environmental economics, firm behavior, corporate social responsibility, voluntary environmental programs

My dissertation, titled “Beyond Compliance:  Three Essays on Voluntary Corporate Environmentalism,” focuses on corporate social responsibility and the environmental performance of firms.  My work helps explain when and why firms participate in voluntary environmental programs and go “beyond compliance” with environmental regulations.  I use a variety of methods, including economic modeling, econometrics, and the analysis of interview and survey data, to contribute to a field that has featured more theorizing than robust empirical analysis.   My work is relevant to scholars, policymakers, and corporate managers who want to understand how firms make decisions about environmental quality specifically and the provision of public goods in general.

My other research sits at the intersection of science and public policy.  One paper examines the use of climate forecasting information in local decision making.  Another paper examines choices made under the Endangered Species Act. A final area of my research focuses on better understanding free-riding behavior in political, economic, and diplomatic contexts.

"Beyond Compliance: Uncertainty and Deterrence at U.S. Pulp and Paper Plants."  Dissertation Chapter 1, July 3, 2008.

"Why Do They Join? An Exploration of Business Participation in Voluntary Environmental Programs." Dissertation Chapter 2, July 3, 2008. An earlier version appear as Chapter 4 in "Beyond Compliance: Business Decision Making and the US EPA's Performance Track Program," Regulatory Policy Program Report RPP-10, Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government, Harvard University, 2006. With Cary Coglianese and Jennifer Nash.

"Shifting the Environmental Performance Curve"  Dissertation Chapter 3, July 3, 2008.

"State and Federal Performance-Based Environmental Programs: Assessing Goals, Activities, Communication, and Data Collection."  Working paper, February 2008. With Cary Coglianese and Jennifer Nash. An updated version of this paper is forthcoming in Ecology Law Quarterly.

"Evaluating the Social Effects of Performance-Based Environmental Programs."  Working paper, February 2008. With Cary Coglianese and Jennifer Nash. An updated version of this paper is forthcoming in Environmental Law Reporter.

"Countering the ‘Loading Dock’ Approach to Linking Science and Decision Making: A Comparative Analysis of ENSO Forecasting Systems." Science, Technology and Human Values, Volume 31, Number 4, July 2006, p. 465-494. With David W. Cash and Anthony G. Patt.

"Decision Making in Endangered Species Management." Journal of Public and International Affairs, Volume 16, Spring 2005, p. 70-93.

"Demanding Free Riders." Working paper, April 28, 2005. With David King and Richard Zeckhauser.

"Contribution Shares in Alliances." Proceedings of the IASTED International Conference on Alliances, Mergers, and Acquisitions, July 2003, p. 32-38. With David King and Richard Zeckhauser.

My teaching experience is varied. I have taught core economic and econometric methods and specialized environmental topics to undergraduates, master’s students, and doctoral candidates. My teaching philosophy is simple: to excite students about economics and its role in the world around them.

Examples of syllabi from my courses are below.

Economic Perspectives on Current U.S. Environmental Policies: How Benefit-Cost Analysis Can Save the World. Department of Economics, Harvard University.

Principles of Microeconomics. Mid-Career Master's Program, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Principles of Microeconomics. Department of Economics, Northeastern University.

Senior Seminar. Department of Economics, Northeastern University.