Climate Week: STPP environment and energy policy alumni panel

STPP is excited to welcome three of our recent alumni, Tyler Baird (MPP/SEAS MS '25), Ana Boyd (MPP/SEAS MS '25), and Zack Quirk (Earth and Environmental Sciences PhD '24) for an engaging conversation about their educational paths and current work in energy and environmental policy.

From the speaker' bios:

Tyler Baird

Tyler Baird is an analyst with the Office of Agricultural Science and Research at the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Under the supervision of the department's Chief Science Officer, he helps to integrate climate resilience and adaptation perspectives into departmental programs and polices by providing analysis and decision support in several areas of the agency. Current projects include administering the department's Soil Health Task Force, a multi-stakeholder working group focused on agricultural resiliency in the state; producing data products for several agency programs; developing a statewide regenerative agriculture summit; writing for state, regional, and international reports and presentations; conducting topical literature reviews; building and maintaining knowledge networks; and more. Outside of work, Tyler spends most of his time with his spouse and two young daughters in Grand Ledge, MI, where they have had a busy summer playing, biking, gardening, reading, canoeing, catching fireflies, and having impromptu dance parties.

Ana Boyd

Ana Boyd (she/her) has worked in energy policy for almost 10 years. She earned her MPP and MS in Environment and Sustainability from the University of Michigan where she also served as a Research Assistant with STPP. Ana currently works as a Regulatory Analyst for the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, providing expert analysis and recommendations to inform Commission decisions on wildfire mitigation planning, thermal energy networks, transmission planning, and other topics related to gas and electric utility service. Prior to graduate school, Ana worked for five years at the Sierra Club, providing litigation and research support to a team of attorneys focused on transitioning the electric grid from fossil fuels to clean energy. In her spare time, Ana enjoys playing tennis, knitting, jigsaw puzzles, and trying out new cooking recipes.

Zack Quirk

Zack Quirk is a federal civil servant at the US Department of Energy, where he manages federal awards for geothermal energy projects. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 2024 with a PhD in Earth & Environmental Sciences and with a graduate certificate in science, technology, & public policy (STPP). When Zack was a UM student, he was a recipient of several internships and fellowships including the National Science Foundation's Graduate Research Fellowship and INTERN program, as well as the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine's Christine Mirzayan policy fellowship. Zack lives in northern Virginia with his wife and daughter, and enjoys brewing beer in his spare time.

We want to make our event accessible to all participants. If you need accommodations, please include this information in your registration or contact Julie Berson Grand ([email protected]).