Michael La Belle

Dr. Michael LaBelle is a full professor at Central European University and serves as the Head of Department in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy. In 2022 he held the position of Open Society University Network Senior Fellow, at the Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership in International Affairs, based at Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs. He is an International Member of the Centre for Energy and Natural Resources Innovation and Transformation (CENRIT) at Macquarie University, Australia. From 2017 - 2021 he held the Jean Monnet Chair in Energy Innovations and Strategies at CEU, awarded by the European Commission.

Professor LaBelle's research is centered on energy governance, energy justice, geopolitics, security, and innovation. The role of state institutions to foster investment is central to understanding the role of companies in developing new energy technologies. His geographic focus is on Central Eastern Europe and the European Union. He is the author of the book, Energy Cultures: Technology, Justice, and Geopolitics in Eastern Europe, published by Edward Elgar. He is also the producer and host of the My Energy 2050 podcast which delivers weekly interviews with leaders in energy transitions research and policy. 

Previously, Dr. LaBelle was a faculty member in the CEU Business School and the Mangement Unit in the Department of Economics and Business focused on energy and sustainability in business (2012- 2022). He was also a member of the Atlantic Council’s Emerging Leaders in Environmental and Energy Policy Network (ELEEP). He worked in the CEU Center for Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Policy (3CSEP) and at the Regional Center for Energy Policy Research (REKK) at Corvinus University. He has worked on projects for the European Commission, United States Agency for International Development, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, Energy Regulators Regional Association and energy consulting companies, and European universities. He holds an MSc and PhD in Geographical Sciences from the University of Bristol.