Biography
I am a PhD candidate in Public Affairs. I am interested in research questions at the intersection of energy policy, public perceptions and public health. My dissertation focuses on how institutions, public policies and individual perceptions influence decision-making and health outcomes, primarily in the energy policy domain. This dissertation utilizes a broad array of research methodologies, including survey research, mixed-methods research design, and empirical analysis using large data.
My research projects fall into three main categories:
- Perceptions towards fossil fuel extraction
- Unintended consequences of environmental regulations
- Impediments to health-seeking behaviors
Currently, a large portion of my research portfolio is dedicated to understanding black lung disease. I am particularly focused on identifying the barriers to coal miners’ participation in federal healthcare screening programs, and evaluating the effect of energy policies on disease incidence rates.
I will receive my Ph.D. in Public Affairs from the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University. I received my Masters of Science in Environmental Policy from the School for Environment and Sustainability from the University of Michigan, and Bachelors of Arts in Economics, also from the University of Michigan.
In my spare time, I love to garden, rock climb, hike and cook large meals with friends.
Interests
- Energy Policy & Public Health
- Consumer Behavior & Psychology of Resource Use
- Environmental Justice & Equality
- Research Design & Methodology
- Policy Choice & Analysis
Education
PhD in Public Affairs, 2021
Indiana University (O'Neill School of Public & Environmental Affairs)
MS in Environmental Policy, 2012
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (School for Environment and Sustainability)
BA in Economics, 2010
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (College of Literature, Science, and the Arts)
Research
Peer-reviewed Journal Articles
Lee, M.H. & Clark, A., 2020. “Partisanship Does Not Tell the Full Story: The Complexities of Public Opinion and Fracking in the United States.” Energy Research & Social Science (70): 101686.
Lee, M.H., Graham, J.D., Clark, A., Rupp, J.A., & Weitelman, D.C. 2019. “Public Opinion towards Hydraulic Fracturing: The Effect of Beyond Compliance and Voluntary Third-Party Certification.” Energy Policy (128): 306-315.
Schenk, O., Lee, M.H., Paydar, N.H., Rupp, J.A. & Graham, J.D. 2014. “Unconventional Gas Development in the U.S. States: Exploring the Variation.” European Journal of Risk Regulation(4): 436-458.
Working Papers and Work in Progress
Lee, Michelle H. “Do Labor Unions Increase Uptake of Occupational Health Screening Services? Evidence from the Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program.” (Job Market Paper)
Lee, Michelle H. “Not All Medical Marijuana Laws are Equal: Evaluating Birth Health Outcomes.”
Lee, Michelle H. “Public Opinion and Trust in Institutions in a Purple State—Implications for Shale Gas Governance in Colorado.”
Lee, Michelle H., Evans, David A., & Shadbegian, Ron. “Did the Clean Air Act lead to the Increase in the Incidence of Black Lung Disease? Evidence from Appalachia.”
Lee, Michelle H., Evans, David A., & Shadbegian, Ron. “Labor Market Effects of the Clean Air Act in the Appalachian Coal Mining Industry.
Lee, Michelle H., Lennex, Robert. & Hendryx, Michael S. “Evaluating the Effect of Distance to Healthcare Facilities on Participation Rate in Health Screening Programs.”
Other Publications
Lee, M.H., Schenk, O. & Graham, J.D. “Interstate Variation in the Extent of “Fracking” for Natural Gas: Insights from Public Opinion Research.” SPEA Insights. School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University. September 2014.
Media Citations & Interviews
“Pennsylvania Fracking Politics Are More Complicated Than They Seem.”** Sierra, October 28, 2020
Teaching
Contact
- michlhw@indiana.edu
- (812) 855-7980
- 1315 E 10th St, Bloomington, IN 47405
- Room 412 O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs