Nina Kelsey

Nina Kelsey is an Associate Professor of Public Policy & International Affairs at George Washington University, holding a joint appointment between the Elliott School of International Affairs and the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration. She serves as Director of the International Science and Technology Policy (ISTP) MA Program and is part of the Nuclear Policy Studies and International Science & Technology Policy Graduate Certificate programs. As a full-time faculty member, her work focuses on international environmental negotiations, particularly how evolving interests influence environmental policymaking across international, national, and subnational scales.

Dr. Kelsey earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, and a BS in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology from Yale University. Her interdisciplinary background combines political science with environmental policy analysis.

Her research emphasizes the dynamics of climate policy sequencing, ozone negotiations, and urban environmental governance. Key publications include groundbreaking work on ratcheting climate policy stringency (Nature Climate Change, 2018) and the role of cities in public goods provision (International Relations, 2021). These studies highlight feedback mechanisms and iterative policy design for effective environmental governance.

Teaching includes courses on Environmental Policy (IAFF 6151) and Energy Policy (IAFF 6152), bridging theoretical insights with practical policy frameworks. Her scholarship has advanced understanding of green spiral dynamics, renewable energy politics, and coalition-building for climate action.

Although no scientific awards are explicitly listed, her extensive publication record underscores her contributions to environmental policy research. She leads the ISTP program, fostering interdisciplinary training in science, technology, and global policy.