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Katharine Sims

Associate Professor of Economics, Amherst College
Kate Sims is an Associate Professor of Economics at Amherst College and an affiliate of the Environmental Studies Department. She uses microeconomic theory and econometric tools to study how land conservation policies simultaneously affect environmental and economic outcomes. She has studied policies such as protected areas, payments for ecosystem services, community-based forest management, and local zoning in Thailand, Mexico, Nepal, and New England. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Economy and Government from Harvard University and a B.A. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Princeton University. She has been a fellow of Harvard’s Environmental Economics and Sustainability Science Programs and her work has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation, the World Bank’s Impact Evaluation to Development Impact program, and the Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program. Her work on conservation and development has been published in both economics journals and high-impact multidisciplinary journals including the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, The Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, The Review of Economics and Statistics, and Conservation Biology. She is passionate about the importance of dialogue between economists and ecologists and hopes to contribute to conservation policy that protects ecosystems while allowing local economies to flourish. She enjoys integrating her research into teaching, including courses in econometrics, environmental and natural resource economics, and introductory economics with environmental applications.

Can protecting land promote employment? In New England, the answer is yes

Jul 22, 2019 13:39 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Protecting land from development provides numerous ecological and social benefits, but many people debate whether it hurts or helps local economies. Some worry that land protection will inhibit economic growth by...

Economy

ECB Rate Hike Bets Rise as Inflation Risks Persist

Money markets are increasingly betting on a more hawkish European Central Bank as geopolitical tensions and persistent energy pressures threaten to keep euro zone inflation elevated. Traders now see the ECB deposit rate...

China EV Stocks Slide as Door Handle Recall Hits 4.3 Million Vehicles

China EV stocks fell on Monday after Tesla and several major Chinese automakers announced recalls affecting about 4.3 million vehicles over safety concerns involving electronic door handles. Xiaomi shares led the decline,...

UK Economy Shows Strength as Burnham Gets Early Boost

Britains economy is showing unexpected signs of strength, giving new Prime Minister Andy Burnham an early boost as improving business activity and consumer confidence offset concerns over inflation and strained public...

Indian Sugar Stocks Surge on Tight Supply, Festive Demand

Indian sugar stocks rallied sharply on Monday as strong domestic sugar prices and expectations of tighter supplies ahead of the festive season boosted investor interest in the sector. Bajaj Hindusthan Sugar led the gains,...

Dollar Near Multi-Month Lows as Treasury Buybacks Rattle Markets

The U.S. dollar hovered near multi-month lows on Monday as investors assessed the Treasury Departments plan to increase purchases of long-dated bonds while awaiting new Iran sanctions and key central bank speeches. The...

Politics

US Cancels South Korea Military Drill Amid Iran War

The United States has cancelled a major joint amphibious landing exercise with South Korea scheduled for next month, as the ongoing Iran war limits the availability of U.S. military forces, South Koreas Marine Corps said...

Donald Trump’s North Korea Outreach Raises Asia Alliance Concerns

U.S. President Donald Trumps renewed outreach to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is raising concerns among key Asian partners as Washingtons allies reassess the reliability of U.S. security commitments across the...

US Sailor’s Father Detained by Immigration Authorities

The immigrant father of a U.S. Navy sailor serving aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln has been taken into federal immigration detention in Florida, according to his son and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Luis...

Israeli Strikes Kill Two in Gaza as Tensions Rise

Two Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip killed at least two Palestinians, including a four-year-old boy, and wounded seven others on Sunday, according to Palestinian health officials, as Israel threatened to intensify...

North Korea Prepares More Troops for Russia, Seoul Says

North Korea is continuing preparations for a potential additional troop deployment to Russia, although there are currently no indications that forces will be sent imminently, according to an assessment from South Koreas...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Xiaomi Unveils Xring O3 Chip for Flagship Foldable Phone

Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi unveiled its new Xring O3 processor on Monday, advancing its strategy to develop proprietary chips and reduce dependence on external semiconductor suppliers such as Qualcomm and MediaTek....

Countries Tighten Social Media Bans for Children

Governments worldwide are tightening social media restrictions for children as concerns grow over online safety, mental health, addictive features and exposure to harmful content. Australia became the first country to...

New Zealand Moves to Ban Social Media for Children Under 16

New Zealands conservative coalition government is moving to restrict social media access for children under 16, with a new bill set to be introduced in Parliament on Monday. The proposed legislation would impose strict...

Nvidia Eyes Perplexity Investment at $30 Billion Valuation

Nvidia is reportedly in talks to invest in artificial intelligence startup Perplexity as part of a multibillion-dollar funding round that could value the AI company at more than $30 billion. The potential Nvidia investment...

Samsung Shares Tumble 8% as $79 Billion Return Plan Disappoints

Samsung Electronics shares plunged as much as 8% in early Monday trading after the South Korean technology giants record shareholder-return plan fell short of investor expectations, particularly over share buybacks and the...