Bio


Rachel Herring (Choctaw Nation) is investigating pathways towards a Just Transition as an E-IPER PhD student. Previously, she has recommended policy alternatives for domestic mining with the Department of Energy’s Indian Energy Program, and has explored impacts of critical mineral extraction on Native land as a Kathryn Wasserman Davis Conflict Transformation Fellow. Additionally, as a Fulbright Fellow and National Geographic Explorer, Rachel continues to investigate the intersection between the clean energy transition and the depopulation crisis in rural Japan. She was named a Next Generation Photographer by the 2024 Japan Photo Award in Kyoto, and her work has appeared in the New York Times. She holds an MA in International Environmental Policy from the Middlebury Institute, and a BA from New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study.

Education & Certifications


  • M.A., Middlebury Institute of International Studies, International Environmental Policy, Japanese (2023)
  • B.A., New York University, Gallatin School of Individualized Study (2016)

All Publications