Information
for Prospective PhD Students wishing to study with Prof. Charles Kolstad
As of 2023,I became an emeritus
faculty member at Stanford. Additionally, I have physically returned to
Santa Barbara, California and resumed my position as Distinguished Professor of
Economics Emeritus at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), the third-oldest campus of the
University of California (along with UC Berkeley and UCLA). Emeritus faculty have many of the same duties
and privileges as non-emeritus faculty, except we do not regularly teach. I welcome PhD students who wish to study with
me at Stanford, though for practical reasons a secondary member of a PhD
committee is more appropriate than a primary research advisor. At UCSB, I am available to serve as a
research supervisor or committee member.
My research interests are broadly in environmental, energy
and natural resource economics, with a particular emphasis on climate
change. For students to work with me, I request that students be
seriously interested in developing their skills as environmental economists
while at Stanford (or UCSB).
Typically, Ph.D. students with an interest in working with
me train to be economists, with a research focus in environmental economics,
natural resource economics or energy economics. There is also a role for
knowledge and training outside of economics to help you ask better and more
relevant economics research questions.
Stanford and UCSB are extraordinarily rich in faculty and
research programs and full of opportunities for graduate students related to
environmental, energy and natural resource economics and policy. In
addition to teaching departments, there are a number of
research institutes on campus that involve students, visitors and faculty in
research.
But it is degree-granting departments and program in which PhD students matriculate. So your first step would be to choose a program to which you
would apply. PhD programs at Stanford that are appropriate for
students interested in working with me or similar faculty include the Department of
Economics, the Emmet
Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources (E-IPER), the Graduate
School of Business (GSB) and
the Department of Management Science and Engineering
(MS&E). You should also check the newly
established Doerr School of
Sustainability, which is constantly adding new programs. You do not need to contact me prior to
applying; simply indicate your interest in working with me on your
application. At UCSB, the most logical departments for a PhD focusing
on environmental economics are the Economics
Department and the Bren
School of Environmental Science & Management. Keep in mind that although there are
similarities among all of these programs, there are
important differences in objectives and requirements.
Whichever department or program you choose, you should plan
on enrolling in a rigorous set of coursework in economics during your first two
years in a PhD program. This means successfully taking the first year PhD
sequences in microeconomics and econometrics offered by the Department of
Economics. In addition, students should take the PhD classes in environmental
and resource economics, also offered by the Economics Department. This is a minimum set and other coursework
would depend on student interest and needs. Strong preparation in math prior to
matriculation is essential (preferably through real analysis).
Undergraduate training in economics is less important, though applicants
should demonstrate an understanding of what constitutes economics as an
academic discipline.
Questions? Send me an email.
11/2023