Tabitha Benney

Dr. Tabitha M. Benney is an Associate Professor at the University of Utah's School of Public Affairs, with affiliations in the School of Environment, Society, and Sustainability; International Studies Program; and Energy Futures Research Engine. She directs the Utah Radon Lab and serves as Associate Director at the Utah Energy and Power Innovation Center (U-EPIC).

• Education: BSFS and MA in International Affairs from Georgetown University; PhD in Political Science from UC Santa Barbara
• Research Focus: Social/economic/health disparities in energy, climate, and air quality; environmental governance; low-carbon transitions; Native Nations energy challenges
• Recent Article Trends: 15+ publications analyze wildfire smoke infiltration, urban pollution dynamics, structural inequality in climate resilience, and the political economy of renewable energy adoption in emerging economies.

Scientific Awards:

• Distinguished Teaching Award (University of Utah, 2022)
• ISA Catalytic Research Workshop Grant
• Interdisciplinary Research Pilot Program Grant
• CSBS Fellowship
• Affiliates Dissertation Fellowship (UCSB, 2013)

Teaching: Courses in political economy, environment/energy policy, international relations, and research methods. Leads PhD/MS thesis supervision and field seminars.

Labs & Collaborations: Directs Utah Radon Lab; collaborates with environmental scientists on air quality, climate impacts, and health disparities at multiple spatial scales. Research team includes Daniel L. Mendoza and others studying pollution's socioeconomic consequences.