Data centers: presentations from the September 22 working luncheon hosted by MSU

On September 22, 2026, Michigan State University's Institute for Public Policy and Social Research (IPPSR) held a Public Policy Forum on data centers: a working luncheon in the Mackinac Room of the Anderson House Office Building in downtown Lansing.

Three MSU faculty members presented. Dr. Jean Hardy, Associate Professor of Media & Information and Associate Director of the Quello Center for Media & Information Policy, spoke on the different kinds and sizes of data centers and their community and economic impacts. Dr. Erik Nordman, of the MSU Institute of Public Utilities, spoke on data centers and Michigan utilities, including their possible effect on electricity prices. Dr. Dong Zhao, Professor of Construction Management and Civil Engineering, spoke on the design and construction of data centers, their cooling and their water use.

Their slides are below, linked to the copies IPPSR published.