Alessa Widmaier / Economist

Research & publications

Economic impacts of environmental change.

My research examines how environmental change – climate, biodiversity, ecosystem services – affects long-run economic outcomes. It grounds my client-facing models in peer-reviewed methods, and feeds insights from applied work back into academic questions. I am currently completing a PhD in Economics at the University of Cambridge, funded by the ESRC.

Peer-reviewed

Published academic work, including award-winning research on regional economic outcomes.

  • The Persistent Pay Gap between Easterners and Westerners in Germany: A Quarter-Century after Reunification
    Dickey, H., and Widmaier, A. M. (2021). Papers in Regional Science.
    Winner – Martin Beckmann RSAI Annual Award, best paper in Papers in Regional Science

Working papers

Active research under review or in revision, spanning all three practice areas.

  • Out of the Woods? The Long-Term Costs of Biodiversity Loss for Brazil’s Agricultural Sector
    Working paper.
    01 / Climate & biodiversity
  • Natural, Social, and Financial Capitals
    With Karakas, O., and Tonetto, A.
    01 / Climate & biodiversity
  • Urban Climate-Health Resilience: An Economic Analysis of Preventative Interventions
    With Ickovics, J. R., Briggs, C., Dehe, H., Unite, E., Astbury, K., Campbell, M., van der Horst, K., et al.
    02 / Climate, nature & health

In progress

Current research projects at the intersection of political economy and environmental change.

  • The Political Economy of Forest Loss
    With Aidt, T., Cavalcanti, T., Rauh, C., and Sakurai, S.
    01 / Climate & biodiversity
  • Brazilian agricultural productivity
    Working title.
    01 / Climate & biodiversity

Doctoral research

Ongoing doctoral programme at Cambridge, fully funded by the ESRC.

PhD in Economics, University of Cambridge (Trinity College).

Topic: economic impacts of environmental change. Supervised by Dr K. Mohaddes; advised by Prof T. Cavalcanti. Full funding (fees and maintenance) through the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

Research collaboration

Open to academic and policy partnerships.

Research collaboration, peer review, editorial work, and policy-research engagements at the intersection of economics, environmental change and health.

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