Michael Metcalf - Introduction

Hello my name is Michael Metcalf. I am a PhD student in the Engineering and Public Policy department. I have my JD and MSES in Environmental Science with an Energy concentration from Indiana University at Bloomington and my BA in Philosophy from University of Kansas in Lawrence. Prior to going back to school I lived and worked in the Grand Canyon. Living in one of the seven natural wonders of the world brought several things to my attention, including the dramatic impact of our energy choices on our environment.

I am interested in innovation policy because I think that innovation is the only way we can deal with the growing global demand for energy and the environmental and social impacts of supplying that demand, which is likely to be the task that defines much of the coming century. I also recognize that markets cannot be divorced from the social, legal, and political systems that support them. This means that it is crucially important that we get our public policy working to encourage innovation instead of discourage it.

Apart from the specific knowledge of the course, I sincerely hope to use the blogging assignments as a tool for improving my ability to effectively communicate my ideas in concise and interesting writing.