Spring 2023 Distinguished Professor - Dr. Chelsea Schelly

I’ve known I wanted to be a sociology professor since I was 17 (and had two fantastic female sociology professors in my first year of college) and have always been interested in understanding the relationship between social, technological, and environmental systems. My research is motivated by a foundational assumption that exploitation of earth systems and human exploitation of other humans are deeply tied, and that until we humans learn to respect the limits of the planet we rely on for life, we won’t be able to live with respect for one another at a social scale. 

The fundamental lesson in my teaching is that social systems were made by humans, so we humans can change them too. This applies to everything from energy systems and other infrastructures to systems of racial oppression to what we count as valid knowledge in academia. 

Research on social acceptance of new energy technologies has, for the most part, moved beyond asking people whether they’re willing to see new technologies like wind or solar developed in their communities. Researchers increasingly consider broader issues like how communities are proactively zoning to constrain or enable renewable energy development, or what kinds of community benefits enhance both social support and energy justice. Energy justice is itself a relatively new idea, and it emphasizes that people need energy for the services it provides, and that we can better understand just and equitable access to energy if we focus on energy services rather than simply counting kilowatts. 

As I’ll talk about, the problems I want to tackle in my research are incredibly complex, as they link social systems across multiple scales, including individual behavior as well as larger social institutions, with complex ecosystems and physical infrastructures. They are also urgent. Working across disciplinary boundaries to do work that matters for communities and can potentially have an impact on a meaningful timescale is a daunting challenge. 

I’m incredibly grateful to work with colleagues across campus in collaborative projects. I really want to do research to answer questions that I couldn’t possibly answer alone, which is the key to team science, and Michigan Tech provides a wonderful environment for that kind of collaboration. 

I have some new projects starting, which I’ll talk about in my lecture. They center on community engaged research to support energy transition decision making, and I see a lot of potential for growth in this research area, given federal priorities and upcoming funding opportunities. Beyond my own research, I’d really like to help grow a portfolio of work at Michigan Tech related to the broad theme of supporting communities in becoming more sustainable and resilient. I believe Michigan Tech is uniquely positioned to empower communities to confront these challenges through research relationships.