This summer, the Environmental Inequality Lab launched its inaugural undergraduate summer internship.
Hosted at the University of Virginia’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, the program offered a student-centered research training and mentorship experience for six undergraduates interested in exploring research careers at the intersection of economics, public policy, and environmental science.
Students worked closely with Jonathan Colmer, Associate Professor of Economics and Public Policy and Director of the Environmental Inequality Lab, and Jay Shimshack, Professor of Public Policy and Economics. They were also joined by Grant Seiter, a second-year Ph.D. student in Economics, who helped design and lead the internship. Colmer’s research is supported through a seed grant program offered by the White Ruffin Byron Center for Real Estate, which also facilitates research coordination between the Environmental Inequality Lab and the Household and Urban Finance Lab at UVA.
The program consisted of a two-week intensive research training and professional development boot camp before participating students joined active research projects within the lab, contributing to new analyses seeking to understand how our environment shapes economic opportunity and well-being, as well as the impact and cost effectiveness of environmental regulation.
The students also used the recently released Gridded Environmental Impacts Frame, a privacy-protected version of the Environmental Impacts Frame microdata infrastructure developed by researchers at the U.S. Census Bureau in collaboration with the Environmental Inequality Lab, to develop public-facing briefs on demographic patterns and trends and how they intersect with environmental conditions for every county in the United States. The data is also used to support real-time analyses of extreme weather events, documenting not only where and when disasters are expected to strike, but who is likely to be affected.
The Environmental Inequality Lab looks forward to continuing to build on this model in future years, expanding opportunities for students to grow as researchers while contributing to high-impact, policy-relevant research.
Rave Reviews from Students
“I have really enjoyed this internship as an introduction to academic research. Jonathan and Jay have put in great effort not only to teach us the necessary skills but also to provide individual mentoring and career guidance.” — Josie Fischman, a sophomore at Bowdoin College
“This community has been invaluable. Meeting people at different stages of the academic journey helped solidify my plans to pursue a Ph.D. in economics.” — Arnav Dharmagadda, a third-year student at UVA
“This program is the quintessential intersection of academic freedom and learning by doing. My coding and problem-solving skills have substantially increased under the guidance of Professor Shimshack and Professor Colmer, skills that no doubt will help me in both my professional and personal career.” — Jonah Wilentz, a second-year Masters of Public Policy student at UVA Batten
“Working in the Environmental Inequality Lab has been one of the most enriching experiences of my undergrad experience. The community built by the lab has opened the door to so much learning and really nurtured my interest in environmental economics.” — Kate Bachman, a fourth-year student at UVA
“Working in the Environmental Inequality Lab under Jay and Jonathan’s mentorship has been transformative. Jay and Jonathan not only taught me the technical and interpersonal aspects of the work, but also how to think critically question assumptions, and truly enjoy the research journey. Thanks to their unwavering support and the intellectually stimulating environment they foster, I’ve grown immensely as a researcher and developed a deep passion for environmental economics.” — Nick Silvis, a pre-doctoral research associate
“I came from a background in Environmental Science research with the hopes of exploring what economic research is like. The experience has been so informative and enlightening, and it’s been incredible to work with people who are so passionate about the mission of the lab and eager to welcome others into the world of environmental economics research.” — Sarah Kim, a fourth-year student at UVA
“The Environmental Inequality Lab strikes the perfect balance between encouraging independence and directly fostering growth. We are given ownership over our projects and are encouraged to take initiative at every stage (from brainstorming to coding and analysis), but we also receive ample support and mentorship. I’ve already grown so much as a researcher in my time here.” — Zoe Mitchell, pre-doctoral research associate
“Though I only recently began working for the lab, I have already had the opportunity to contribute to and explore a variety of topics and research methods in environmental economics. Joining such an inquisitive and thoughtful community of researchers has not only aided in my sense of belonging within the lab but has also informed my own personal research interests.” — Marina Starikovsky, pre-doctoral research associate
“I have loved working in a group setting where we can freely ask questions and bounce ideas off one another. I have learned so much from working in collaboration with the other interns.” — Elizabeth Shiker, a third-year student at UVA
“The most rewarding part for me is the opportunity to invest in early-career researchers. Helping build a community around shared intellectual curiosity is incredibly meaningful, and it’s a big part of why I chose this career path.” — Grant Seiter, Ph.D. student in Economics at UVA
