Dr. Hal T. Nelson, Ph.D., CFA, is the Portland Professor in Environmental and Natural Resource Policy in the Hatfield School of Government at PSU. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Administration and Director of the Master in Public Policy program. He holds a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Policy, an M.S. in Political Science, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.
Dr. Nelson’s diverse teaching portfolio spans quantitative methods, public policy, energy policy, and social sustainability, emphasizing skill development for managers in the public, non-profit, and private sectors.
Dr. Nelson’s research focuses on environmental, social, and economic sustainability in the energy sector. His recent work explores agent-based modeling and stakeholder engagement in energy project permitting, supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). This builds on previous research funded by the John Randolph Haynes Foundation. He has also received funding from the NSF and California Energy Commission to scale-up the deployment of the smart grid and building energy decarbonization.
Dr. Nelson has published widely, with works appearing in high-impact journals like Anthropocene Review, Journal of Public Health Policy, Sustainability, Journal of Environmental Management, Climate Policy, Land Use Policy, and Energy Policy. He was named the Portland Professor for Environmental and Natural Resources Policy for his research on climate change and land use policy. He was named a Lincoln Land Fellow during his tenure at Claremont Graduate University. Dr. Nelson’s career also includes over 15 years of experience as a renewable energy and energy efficiency consultant and software developer. He continues to contribute to the field with active research, peer-reviewed publications, and creative works, such as his 2024 screenplay Resolve.