{"677239":{"#nid":"677239","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Laura Taylor Appointed Director of the Energy Policy and Innovation Center","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAfter a national search, Laura Taylor has been appointed director of the Energy Policy and Innovation Center (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEPICenter\u003C\/a\u003E) within the Strategic Energy Institute (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energy\u0022\u003ESEI\u003C\/a\u003E), effective Nov. 1.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are very excited to build on the existing strength of EPICenter, moving it toward recognition as a top ten energy think tank and a major recruiting draw for new faculty in the IAC and across the university,\u201d said Christine Conwell, interim executive director of SEI. \u201cWe hope Laura\u2019s leadership will help launch a new era for EPICenter and strengthen its support of the outstanding faculty and students conducting rigorous energy policy research across campus.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022I\u2019m thrilled to join EPICenter and the SEI leadership team,\u201d said Taylor. \u201cThanks to our home within the\u0026nbsp;No. 1 public university in the country for energy research, EPICenter is uniquely positioned to lead applied energy policy research and engagement in the Southeast, helping to drive Georgia and our region forward as a national leader in innovation and policy for a sustainable energy future.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring Taylor\u2019s time as chair, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Economics\u003C\/a\u003E doubled its faculty with 19 new faculty members, and the\u0026nbsp;number of students pursuing a major in economics increased by more than 50%. Economics also expanded its teaching and research in several areas including health, energy, environment, globalization, theory, and data analytics. The School\u2019s bachelor\u2019s, master\u2019s, and Ph.D. programs achieved federal STEM designation in 2019, reflecting the curriculum\u2019s tech-centered approach to liberal arts education and emphasis on using mathematical and statistical models. The School\u2019s undergraduate economics program ranked No. 1 among public universities in Georgia and No. 21 among public universities nationally in the 2025 U.S. News \u0026amp; World Report Best Colleges rankings.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s been an amazing six years working with the exceptional students, faculty and staff in the School of Economics. I look forward to continuing to contribute to the School in new ways while leading EPICenter,\u201d added Taylor.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHaizheng Li, professor and the School\u2019s current associate chair, will serve as interim chair of the School of Economics beginning Nov. 1. Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts expects to launch an international search for the new chair of the School of Economics in academic year 2025-2026, after the College\u2019s new dean is appointed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe School of Economics has thrived and grown under Dr. Taylor\u2019s outstanding leadership,\u201d said Richard Utz, interim dean of the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts. \u201cThe School is very fortunate to have benefited from her guidance. I am confident Dr. Li will keep that momentum going and will help the school effectively navigate the leadership transition.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETaylor has 30 years of experience in research, outreach, and policy engagement\u0026nbsp;in the Southeast. Her work uses economic tools to improve environmental and energy systems management and policy. She also has research and policy experience focused on the intersection of energy systems and human health, water resource management, and land use. She has held numerous advisory board positions and is an elected fellow and past president of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETaylor\u2019s research has received funding from a variety of sources, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Interior, and the National Science Foundation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EAbout EPICenter\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe mission of the Energy, Policy, and Innovation Center is to conduct rigorous studies and deliver high impact insights that address critical regional, national, and global energy issues from a Southeastern U.S. perspective. EPICenter is pioneering a holistic approach that calls upon multidisciplinary expertise to engage the public on the issues that emerge as the energy transformation unfolds. The center operates within Georgia Tech\u2019s Strategic Energy Institute.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAfter a national search, Laura Taylor has been appointed director of the Energy Policy and Innovation Center (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEPICenter\u003C\/a\u003E) within the Strategic Energy Institute (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energy\u0022\u003ESEI\u003C\/a\u003E), effective Nov. 1.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"After a national search, Laura Taylor has been appointed director of the Energy Policy and Innovation Center (EPICenter) within the Strategic Energy Institute (SEI), effective Nov. 1. "}],"uid":"36009","created_gmt":"2024-10-01 22:09:29","changed_gmt":"2024-10-03 19:06:59","author":"cwhittle9","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-10-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-10-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675194":{"id":"675194","type":"image","title":"laura-taylor.jpg","body":null,"created":"1727820749","gmt_created":"2024-10-01 22:12:29","changed":"1727820749","gmt_changed":"2024-10-01 22:12:29","alt":"Laura Taylor","file":{"fid":"258795","name":"laura-taylor.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/01\/laura-taylor.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/01\/laura-taylor.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1071516,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/01\/laura-taylor.jpg?itok=ytYUHqeY"}}},"media_ids":["675194"],"groups":[{"id":"1281","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"},{"id":"1282","name":"School of Economics"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMegan McRainey\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:megan.mcrainey@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emegan.mcrainey@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}