Dr. Rebekah Shirley, Research Fellow

Dr. Rebekah Shirley is the Director of Research, Data & Innovation at the World Resources Institute, Africa, where she works to create widespread public access to data and insights, helping to mobilize sustainable development solutions. She previously held a five-year tenure as the Chief of Research at Power for All, an educational and awareness-raising non-profit focused on energy access delivery. She has over fourteen years of experience conducting and leading research that is interdisciplinary, international, and applied. For this work, Rebekah was named a GWEC Revolutionary Award Finalist in 2020, an ESI Africa Power and Energy Leader in 2019, and Africa Utility Week’s Outstanding Young Leader in Energy in 2018. Rebekah earned her Ph.D. from the Energy and Resources Group at the University of California, Berkeley, where she previously obtained her MSc. Energy Resources and an MSc. Civil Engineering. Her research explores power system design in emerging markets, and the integration of socio-cultural, ecological, and resource management perspectives into power system planning tools for Africa, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia. She works with government and community stakeholders across geographies to innovate, implement and assess solutions at the intersection of climate resilience, mobility, agriculture, forestry, oceans, and energy. Rebekah was a University of California Chancellor’s Fellow and has won grants from institutions such as the Department of Energy, the Mott Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation that support her research. Rebekah is an Energy for Growth Hub Science Fellow, a KCRC Fellow, and a Visiting Research Fellow at Strathmore University, where she mentors students and young researchers. Rebekah lives in Nairobi, Kenya.