Skip navigation

Scholars

an image of Genna Lehman
SRW Pat Turner Scholarship 2022

Genna Lehman

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade                                                                                           

Australian National University

PhD title: Japan’s economic security strategies: lessons for Australia

Genna’s policy experience has focused on geostrategic issues in our region, including advising on Australia’s relationship with ASEAN and the Quad, and a posting to Bangkok. She also has trade policy experience, including in the Office of the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment. Her combination of expertise sparked her interest in the increasing intersection between trade, foreign and security policy. She speaks Thai and Japanese.

Genna’s PhD thesis aims to draw lessons for Australia on ways our close partner, Japan, is managing geoeconomic dynamics. Her thesis will examine how Japanese industry has responded to geopolitical risks and the Japanese Government’s economic security policies. She plans to evaluate policy options for Australia to manage geoeconomic risks and will identify opportunities for Australia and Japan to enhance cooperation on geoeconomic issues.

Supervisor:
Dr Darren Lim
an image of Hannah Lord
Sir Roland Wilson Scholarship 2021

Hannah Lord

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Australian National University

PhD title: Political economy of cross-border electricity trading in Southeast Asia

Since joining the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2012, Hannah has worked in a variety of foreign policy and international development roles focusing on Southeast Asia and climate change.  During a posting to Laos from 2014-18, Hannah managed political and economic bilateral relations and development projects.  From 2018 to 2021, Hannah was part of Australia’s delegation to UN climate change negotiations and worked to integrate climate change across the Australian aid program.

Hannah’s research aims to improve understanding of the governance of the energy transition in Southeast Asia. Specifically, she is taking a case study approach to examining the growing trade in electricity in Southeast Asia. While regional electricity trade can support uptake of renewables, progress towards an ASEAN Power Grid has been incremental and its future development faces a complex set of political and economic barriers. Through her research, Hannah hopes to develop a better understanding of the factors supporting successful trading relationships, so as to inform regional diplomacy and technical assistance programs.

Supervisor:
Associate Professor Christian Downie

Lord H (2024) ‘Is Southeast Asia ready for a regional power grid?’, The Interpreter, Lowy Institute, https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/southeast-asia-ready-regional-power-grid

Image of Sir Roland Wilson scholar Michelle Lyons
Sir Roland Wilson Scholarship 2020

Michelle Lyons

The Australian National University

PhD title: Banking on Paris: The roles of public green banks in the transition to net zero emissions

View Chell's scholarship summary poster.

Chell’s doctoral research examines the role of public financial institutions which leverage private finance in the transition to net zero emissions, with a particular focus on public green banks. She was formerly a Climate Change Research Fellow in the Lowy Institute’s Indo Pacific Development Centre where her research focused on the intersections between climate finance, geoeconomics and climate justice.

Prior to commencing her Sir Roland Wilson scholarship, Chell was seconded to the ANU as the inaugural JW Land Research Fellow on the Grand Challenge on Zero Carbon Energy in the Asia Pacific, examining multilateral efforts to accelerate cross-border electricity trade within ASEAN. She has previously worked on international climate change negotiations, (including for the UNFCCC, G20 and IMO), Australia’s emissions projections, and carbon price development.

In 2017 she was selected as an Emerging Leader in the EU-Australia Leadership dialogue. In 2015, she was part of the winning team in the cross-cultural business accelerator CAMP and was invited to participate in the Beijing government’s OTEC accelerator and the Australian Government’s CSIRO:On business incubator. Chell has a Masters degree in Public Policy and an Honours degree in Media and Communications, both from the University of New South Wales.

From public service to climate scholar: Michelle Lyons on Green Banks and Net Zero

Supervisor:
Professor Frank Jotzo

Beck F J, Gourlay D, Lyons C and Venkataraman M B (2021) ‘The Hydrogen Economy’ in Baldwin K, Howden M, Smith M, Hussey K, and Dawson P (eds) Transitioning to a Prosperous, Resilient and Carbon-Free Economy: A Guide for Decision-Makers. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. doi:10.1017/9781316389553

White L V, Hughes L, Lyons C and Peng Y (2021) ‘Iterating localisation policies in support of energy transition: The case of the Australian Capital Territory’ Energy Policy 158, 112568. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421521004389?via%3Dihub

Lyons M (2023) ‘Setting the standard: An important step on the path to net zero emissions’, The Interpreter, Lowy Institute, https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/setting-standard-important-step-path-net-zero-emissions

Lyons C (21 July 2023) ‘International shipping: a missed opportunity to reduce emissions’, Devpolicy Blog, https://devpolicy.org/international-shipping-a-missed-opportunity-to-reduce-emissions-20230721/

Lyons M (2023) ‘Climate justice: friendshoring, China’s supremacy and America’s IR Act’, The Interpreter, Lowy Institute, https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/climate-justice-friendshoring-china-s-supremacy-america-s-ir-act

Jotzo F and Lyons M (2023) ‘Global Stocktake: Unlocking trillions for climate action’, The Interpreter, Lowy Institute, https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/global-stocktake-unlocking-trillions-climate-action

Lyons M and Neelam R (2023) ‘Down or out: The future of fossil fuels at COP28’, The Interpreter (Lowy Institute), https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/down-or-out-future-fossil-fuels-cop28

Alexandra C , Lyons M and Waters K (2023) Caring for Carers – a student-led investigation to better support ANU HDR carers, ANU Gender Institute, https://genderinstitute.anu.edu.au/news/report-caring-carers-student-led-investigation-better-support-anu-hdr-carers

Lyons M and White L V (2023) ‘How Green Banks can create multiple types of value in the transition to net zero emissions’ Australian Journal of Public Administration, December 2023, https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8500.12623

Neelam R and Lyons M (20 December 2023) ‘Is this the end of fossil fuels’ age?’ The Canberra Times, https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8465331/cop28-agreement-major-shift-in-climate-change-fight/

Neelam R and Lyons M (26 December 2023) ‘Australia and Japan must recast their energy relationship’ Nikkei Asia, https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/Australia-and-Japan-must-recast-their-energy-relationship

Lyons M, Rajah R and Stanhope G (2024) ‘Go big or go home: Australia should invest at scale in Southeast Asia’s energy transition’, The Interpreter, Lowy Institute, https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/go-big-or-go-home-australia-should-invest-scale-southeast-asia-s-energy-transition

Lyons M, Rajah R and Stanhope G (2024) ‘A multilateral bank for the Indo-Pacific?’ The Interpreter, Lowy Institute, https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/multilateral-bank-indo-pacific

Lyons M (2024) Lowy Institute Data Snapshot, Trump 2.0 would not derail the global energy transition, Lowy Institute, https://interactives.lowyinstitute.org/features/2024-us-presidential-election/donald-trump/article/trump-and-climate-policy/

Lyons M, Rajah R and Stanhope G (2024) ‘A new multilateral bank, not an American “Marshall Plan” alone, is the key to a clean energy future’, The Interpreter, Lowy Institute, https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/new-multilateral-bank-not-american-marshall-plan-alone-key-clean-energy-future

Lyons M, Rajah R and Stanhope G (2024) The case for an Indo-Pacific Economic Resilience Bank Lowy Institute, https://www.lowyinstitute.org/publications/case-indo-pacific-economic-resilience-bank

News and stories related to Michelle Lyons

 
The Sir Roland Wilson Foundation is a partnership between The Australian National University, Charles Darwin University and the Australian Public Service.