Jeff D. Colgan

Jeff D. Colgan is the Richard Holbrooke Professor of Political Science and International and Public Affairs at Brown University, affiliated with the Watson Institute for Public and International Affairs. He serves as Director of the Climate Solutions Lab, leading research on energy, climate, and international order. Previously, he taught at American University (2010–2014) and was a Woodrow Wilson Center Fellow (2012–13). He holds a Ph.D. from Princeton University and a MPP from UC Berkeley via a Canada-U.S. Fulbright Scholarship.

His research focuses on energy politics, climate governance, and international institutions. Notable works include Partial Hegemony: Oil Politics and International Order (Oxford UP, 2021), which won multiple awards, and Petro-Aggression: When Oil Causes War (Cambridge UP, 2013). His 2021 book analyzes historical oil governance lessons for climate policy, while his earlier work explores oil-driven conflict dynamics.

Colgan’s recent projects include a NSF-funded grant for a Center on Clean Energy and Society, and analysis of energy security post-Ukraine. He has advised international bodies like the World Bank and worked with firms such as McKinsey & Company. His 2024 sabbatical at Oxford University further underscores his global academic engagement.

Awards: 2021 American Energy Society’s Best Book Prize, APSA Jervis-Schroeder Award, and co-winner of APSA International Collaboration’s Best Book Award. His work appears in International Organization, Foreign Affairs, and World Politics.

Led the Climate Solutions Lab, mentoring students like Sarah Smith (’24) in climate policy research. Engaged in public discourse via The Guardian, Maclean’s, and radio interviews on oil politics and US foreign policy.