2026 Keynote Address
Dr. Stephen Bird, Director, University of New Hampshire Carsey School of Public Policy
Transition, Not Collision: Cautious Optimism in Energy
Thinking about our energy future demands systems thinking across multiple contexts. This talk pieces together current policy trends, technology, and perspectives across the U.S., and globally. Bird examines the critical linchpins and uncertainties that will drive changes across energy over future decades.
Stephen Bird is the Director of the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire. His current research focuses on energy conflict & polarization, energy technology governance and acceptance (fracking, solar, microgrids, data centers), split incentives and energy burden. Research engagements include New York’s Energy Research Authority, the U.S. State Department, the European Commission, National Resources Canada, a 2016 and 2026 Fulbright Research Chair, the National Science Foundation, and a senior Research Affiliate with Positive Energy at the Universite d’Ottawa. He completed his PhD at Boston University and his Masters at Harvard University.