SEAS | Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

News

For solar power to truly provide affordable energy access, we need to deploy it better

Feb 26, 2026

Study in Malawi—a country with one of the lowest energy access rates on the planet—reveals obstacles, opportunities for household solar power systems

Policy Matters

My experience as a dual degree student (Ford/SEAS)

Feb 2, 2026

Second-year student Danielle Levy discusses her experience as a dual-degree candidate at the Ford School and the School for Environment and Sustainability

News

Discussing "Competing energy futures" at the Ford School

Oct 26, 2025

Decarbonization initiatives and renewable energy investments are compatible with the massive new energy requirements of the data center age, according to a panel of experts who spoke at the Ford School. What is needed is government policy that can gu...

News

Granholm urges climate leaders to adopt ‘warrior ethos for planet’

Oct 12, 2025

Despite recent changes in federal policies, states and the private sector are making significant progress with wind and solar power deployment, which is a reason to be optimistic, former U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said Sept. 30 during th...

News

Announcing the Ford School Fall Events Schedule

Aug 22, 2025

Ford School fall events will look at the state of U.S. democracy, international crises, and the Abundance debate. The Ford School is pleased to announce an exciting lineup of events for the autumn 2025, engaging with our students, faculty, staff, and...

News

Taking bold action toward environmental justice

Jan 29, 2025

A week after the University of Michigan celebrated the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) honored his work at its own event—a panel discussion focused on keeping environmental justice at the for...

News

Exciting events at the Ford School this January

Jan 10, 2025

The Ford School is pleased to announce an exciting lineup for our January 2025 Policy Talks @ the Ford School series and other special public events hosted with partners from across campus. Events are free and open to the public unless otherwise note...

News

Ford School students attending COP28 in Dubai

Dec 6, 2023

Several Ford School students are among the sixteen University of Michigan students who will attend the two-week COP28 climate summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The students will observe the negotiations, attend side events and interact with vari...

News

Corwin (MPP/SEAS '25) increases residential participation in energy efficiency programs

Nov 1, 2023

Bridget Corwin (MPP/SEAS ‘25) was chosen to be one of nine 2023 Catalyst Leadership Circle Fellows, an annual program that provides Michigan communities statewide the resources needed to be able to tackle environmentally focused projects they otherwi...

News

Ford School to expand anti-racism faculty, address environment and health disparities

May 26, 2022

The Ford School will participate in a cross-campus University of Michigan initiative to address environmental racism and promote health equity. Three tenure track faculty positions will be hired, one each in the Ford School, the School for Environmen...

News

Ford School students named as Dow Sustainability Fellows pursue equity and people-centered solutions

Feb 4, 2021

Four Ford School students will spend the next year working to make Michigan water resources cleaner and more accessible, helping Great Lakes Bay region businesses dedicate to sustainable practices, and promoting environmentally-sensitive tourism in C...

Students Kristina Curtiss (MPP ‘22), Tyler Orcutt, (MPP, MS ‘23), Anna Seifert (MPP ‘22) and Javier Piñeiro

AI and Detroit’s Census Challenge

Apr 16, 2026, 6:00-7:30 pm EDT

Dana Building, Room 1040

The use of AI may distort an accurate census of Detroiters

23rd Wege Lecture on Sustainability featuring Jennifer Granholm

Sep 30, 2025, 5:30-7:00 pm EDT

Rackham Auditorium

This inspiring fireside chat features Jennifer Granholm, former U.S. Secretary of Energy and former Governor of Michigan. Join us as she addresses the urgent sustainability challenges of our time, from clean energy transitions to climate change.

Conversations Across Differences

Development and decarbonization: Competing energy futures

Sep 29, 2025, 4:30-6:00 pm EDT

Weill Hall Room 1110, Betty Ford Classroom

A look at green infrastructure, the need for sustainable energy, and the pressure caused by increasing energy demands.

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Paving the Way: Taking Bold Action Toward Environmental Justice

Jan 27, 2025, 5:30-7:00 pm EST

Rackham Auditorium

Join us for an event that’s more than just a celebration—it’s a call to action. In alignment with the University of Michigan’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Symposium's 2025 theme of "Restless Dissatisfaction: An Urgent Call for the Pursuit of Justice and Equality," we invite students, staff, faculty and the greater community to a powerful and inspiring gathering.

Leveraging the USDA to tackle nutrition insecurity and systemic racism in the food system

Apr 19, 2024, 3:00 pm EDT

Joan and Sanford Weill Hall, Annenberg Auditorium (Room 1120)

Join Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Ford School alumna, Stacy Dean, as she discusses her career and the challenges to improve nutrition for all Americans.

Stacy Dean: Leveraging the USDA to tackle nutrition insecurity and systemic racism in the food system

Apr 19, 2024 1:28:00

Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Ford School alumna (MPP '92), Stacy Dean, will speak about her journey from U-M and the Ford School to becoming a policy and budget analyst, ...