Professor Hughes's research focuses on energy markets, especially as applied to the transportation sector. In particular, his work investigates how consumers and firms respond to the incentives embedded in policy choices. Professor Hughes' contributions fall into three main areas: climate change and renewable energy policy; driver behavior and urban traffic congestion; and freight transportation and goods movement.
keywords
Transportation and energy economics, Industrial organization and environmental economics
ECON 3545 - Environmental Economics
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2020
Highlights causes of excessive environmental pollution and tools for controlling it through economic analysis, values of preservation and distribution of costs and benefits from environmental protection programs. Credit given in this course is not included in the calculation of an economics major GPA. Degree credit not granted for this course and ECON 4545.
ECON 4545 - Environmental Economics
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2019
Examines the effects of economic growth on the environment; application of economic theory of external diseconomies, cost-benefit analysis, program budgeting, and welfare economics to problems of the physical environment. Degree credit not granted for this course and ECON 3545.
ECON 4555 - Transportation Economics and Policy
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2019
Provides an overview of the characteristics and structure of transportation markets including aggregate demand, vehicle and mode choice, surface freight and air travel. Explores market failures in the transportation sector including market power and externalities such as pollution, congestion and accidents as well as policies aimed at addressing these issues.
ECON 8545 - Environmental Economics II
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2018 / Fall 2020
Provides advanced study of recent advances in environmental economics and explores opportunities for new research. Topics vary with interests of instructor and students.
ENVS 6301 - Environmental and Energy Economics
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2018 / Fall 2019
Introduces non-economists to the study of energy markets, environmental externalities, economic regulation and public policy. This applied course uses examples from electricity generation, renewable energy, manufacturing, transportation and other energy intensive industries. A variety of policy instruments will be studies, including: technology standards, subsidies, environmental mandates, rate-based policies, emissions taxes and cap-and-trade systems.
