LSU is the flagship institution of Louisiana and is one of only 30 universities nationwide holding land-grant, sea-grant and space-grant status.

Since 1860, LSU has served its region, the nation, and the world through extensive, multipurpose programs encompassing instruction, research, and public service. The university brings in more than $150 million annually in outside research grants and contracts, a significant factor for the Louisiana economy.

Louisiana State University

New Row

Contact expert @[Full Name](fullname), @[Job Title](job_title) at @[Organization](organization) for media, speaking, professional opportunities and more.

@[Full Name](fullname) at @[Organization](organization) | Contact Form

Expert Inquiry

Open Sans

Tiger Twelve Award

American Economic Association (AEA)

International Association for Energy Economics (IAEE)

U.S. Association for Energy Economics (USAEE)

Southern Economic Association (SEA)

Are energy endowed countries responsible for conditional convergence?

Financial liabilities and environmental implications of unplugged wells for the Gulf of Mexico and coastal waters

Oil & gas induced economic fluctuations and self-employment

The economics of natural gas flaring and methane emissions in US shale: An agenda for research and policy

Boom town business dynamics

Energy Markets & Environmental Economics

Dr. Greg Upton is Executive Director & Associate Research Professor at the Louisiana State University Center for Energy Studies. His research interests are at the intersection of energy and environmental economics. He has contributed to over 40 publications and has presented research on these topics to over 200 industry, governmental and academic audiences, including testifying in committees of both chambers of the Louisiana Legislature and a subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives. He is regularly interviewed on live talk radio and other news outlets and has been quoted or cited over 250 times in local and national media including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, and NPR. He has taught classes in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, the Department of Economics, and Environmental Sciences at LSU. He is the President-Elect for the United States Association for Energy Economics (USAEE), a member of the University Advisory Board to the Center for Legislative Energy & Environmental Research (CLEER) and an appointee to the National Petroleum Council (NPC). He is a legislatively appointed member of the Clean Hydrogen Task Force created by House Concurrent Resolution 64 of the 2024 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature as well as the Task Force on Local Impacts of Carbon Capture and Sequestration created by Senate Resolution 179 of the 2023 Regular Special Session of the Louisiana Legislature. He is part of the Baton Rouge Business Report Forty Under 40 class of 2024.

Energy Economics

Environmental Economics

Labor Economics

LSU Faculty Profile

Personal Website

Google Scholar Citations

Carbon capture, solar, and the future of Louisiana energy

President Trump’s elimination of wind and solar power tax credits to potentially affect electricity prices in Louisiana and nationwide

Oil and gas experts on how geopolitical conflicts can impact prices at the pump

How is Iran-Israel conflict affecting oil prices? LSU Center for Energy Studies Exec. Director explains

Louisiana parishes seek revenue from carbon storage projects

Misinformation clouds legislative hearing on solar energy development in Louisiana

Economic and Policy Issues in Sustaining an Adequate Oil Spill Contingency Fund in the Aftermath of a Catastrophic Incident

Integration of Behind-the-Meter Solar into Distribution Feeders: The Importance of Time Resolution on Model Results

Potential for Clean Hydrogen Demand in Louisiana

Identifying Exception Events Affecting PM Concentrations in the Baton Rouge Area

Economic Implications Related to the Buildout of the Offshore Wind Energy Industry Across the United States

war-in-iran-impact-on-oil-prices

Executive Director of the LSU Center for Energy Studies available for interviews

Interim Executive Director & Associate Research Professor

  As global markets respond to escalating tensions in Iran, energy prices are once again at the center of international concern. For insight into what this conflict could mean for oil markets, consumers and the broader economy, media can turn to Greg Upton, executive director and associate research professor at the LSU Center for Energy Studies.

An expert at the intersection of energy and environmental economics, Upton studies how geopolitical disruptions, supply constraints and policy decisions influence oil prices and downstream economic impacts. As instability in the Middle East threatens global supply chains, he can provide context on potential price volatility, implications for Louisiana’s energy sector and what higher crude prices may mean for gasoline costs and inflation in the United States.

Upton has contributed to more than 40 academic publications and has presented his research to over 200 industry, government and academic audiences. He has testified before committees in both chambers of the Louisiana Legislature and a subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives. A frequent voice in national and local media, Upton has been quoted or cited more than 250 times, including by the The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today and NPR.

In addition to his research, Upton teaches in LSU’s MBA program and in the Department of Economics and Environmental Sciences, helping prepare the next generation of leaders to navigate complex energy and environmental challenges.

For timely, data-driven analysis on the impact of oil price fluctuations amid the ongoing conflict in Iran, Dr. Greg Upton is available for interviews and expert commentary.


War in Iran: Impact on Oil Prices

lsu-expert-available-lowest-gas-prices-in-years

  Greg Upton, an LSU expert in energy economics, is available for media interviews on why gas prices have fallen to their lowest levels in years.


LSU Expert Available: Lowest Gas Prices in Years

lsu-launches-energy-institute

The LSU Energy Institute is a new, interdisciplinary research institute designed to strengthen the university’s leadership—and resulting impact—in energy research, natural resource management, and innovation.  

This strategic move aligns with LSU’s Scholarship First Agenda, where energy is one of five core focus areas for research critical to the future of Louisiana and the nation. It also builds on the successes of LSU’s Institute for Energy Innovation, Center for Energy Studies, Louisiana Geological Survey, and the LSU-led FUEL team while assuming a leadership role in how the university engages with its partners—industry, communities, donors, and state and federal agencies—through collaboration and service.

“As Louisiana’s flagship research university, LSU is committed to organizing our efforts in ways that maximize impact and reflect institutional priorities,” said Robert Twilley, LSU vice president of research and economic development. “The LSU Energy Institute will provide a platform for faculty across multiple colleges and disciplines to collaborate on solutions to Louisiana’s most pressing energy and environmental challenges.”

The LSU Energy Institute will unify and expand several longstanding programs, chiefly the Center for Energy Studies, the Louisiana Geological Survey, and a range of externally funded initiatives, including cutting-edge energy research catalyzed by the LSU Institute for Energy Innovation through a dedicated $25 million investment from Shell.

 This results-focused realignment reflects a broader effort across LSU to improve coordination between strategic research projects and teams with increased support from research centers, institutes, and core facilities. As LSU’s flagship unit in the energy domain, the Energy Institute will enhance the university’s ability to align interdisciplinary research and policy with Louisiana’s energy economy and environmental stewardship goals.

“The reorganization of LSU energy efforts into this institute reflects both a long-standing legacy of service and a renewed vision for the future of energy research in Louisiana. It’s about building on 40 years of trusted work while expanding our capacity to innovate, support decisionmakers, and serve the people of our state, said Greg Upton, interim director of the LSU Energy Institute and executive director of the LSU Center for Energy Studies.

The LSU Energy Institute will serve as a central hub for faculty, students, industry, and public agencies working at the intersection of energy technology, resource economics, environmental protection, and policy. The integration of the Louisiana Geological Survey will further reinforce the university’s role in providing critical data and analysis to support state planning and hazard assessment. The institute will also continue to seed competitive, high-quality research focused on energy systems resilience, carbon management, and economic opportunity. These investments reflect LSU’s broader vision to translate research into impact and fuel new jobs and technologies to power Louisiana’s future.

Original article posted here. 


LSU Launches Energy Institute

LSU Center for Energy Studies' Dr. Greg Upton was interviewed in May 2018 regarding the rising price of oil. 
Video used with permission from Louisiana Public Broadcasting.

LSU Center for Energy Studies' Dr. Greg Upton discusses oil prices on Louisiana the State We're In

LSU Center for Energy Studies Associate Professor and Interim Executive Director Greg Upton discusses the energy transition along the Gulf Coast at the New Orleans Entrepreneur Week event, March 30, 2023.

LSU Center for Energy Studies' Dr. Greg Upton discusses energy transition at NOEW March 30, 2023

Companies here in the U.S. are facing demands from global customers to produce products that are made with a low carbon intensity. In “Louisiana’s Opportunity - The Science Behind CCS,” Dr. Greg Upton, Executive Director at LSU Center for Energy Studies, explains that CCS is the solution to creating these sustainable products while remaining economically competitive. #energytransition #CCSLouisiana #Louisianaopportunity #letothersmakenoise

For more information, visit www.thetjcgroup.com

Dr. Greg Upton | LSU Center for Energy Studies

LSU Center for Energy Studies' Dr. Greg Upton presented an analysis of a proposed severance tax exemption to the La. House Committee on Ways & Means, May 2021. 
This video is used with permission from the Louisiana Legislative Communications Office.

LSU Center for Energy Studies' Dr. Greg Upton at La. House Ways &amp; Means, May 2021

LSU Center for Energy Studies' Dr. Greg Upton presents his mineral revenues report to the Louisiana House of Representatives' Joint Ways & Means Committee, Jan. 2021.
Video used with permission from the Louisiana Legislative Communications Office.

LSU Center for Energy Studies' Dr. Greg Upton presents mineral revenues report

Designed for early-career professionals, those transitioning into energy, and individuals seeking career growth in industry or government, this course is an ideal opportunity to deepen your knowledge and expand your network.

https://lsu.edu/ces/events/energyfundamentals2025.php

Energy Fundamentals - LSU Center for Energy Studies

WBRZ - Gasoline Prices and Ukraine - March 3, 2022

Center for Energy Studies Executive Director Greg Upton participated in the Louisiana Energy Security Summit: Unleashing American Abundance in a Changing Global Landscape on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, in Baton Rouge. The event examined how the U.S. could maximize its carbon advantage by integrating advanced technologies, fostering public-private partnerships, and addressing the challenges of decarbonizing the U.S. economy.

Media Inquiry