Ryan Thomas Trahan

Biography

Trahan focuses on technological transitions, with specific expertise in electricity, sustainability, and strategy. His research is less concerned with whether the energy transition will occur and more interested in how quickly and for whom the resulting benefits will accrue. To better understand these queries, and to design useful regulatory guidelines, Ryan concentrates his research on connecting the energy transition with other secular trends, particularly those of corporate governance, digitization, and financialization.

Ryan has published in various scholarly journals, including Technological Forecasting and Social Change; Business Horizons; Energy Research and Social Science; Environmental Law Reporter; and Business Strategy and the Environment.

Prior to affiliating with the Law School, Trahan was a Research Associate Professor in the Program in Climate and Environmental Studies at Vanderbilt University. During his legal career, Trahan has worked as a transactional attorney for a variety of sophisticated clients, including sovereign wealth funds, family-offices, private equity and hedge funds, and high net worth individuals. While practicing in Los Angeles, Trahan was active with the Urban Land Institute and was an affiliated fellow (remote) of the KBH Energy Center.