Director, Island Policy Lab and Assistant Professor of Energy & Environmental Policy, University of Delaware
Dr. Shah is a sustainable development strategist and technical subject-matter expert with over 18 years of experience as an international consultant and researcher in public policy and institutions mostly directed to the energy, environment, sustainability and green economy arenas.
His advisory and analytical work has specifically influenced energy, climate and regulatory policy in Guyana, Suriname, and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States through his work with governments, multilateral and industry. Project examples include implementing regulatory impact assessments, evaluating public health training for the Pan American Health Organization, leading CARICOM’s energy-efficient lighting program evaluations, and enhancing island disaster resilience for Global Affairs Canada. Dr. Shah’s most recent projects include industry ESG analysis in Trinidad & Tobago, climate strategy for the IADB Compete Caribbean Program, and crafting the Marshall Islands’ first National Adaptation Plan. He is the CEO/Principal of Valinor Research & Consulting LLC.
At the Joseph R. Biden Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration, as Professor of Energy and Environmental Policy, Dr. Shah directs the Island Policy Lab (IPL), pioneering research in clean technology diffusion, policy adoption models, and climate governance for small economies. The IPL’s work, with significant funding from entities like NOAA, NSF, and various governments, includes studying the health-environment-climate nexus in Jamaican tourism, assessing new plastic substitutes in the US, and integrating climate services in Caribbean energy planning.
As one of the most cited, he has published over 60 peer-reviewed papers on topics ranging from climate-proofing energy infrastructure to climate-smart agriculture. As the Coordinator of the United Nations Universities Consortium of Small Island States, he plays a crucial role in environmental policy and sustainable development. Dr. Shah is also involved as a Lead Author for the UN Global Environmental Outlook Reports, Editorial member of several leading academic journals, Panel Expert Reviewer for the Dutch Research Council Caribbean program, NSF and other prestigious expert committees.
He was a Fulbright Scholar, with a Ph.D. in Public and Environmental Policy from George Mason University and a Masters in Natural Resource Management from the University of the West Indies, Barbados. His extensive field experience in the Wider Caribbean and Latin America, starting in Trinidad & Tobago, now extends well into the Pacific, South East Asia, African and Indian Ocean regions.