Emily Grubert

Emily Grubert is an Associate Professor at the University of Notre Dame, where her research focuses on the energy transition and the systemic challenges of moving away from fossil fuel infrastructure. Her work examines a question that often goes unaddressed in mainstream conversations about clean energy: if society is genuinely transitioning toward renewables and cleaner technologies, what happens to the existing fossil fuel systems being left behind? She argues that a true energy transition requires not just building new infrastructure but deliberately managing the retirement of the old.

Beyond academia, Grubert has brought her expertise into federal policy, having served under the Biden administration in their office focused on carbon capture, a technology she has studied as a potential long-term tool for addressing emissions.

On The Grove podcast by Earth Onward, Grubert joined host to discuss the realities of the energy transition, including whether it can be called a genuine transition if the move away from fossil fuels is not keeping pace with the build-out of clean energy. The conversation also touched on carbon capture and its role, or potential role, in a broader decarbonization strategy. Her perspective combines rigorous academic research with firsthand experience in federal energy policy, making for a grounded and honest look at where the energy transition stands today.