Biography

John M. DeCicco is a research professor at the University of Michigan Energy Institute where he addresses energy and environmental challenges through an interdisciplinary approach anchored in physical science while drawing insights from economics, other social sciences and public policy.

His research addresses energy and climate challenges, including technological change, behavioral factors and public policy. His main focus is on transportation energy use and CO2 emissions, including vehicle efficiency, petroleum use, biofuels, electrification and consumer issues as well as the role of atmospheric CO2 removal in offsetting the CO2 released from the combustion of liquid fuels.

John’s past studies were influential in the development of automotive fuel economy and GHG emissions standards and his recent work addresses methodological problems related to biofuels and atmospheric CO2 levels. Over the years he worked on many other energy and the environmental topics, including energy use in buildings, energy-related consumer behavior and the impacts of electricity generation. He co-chairs the annual conference on Transportation, Economics, Energy and the Environment (TE3); directs the University of Michigan Energy Survey; sits on the strategy committee for the university’s Mcity research center on mobility automation, and serves as a lecturer and speaker for both academic and general audiences.

Before returning to academia in 2009, he spent over twenty years working on energy and environmental policy at nonprofit organizations, including positions as a senior fellow for automotive strategies at the Environmental Defense Fund, transportation director for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and staff scientist at the National Audubon Society. He has testified many times before Congress and has over 150 published papers, reports and formal public comments to his credit. John holds a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Princeton University, where he conducted his doctoral research at the Center for Energy and Environmental Studies.

Link to a copy of John’s resume here.

View short summaries of his work on the Cars and Climate blog and U-M Energy Survey website.

See a list of his publications on ResearchGate.

Publications

• 3rd Annual Conference on Transportation, Economics, Energy, and the Environment
• The liquid carbon challenge: (WIREs Energy & Environ, 2015)
• The University of Michigan Energy Survey: Year One Report