennie Stephens says it’s clear that the world is transitioning away from fossil fuels toward renewable-based systems for the majority of our energy needs. How long will this transition take? No one knows, but in the U.S., renewable energy power capacity is growing much faster than forecasts in years past have predicted.
Stephens, who joined the Northeastern faculty this fall, says much attention on the “renewable energy transition” has focused on technological innovation. Her research, by contrast, focuses on social, cultural, and institutional innovations facilitating social learning within this transition. That is, she focuses on understanding how the social dynamics—including political power, institutional norms, and gender— influence deployment of wind power, solar, and smart grids.