Gund Graduate Fellow, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources

Hilary is interested in how people respond to incentives in making decisions that affect the environment. She applies insights from behavioral economics to advance nature conservation and human wellbeing.

Previously, Hilary has researched agricultural development and drought vulnerability across India and lived in Gujarat. Prior to graduate school, she worked for an international grant-making organization that funds grassroots environmental projects. A Colorado native, Hilary feels at home knee-deep in snow in the thin Rocky Mountain air.

Advisor: Brendan Fisher 
 

Contact

Email:

hilary.byerly@uvm.edu

Office Location:

Johnson House, 617 Main Street

Areas of Expertise and/or Research

Behavioral economics, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, poverty and development, econometrics, spatial analysis

Education

  • MS, Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University
  • BA, Environmental Studies & International Affairs, University of Colorado, Boulder

Research and/or Creative Works

Hilary’s research evaluates conservation strategies and their impacts on social and environmental goals. She is currently nudging land management decisions and testing for biases in conservation preferences. She is also interested in applying behavioral and experimental economics to measure and improve the effects of conservation programs on human wellbeing, livelihoods, and biodiversity in less developed countries.