Research
RESEARCH THEMES
Regional Economics
My main area of specialization is general equilibrium modeling, with focus on input-output analysis and regional econometric input-output models. I am also in trained in spatial and maximum entropy econometrics. I work on the intersection of economic systems with environmental/physical systems, integrating energy, environmental, health, demographics and GIS extensions to the framework. I pay particular attention to spatio-temporal aspects of these relationships and on their feedbacks.
This passion for regional modeling steams from the fact that economic systems are intrinsically interrelated and this spatial connectivity can result in interesting unintended heterogeneous phenomena in distinct areas at distinct times.
Disaster Economics
My main focus is estimating the economic consequences of natural disasters and optimization of recovery efforts. This is accomplished by combining regional I-O models with urban models and analyzing the process at both short and long-run.
Several works have been funded by external agencies such as NASA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Environmental Economics
My research has been focused on the temporal and spatial aspects of environmental issues. I have recently worked on topics related to carbon emission, gray water footprint and choice of data scale in conservation studies.
Current and future projects are linked to climate change like the nexus water-crops-food safety, main drivers of the international evolution of negative environmental externalities, and regional growth and urban metabolism.