This website uses cookies as well as similar tools and technologies to understand visitors’ experiences. By continuing to use this website, you consent to Columbia University’s usage of cookies and similar technologies, in accordance with the Columbia University Website Cookie Notice.
Energy Explained
Get the latest as our experts share their insights on global energy policy.
The Future of LNG Trade: Inflexible, Inefficient, and Polarized?
This Energy Explained post represents the research and views of the author. It does not necessarily represent the views of the Center on Global Energy Policy. The piece...
Podcasts
Hear in-depth conversations with the world’s top energy and climate leaders from government, business, academia, and civil society.
The Nexus of Climate Policy and National Security
As President Biden’s national security advisor, Jake Sullivan laid out a strategy for what he called a “foreign policy for the middle class.” Using the metaphor of a...
Events
Find out more about our upcoming and past events.
April 29, 2025
• 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
edt
Stabilizing Your Career in a Rapidly Changing Industry
Please join the Women in Energy initiative at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia SIPA for a public roundtable featuring Claire Steichen, Founder of Clear Strategy Coaching. The fast-evolving energy...
Event
• Online
News
Katherine Spector, Leading Energy Market Analyst, Joins Center on Global Energy Policy
December 1, 2017
NEW YORK, December 1, 2017 – The Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) announced today that Katherine Spector, a leading energy market analyst, has joined as a Research Scholar where she will focus on global commodities, energy markets and policy.
“We’re excited to have Katherine join the CGEP-SIPA team,” said Jason Bordoff, Professor of Professional Practice in International and Public Affairs and Founding Director of the Center on Global Energy Policy. “Her expertise in energy markets and economics will be invaluable to our research program. As the global energy sector faces new disruption, sound analysis and insights are key to formulating effective government policy.”
“It’s an honor to be joining such an impressive roster of energy experts as well as a world class university,” said Spector. “CGEP is well-positioned not only to lead the debate on critical energy policy issues, but to provide a valuable link between academia, policymakers and the private sector, and I look forward to being part of that conversation.”
Spector has a long career in energy market analysis. Over the past fifteen years, she produced thought-leading research at major banks. Most recently, she initiated Commodities Strategy for the sales and trading desk at CIBC World Markets based in New York where she was responsible for the bank’s energy price forecasts and market views. Her analysis included global energy supply/demand fundamentals, money flows, and geopolitics.
Prior to joining CIBC, she headed the Global Energy Strategy group as part of JPMorgan’s Commodities Sales & Trading team. She was an Energy Strategist on the Deutsche Bank Commodity Sales & Trading desk, and worked as the editor of Oil Market Intelligence at the Energy Intelligence Group. She worked as a consultant with Industrial Economics, Inc. where her work included litigation support for the deregulation of natural gas utilities. She has also served as an adjunct faculty member at SIPA.
Spector is currently a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the board of the New York Energy Forum.
She graduated with honors with a degree in Political Science from Yale University, where her research focused on patterns of rent distribution in petro-states, and implications for democratization.
###
About the Center on Global Energy Policy: The Center on Global Energy Policy is an independent, nonpartisan, academic organization at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. CGEP seeks to strengthen the understanding of global energy policy issues and support leaders working to solve today’s most pressing energy challenges. To achieve its mission, CGEP conducts world-class academic research; convenes leaders from around the world to advance the energy dialogue; builds bridges with partners beyond the academy to connect rigorous analysis with real-world applications and systems; and trains students to become the next generation of energy scholars, executives and policymakers. Based at one of the world’s great research universities located in the heart of New York City, Columbia University is Where the World Connects for Energy Policy.
Related
More News
The US doesn’t have a climate policy now — until Washington is back at the global table, world environmental progress will be slow: Noah Kaufman
Economist Noah Kaufman discusses the complexities of America's energy transition, highlighting the decline of coal despite federal rhetoric. He emphasizes the need to address the economic vulnerabilities of fossil fuel-dependent communities, particularly oil and gas regions often overlooked in climate policies. Kaufman also warns that potential tariffs and US disengagement from global climate agreements could hinder progress.
The real impacts of Trump 2.0 on energy finance
Be sure to sign into your Energy Central account (register for free here) to access this full post with the podcast recording. What does a change in U.S. presidential administrations have to do with stalled solar farms in Sub-Saharan Africa or wind projects in Southeast Asia? As it turns out, quite a lot. On this episode of Power Perspectives, we explore how U.S. policy shifts
Earth Day 2025: How the Trump administration’s policies will impact global decarbonization
The actions of the Trump administration will significantly decelerate the race to decarbonize economies around the world, according to energy and climate change experts.
Relevant
Publications
The Future of LNG Trade: Inflexible, Inefficient, and Polarized?
This Energy Explained post represents the research and views of the author. It does not necessarily represent the views of the Center on Global Energy Policy. The piece...
Robert J. Johnston: President Trump has thrown down the economic gauntlet. Canada must be unified in our response
Pitting Western Canada against Eastern Canada is a terrible strategy for winning Trump’s trade war
