03/24/2026

A Message from the President

USAEE NEWSLETTER | SPRING 2026

From Greg Upton, President, USAEE

USAEE Community,

It is a great honor to serve as President of the United States Association for Energy Economics (USAEE). Having been involved with both USAEE and the International Association for Energy Economics (IAEE) for many years, I am deeply appreciative of the role this community has played in my own professional development. Like many of you, I have benefited not only from the exchange of ideas, but also from the relationships and collaborations that make this organization unique.

USAEE has always been a volunteer-driven association, and that spirit of service is central to its success. This year, one of my primary goals has been to expand opportunities for member engagement through our committee structure. I want to sincerely thank everyone who responded to the recent member volunteer survey. The level of interest has been extraordinary. We are currently compiling committee assignments, and members will be hearing more in the coming weeks. It is already clear that we will have a record number of participants involved in USAEE’s work, and that is a testament to the strength and commitment of this community. I would also encourage you, when you see members of the USAEE Council at this year’s conference, to thank them for their service. Every Council member is a volunteer, and their contributions represent a significant investment of time and effort on behalf of the association.

Over the past year, many of you also provided thoughtful feedback through the recent USAEE relationship with IAEE questionnaire. Historically, this relationship has been a defining feature of our organization. USAEE members have always been full members of IAEE, and USAEE has long been the largest affiliate within the international structure. At the same time, USAEE and IAEE are separate legal entities, and in recent years the relationship has been strained for both financial and governance reasons. It is important to acknowledge this reality openly.

Energy is inherently an international subject. The analytical challenges we address, whether related to markets, technology, environment, or policy, do not stop at national borders. For that reason, I am doing all I can to maintain strong and constructive ties with IAEE. The feedback provided in the recent questionnaire has been valuable in guiding our approach, and we are working to ensure that USAEE members continue to benefit from a vibrant international energy economics community while also strengthening USAEE’s organizational foundation.

Looking ahead, we are excited about our upcoming conference in Pittsburgh. The annual conference remains the centerpiece of our activities, bringing together academia, industry, government, and students for rigorous and constructive dialogue. At the same time, we are actively searching for host institutions and locations for the 2027 and 2028 conferences. If your city or institution has an interest in hosting, now is the time to reach out. Our conference is one of the most visible ways we fulfill our mission, and new venues and partners are essential to its continued success.

USAEE’s mission, to advance the understanding and application of economics across all aspects of energy, depends on active participation from its members. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve at this moment and for the many colleagues and friends who make this work both meaningful and rewarding.

I look forward to seeing many of you in Pittsburgh and to working together in the year ahead.

Greg Upton (gupton3@lsu.edu) is Executive Director of the LSU Center for Energy Studies and President of the United States Association for Energy Economics.