Michaël Aklin

Michaël Aklin is an Associate Professor of Economics and Management of Innovation at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), holding the Chair of Public Policy and Sustainability since joining in 2023. He co-directs the Enterprise for Society (E4S), a joint initiative with IMD and the University of Lausanne. Previously, he was an Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh, with a PhD from New York University and postdoctoral work at the University of Pennsylvania.

Education:

• PhD in Economics, New York University
• MA in Politics, University of Essex
• BSc in International Studies, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies

Research Interests: Focuses on the political and economic dimensions of sustainable development, energy policy, and climate change. His work bridges environmental economics, public policy analysis, and political economy, with emphasis on just transition policies, renewable energy adoption, and equitable energy access. Recent projects include studies on coal-dependent communities, just transition frameworks in national climate plans, and socio-economic impacts of clean energy transitions.

Key Roles:

• Head of Enterprise for Society (E4S)
• Member of CDM Management and Doctoral Program Committee (EDMT-GE)
• Teaching responsibilities include courses on sustainability, technology policy, and econometrics

Advising & Grants: Supervises four doctoral students (Bataillard, Fernandez, Touré, Zollner). His research has been supported through grants analyzing energy transitions, policy effectiveness, and socio-economic impacts of green initiatives.

Labs & Initiatives: Leads E4S, a multidisciplinary center addressing societal challenges through business and technology innovation. Collaborates on global projects assessing climate policies, energy access disparities, and just transition strategies.