Michael L. Ross

Michael L. Ross is Professor and Vice Chair for Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Political Science at UCLA, with dual affiliation at the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. He maintains active visiting positions at Oxford University and the World Bank, reflecting his international scholarly impact.

Education

• PhD in Political Science from Princeton University (1997)

Ross pioneers research on the political economy of natural resources, specializing in how oil wealth shapes governance, democracy, and environmental outcomes. His seminal work on the "resource curse" examines mechanisms linking resource abundance to authoritarianism, conflict, and economic stagnation, with recent focus on climate policy and fossil fuel subsidy reforms. He investigates how petroleum wealth affects women's rights, democratic transitions, and economic diversification in resource-dependent states.

His 2020-2025 publications reveal intensifying scrutiny of fossil fuel subsidy fragility, climate governance challenges, and the political barriers to energy transition. Research increasingly connects resource politics with climate security, emphasizing institutional vulnerabilities in post-Paris Agreement implementation.

Scientific Awards

• Heinz Eulau Award from the American Political Science Association
• Paul Sabatier Award from the APSA Science, Technology, and Environmental Politics section
• Al Moumin Award for Thought Leadership in Environmental Peacebuilding

Ross serves on advisory boards for the World Bank, United Nations, US Interior Department, and National Intelligence Council while co-founding the Project on Resources and Governance and Political Economy of Climate conference. His public scholarship reaches global audiences through Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, The New York Times, and The Guardian, where he analyzes oil politics and climate policy with empirical rigor.