MSU Institute of Public Utilities welcomes Erik Nordman as new director
Print
EmailNordman joins the Institute from Grand Valley State University, following a nationwide search.
Michigan State University Extension is pleased to welcome Erik Nordman as the new director of the Institute of Public Utilities (IPU), effective July 1, 2025. In addition to leading IPU, Nordman also has an academic appointment as an associate professor in the MSU Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
Established at MSU in 1965 by Harry Trebing, IPU has cemented its position as a nationally recognized provider of education, research, and outreach focused on the regulation of essential utilities, including electric, natural gas, water, and broadband services. By supporting public-interest governance through interdisciplinary training programs, policy forums, and applied research, IPU strengthens regulatory institutions and promotes informed decision-making in the utility policy community.
In 2020, the Institute strategically transitioned to a high-quality synchronous remote learning model that allowed for expanded access to professional development, reduced participation costs, strengthened engagement, and minimized environmental impact. In 2023, IPU relocated from its previous administrative home with the College of Social Science to MSU Extension.
“We are incredibly proud to have the Institute as part of MSU Extension, bringing with it decades of program excellence and a strong network of expert practitioners,” said Dave Ivan, director of MSU Extension’s community, food and environment programs, including the IPU. “We’re excited to welcome Dr. Nordman and look forward to continued collaboration and success.”
A former Fulbright Scholar and State Department Virtual Fellow, Nordman joins MSU from Grand Valley State University, where he served as a tenured professor for 18 years focusing on natural resources management and environmental economics and policy. Nordman’s work also includes applications in energy, nature-based solutions, and the management of common-pool resources.
Nordman earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the State University of New York (SUNY) – College at Geneseo, followed by a master’s degree in forest resource management and a doctorate in environmental and natural resource policy from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse.
“From its founder Harry Trebing through the most recent work of director emeritus Janice Beecher, the IPU has a tremendous sixty-year legacy providing professional development and policy research for the utilities regulation community,” said Nordman. “I am honored to carry on that tradition during this exciting time for utility regulation and am eager to start working with my colleagues at MSU and beyond.”
Trebing served as the IPU’s founding director until retirement in 1991, becoming director emeritus until his passing in August 2019. From 2002-2023, the IPU was led by Professor Emeritus Janice Beecher, who will continue to engage with the IPU and MSU through research and programs in addition to her role as editor-in-chief of Utilities Policy (Elsevier).
To learn more about the Institute of Public Utilities, please visit their website at ipu.msu.edu.
