EESG Powershift Award

The objective of this award is to support energy geographers at any stage of their career (e.g. student, professor, instructor, activist, practitioner) who demonstrate a commitment to social justice and/or public-facing scholarship. This might include energy- or climate-related community-based efforts that seek to empower marginalized groups, address disproportionate vulnerability to climate or energy injustices, expand access to energy- or climate-related knowledge or data, and/or advance inclusive research or pedagogical approaches. 

Ideally, the awardee will engage in work that leads to what we broadly define as a powershift that equitably transforms energy systems. Award winners may be invited to give the EESG plenary talk at a future AAG Annual Meeting, a keynote talk at the EESG annual conference, or a talk in the EESG speaker series. 

Award 

$150 

Eligibility 

Nominations must demonstrate prior and ongoing commitment to social justice and/or public-facing scholarship. Ideally, applicants will understand problems and approach solutions intersectionally and inclusively. Examples of prior and ongoing commitment can include, but are not limited to, scholarship, activism, policy-making, advocacy, and innovation. 

If nominees are AAG members, they must be a current member of EESG at the time of application or become an EESG member upon or prior to receipt of the award. Non-AAG members are also eligible to be nominated and do not have to be EESG members. 

Submission instructions 

Submit a 300-word description of the initiative or project that explains its relevance to energy and climate, social justice, public-facing scholarship, and/or equitable transformation, and the expected output(s) of the project (e.g., journal paper, workshop, workbook, curriculum, open data product). If applicable, include a link to existing output(s). 

To apply, please visit this link. 

Submission Deadline: Sunday, December 6, 2026 at 11:59pm ET (USA) 

Incomplete applications or applications arriving after the announced closing date will not be considered. EESG will notify the winners as soon as possible, and will make every reasonable effort to do so by one month before the meeting. The results will be announced in the EESG Business Meeting at the AAG Annual Meeting. Attendance at the conference is not a condition of this award. 

After funds have been distributed, awardees may be asked to provide information (e.g., narratives, photos, social media posts) from their activities to help publicize the award. 

Questions? Contact Johanna Engström (joem@ufl.edu; Co-Chair) or Tiffany Grobelski (grobelski@gustavus.edu; Co-Chair)

Current Winner:

2026:Sarah Kelly, Dartmouth College

Past Winners:

2025: Michelle Martinez, University of Michigan

2024: Christina Hoicka, PhD, University of Victoria

2023: Wellington Romão Oliveira, PhD, Research Institute of Meteorology and Water Resources (FUNCEME)