, ▁Massachusetts . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁Senior ▁Econom ist ▁and ▁Associ ate ▁Director ▁for ▁Social ▁Science ▁and ▁Policy , ▁University ▁of ▁Michigan ▁Energy ▁Institute ▁ ▁The ▁University ▁of ▁Michigan ▁Energy ▁Institute ▁consists ▁of ▁a ▁diverse ▁team ▁of ▁exper ts ▁in ▁the ▁over la pping ▁fields ▁of ▁econom ics , ▁science , ▁technology , ▁and ▁business . ▁As ▁a ▁Senior ▁Econom ist ▁with ▁the ▁Energy ▁Institute , ▁Hugh es - C rom wick ▁leads ▁projects ▁on ▁the ▁topics ▁of ▁energy , ▁econom ics , ▁policy ▁and ▁human ▁behaviour . ▁Hugh es - C rom wick ▁takes ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁Transport ation , ▁Econom ics , ▁Energy ▁and ▁the ▁Environment ▁conference ▁ann ually . ▁ ▁Chief ▁Econom ist , ▁U . S . ▁Department ▁of ▁Com merce ▁ ▁On ▁December ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁the ▁States ▁News ▁Service ▁reported ▁that ▁Pen ny ▁P ritz ker , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Com merce , ▁announced ▁Ellen ▁Hugh es - C rom wick ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁next ▁Chief ▁Econom ist ▁for ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Department ▁of ▁Com merce . ▁Hugh es - C rom wick ▁was ▁Chief ▁Econom ist ▁at ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Department ▁of ▁Com merce ▁during ▁the ▁Ob ama ▁administration ▁and ▁worked ▁to ▁develop ▁the ▁President ' s ▁economic ▁forec ast . ▁During ▁her ▁appointment ▁as ▁Chief ▁Econom ist , ▁Hugh es - C rom wick ▁focused ▁on ▁expand ing ▁trade ▁and ▁invest ment ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁impro ving ▁data ▁quality ▁and