Writing and Research
Publications
Peer-reviewed research, policy reports, and working papers across energy policy, international relations, and human rights.
Published
Peer-Reviewed and Policy Work
Published · Jun 2024
China's Green Energy Transition under Xi Jinping
Maria Rehman
Publisher: Foreign Analysis
An examination of China's environmental policy transformation under Xi Jinping — from the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter to a self-styled climate leader, holding 39% of global wind capacity and 36% of solar, while navigating the tension between rapid industrialization and carbon neutrality by 2060.
Published · Feb 2023
Protecting Minority Groups
Maria Rehman
Publisher: The Nation (Pakistan)
An examination of Pakistan's blasphemy laws and their disproportionate impact on religious minorities — tracing the legal and structural roots of discrimination and calling for comprehensive reform to protect vulnerable populations from institutional and mob-driven persecution.
Published · Aug 2022
Changing Contours of Arctic Politics and the Prospects for Cooperation between Russia and China
Maria Rehman
Publisher: The Arctic Institute — Center for Circumpolar Security Studies
An analysis of shifting geopolitical dynamics in the Arctic region, examining the evolving relationship between Russia and China and prospects for bilateral cooperation in circumpolar security and governance.
Published
Community Voices and Renewable Futures: A Review of Public Opinion and Community Engagement in the Energy Transition
Christine Mahoney, Emily Anstett, Skylar Brement, Maria Rehman, Jenny Tran
Publisher: Resilient Appalachia Project, University of Virginia
A review of public opinion research and community engagement strategies in the energy transition, examining how community voices shape renewable energy development outcomes in Appalachian Virginia.
This paper reviews the landscape of public opinion and community engagement research as it relates to renewable energy development and the broader energy transition. It synthesizes findings on how community attitudes, local engagement processes, and public trust influence the success or failure of clean energy projects, with particular focus on Appalachian Virginia. The review identifies key drivers of community support and resistance, offering implications for policymakers and developers seeking more inclusive energy transition pathways.
Forthcoming and Under Review
Working Papers
Forthcoming
Here Comes the Sun: Understanding Keys to Solar Energy Success in Virginia
Christine Mahoney, Emily Anstett, Skylar Brement, Maria Rehman, Jenny Tran
Journal: Energy, Sustainability, and Society
Examines the political, geographic, and media-related factors driving solar energy development outcomes across Virginia, drawing on integrated datasets and statistical analysis to identify determinants of project success.
Virginia presents a compelling case for studying renewable energy development: it has among the highest energy demand in the United States and hosts nearly 35% of the world's data centers. This paper examines what drives solar energy project success in Virginia, integrating political, geographic, media, and socioeconomic variables. Using statistical modeling, we identify the community-level factors that most significantly shape renewable development outcomes — with implications for energy policy, investment strategy, and the broader clean energy transition.
Under Review
Broadcasting Solar Power: Understanding Media Effects on Renewable Development Success in Virginia
Maria Rehman, Christine Mahoney, Jenny Tran, Emily Anstett
Supervisor: Christine Mahoney · University of Virginia
Investigates how media framing shapes public and policy responses to renewable energy projects in Virginia, using statistical modeling to isolate and quantify media effects on development outcomes.
Media coverage plays an increasingly important role in shaping public attitudes toward infrastructure and energy projects. This paper investigates whether and how media framing influences the success of renewable energy development in Virginia. Drawing on a novel dataset integrating media variables with project-level and county-level data, we employ statistical modeling to isolate the effect of media attention and framing on solar energy project outcomes — contributing to a growing literature on the political economy of the energy transition.
Policy Reports
Policy Report
Policy Report · 2025
USAID DREAMS Project: Policy Alternatives for HIV Outcomes Among Women in Sub-Saharan Africa
Maria Rehman
Client: United States Agency for International Development (USAID) · 44 pages
Developed four evidence-based policy alternatives to improve HIV outcomes among women in Sub-Saharan Africa. Included cost-effectiveness analysis, root-cause analysis with USAID stakeholders, and targeted recommendations delivered to a Legislative Assistant.
This capstone report advises USAID's DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe) initiative on improving HIV outcomes among adolescent girls and young women in Eswatini and Sub-Saharan Africa. Through root-cause analysis, cost-effectiveness modeling, and synthesis of expert interviews and UNAIDS data, four policy alternatives are developed and evaluated. The report identifies structural, programmatic, and financial drivers of elevated HIV rates and delivers targeted, evidence-based recommendations for prioritizing high-impact interventions.