I am an ORISE Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Human Dimensions Department of the U.S. Forest Service and an Instructor in the Forest and Rangeland Stewardship Department at Colorado State University. I earned my Ph.D. in Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics at Colorado State University, and both my M.S. and B.S. in Applied Economics at the University of Arizona.
Research
My research program focuses on environmental and natural resource economics, with a particular emphasis on water resources and climate change. I address policy-relevant questions that bear implications for the sustainability and resilience of economic systems, as well as the responsible management of natural resources. To answer these questions, I prioritize the careful development of comprehensive datasets, rigorous quantitative analysis, and transparent communication. I analyze drivers of water use and technology adoption, the impact of climate variability on economic outcomes, and the economic efficiency of water allocation mechanisms and markets. Overall, my work aims to assist policymakers, resource managers, and communities in understanding and optimally responding to environmental changes.
Interdisciplinary Work
I strongly believe that interdisciplinary collaboration is essential for addressing complex environmental and resource challenges. During my Ph.D., I completed a traineeship in the National Science Foundation Research Traineeship Program, which focused on interdisciplinary research for policy-driven science. Since then, I have worked with engineers on assessing the value of reservoir storage, hydrologists and climate scientists on the agricultural implications of hydroclimatic change in irrigation-dependent regions, and soil and crop scientists on avoided global land use change attributable to U.S. irrigation. These collaborations have broadened my ability to conduct and communicate meaningful research that resonates with a wide range of academics and stakeholders.
Teaching
Alongside my research, I have taught both undergraduate and graduate-level courses in applied microeconomics and data science. I am currently an instructor for F322: Economics of the Forest Environment at Colorado State University and have previously taught AREC202: Agricultural and Resource Economics. During my Ph.D., I developed and delivered a course on statistical programming in R for graduate students in economics. In addition, I have been invited to give guest lectures on applying machine learning methods to economic research. My teaching philosophy emphasizes balancing theoretical microeconomic concepts with their practical application to real-world economic data. I believe this approach helps students develop economic intuition while building the skills to apply theory in meaningful ways.
Data Science
Research
My research program focuses on environmental and natural resource economics, with a particular emphasis on water resources and climate change. I address policy-relevant questions that bear implications for the sustainability and resilience of economic systems, as well as the responsible management of natural resources. To answer these questions, I prioritize the careful development of comprehensive datasets, rigorous quantitative analysis, and transparent communication. I analyze drivers of water use and technology adoption, the impact of climate variability on economic outcomes, and the economic efficiency of water allocation mechanisms and markets. Overall, my work aims to assist policymakers, resource managers, and communities in understanding and optimally responding to environmental changes.
Interdisciplinary Work
I strongly believe that interdisciplinary collaboration is essential for addressing complex environmental and resource challenges. During my Ph.D., I completed a traineeship in the National Science Foundation Research Traineeship Program, which focused on interdisciplinary research for policy-driven science. Since then, I have worked with engineers on assessing the value of reservoir storage, hydrologists and climate scientists on the agricultural implications of hydroclimatic change in irrigation-dependent regions, and soil and crop scientists on avoided global land use change attributable to U.S. irrigation. These collaborations have broadened my ability to conduct and communicate meaningful research that resonates with a wide range of academics and stakeholders.
Teaching
Alongside my research, I have taught both undergraduate and graduate-level courses in applied microeconomics and data science. I am currently an instructor for F322: Economics of the Forest Environment at Colorado State University and have previously taught AREC202: Agricultural and Resource Economics. During my Ph.D., I developed and delivered a course on statistical programming in R for graduate students in economics. In addition, I have been invited to give guest lectures on applying machine learning methods to economic research. My teaching philosophy emphasizes balancing theoretical microeconomic concepts with their practical application to real-world economic data. I believe this approach helps students develop economic intuition while building the skills to apply theory in meaningful ways.
Data Science
I have strong quantitative and programming skills that are not fully captured in my academic CV. I have spent several years as a consultant at various firms and data science companies working on policy-relevant topics with computer scientists, statisticians, and other Ph.D. social scientists. Through this work, I have gained experience in remote sensing with a focus on image classification, designing machine learning algorithms to solve complex problems related to the production benefits of irrigation, and analyzing water price data to estimate the likely impacts of proposed policies.