Laura Helmke-Long is a doctoral candidate at Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA). She studies environmental and energy policy, environmental health, and environmental and energy justice issues. Laura grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She received her undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has a Master of Public Affairs degree from SPEA and a Master of Health Sciences degree from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Laura has worked for the government in various capacities, including positions with the Chicago Public Schools Magnet School Program, the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR Program, and as a contractor to the State Department while living in Serbia and Germany. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, hiking, reading, and cooking.