CV:

I am a Professor at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. I am also a Research Associate at the National Bureau for Economic Research. My research examines energy and environmental economics and policy, often with a focus on energy markets and firms' behavior. Much of my work studies how markets and public policies affect the costs and environmental impacts of energy supply, using insights and methods from industrial organization. Specific research questions I have investigated include:
  • What are the relative impacts of pricing carbon versus subsidizing clean generation in the U.S. electricity sector?
  • How does the structure of oil and gas leases affect firms' drilling decisions, landowners' returns, and oil and gas extraction?
  • How effective are climate policies that aim to "keep carbon in the ground" by preventing the construction of fossil fuel transportation infrastructure?
  • How does the Jones Act affect U.S. petroleum product markets?
  • Does firms' productivity increase most during booms or busts?
  • How does uncertainty about future oil prices affect firms' decision-making?
  • How have gasoline content regulations affected U.S. air quality?
I teach introductory microeconomics for public policy, with courses tailored to undergraduate policy majors and to professional evening masters students. I also teach a course in energy and environmental economics for PhD students. I earned a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2008. Prior to my graduate studies, I worked for BP in Houston, TX and Anchorage, AK for four years as an engineer and economic analyst. I earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a B.A. in Economics from Rice University in 1999. I grew up outside of Cleveland, OH.