Chelsea Schelly

Chelsea Schelly is a Professor of Sociology at Michigan Technological University (MTU), affiliated with the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, and Director of Research at the Center for Innovation in Sustainability & Resilience. She holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2013), with research focused on socio-technological transitions, energy policy, and Indigenous sovereignty in energy systems. Her work addresses how technologies and policies can foster sustainable, resilient, and socially just futures, particularly in rural and Tribal communities.

Education: PhD in Sociology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2013.

Research Interests: Schelly’s interdisciplinary work spans socio-technological transitions, energy practices, food-energy-water (FEW) nexus dynamics, and Indigenous leadership in sustainability. She emphasizes participatory approaches with Tribal Nations to advance energy sovereignty and resilience. Her recent EPA STAR grant ($1.25M) investigates energy service transitions in forest-dependent communities.

Grants & Awards: Over $2M in grants include an EPA STAR Program award (2023–2027) and a Sloan Foundation grant (2022–2025). She has held NSF-IGERT and EPA-STAR Fellowships.

Advising & Teams: Leads the MICARES project on energy transitions and collaborates with the Environmental and Energy Policy Program. No listed advisees are explicitly mentioned in the texts provided.

Labs/Initiatives: Directs research at the Center for Innovation in Sustainability & Resilience and participates in the Sustainable Communities Program. Her work bridges academia, policy, and community engagement.