Kathy Halvorsen

Kathy Halvorsen is an Associate Vice President for Research, Integrity and Facilities at Michigan Technological University, holding a joint appointment in Social Sciences and CFRES. She is a University Professor of Natural Resource Policy. Her roles include overseeing research development, integrity, and facilities across the university, collaborating with centers, institutes, and shared facilities to advance research goals safely and successfully.

Halvorsen earned a PhD in Forest Resource Management from the University of Washington, an MS in Environmental Science from SUNY, and a BS in Political Economy of Natural Resources from UC Berkeley. Her research focuses on climate change mitigation and adaptation, particularly through transdisciplinary projects involving Indigenous communities and socio-technological systems. Key initiatives include the NSF-funded MICARES project on renewable energy sovereignty with Michigan Tribal Nations and the NNA-funded POLARIS project addressing Arctic coastal permafrost erosion impacts.

Her expertise spans climate policy, Arctic environmental impacts, renewable energy transitions, and Indigenous environmental stewardship. She has led over $11 million in grants, including the NSF PIRE program on bioenergy sustainability and INFEWS projects on household resource conservation. Though she no longer advises students, her work bridges academia, policy, and community action to address global environmental challenges.