mjohnston@wisc.edu
Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment
University of Wisconsin-Madison
1710 University Avenue, Room 287
Madison, WI 53726 USA
608-890-0337
608-265-4113 fax
 
Download Matt’s CV

Matt Johnston is an Environment and Resources Ph.D. candidate studying energy policy in the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE). His energy research is advised by Dr. Tracey Holloway and supported by a Roy F. Weston Distinguished Graduate Fellowship. Matt’s dissertation research, building on his M.S. work, is focused on the land-use and air-quality impacts of increased biofuels production and consumption. His master’s research assessed global potential for biodiesel (both volumes and prices) from existing agricultural sources and compared individual country results across economic, energy, and environmental metrics to determine which are most likely to realize their potential. This research, titled “A Global Comparison of National Biodiesel Production Potentials”, was published in the December 2007 issue of Environmental Science and Technology.  His latest research includes a series of projects investigating the potential to expand agricultural production, whether through increased yields or increased area, to meet growing biofuels demand and assessing the environmental impacts that may result. 
 
In addition to his biofuels research, Matt has been very active in outreach projects through the Energy Analysis and Policy graduate certificate program.  Working with the Apollo Alliance and Center on Wisconsin Strategy (COWS), Matt co-developed the ‘Get Green Fast’ software package to help maximize the benefits of green building retrofits on large inventories of buildings.  Other projects include helping the City of Madison organize a green purchasing strategy, performing a cost-benefit analysis of hybrid-electric vehicles in the State of Wisconsin Fleet, working with the Planning and Development Office to conduct a feasibility study of adding photovoltaic solar panels to the Madison City Hall building, and developing a commercial composting plan for Whole Foods Market’s Madison store.
 
Before his Ph.D. studies, Matt received a B.S. in Computer Science (1999) and a M.S. in Land Resources (2006) from UW-Madison and has worked in a variety of industry roles with Intel Corporation and AstroPower, Inc. (now GE Energy).
 
Matt’s interests outside of SAGE include: SCUBA diving, world travel, outdoor recreation, the latest technology gadgets and films and music from nearly all genres.
 
For more information on energy research at UW-Madison, please visit the Energy Institute's web site.