My main research interests revolve around agricultural and environmental economics. Please look at my Google Scholar profile for a list of my academic publications. In my LinkedIN profile you can find a complete list of my outreach and academic publications. Below in this page, you can read about a selected list of forthcoming (FC) and working (WP) papers. Thank you.
Marine Protected Areas in Ireland LIFE project 2030.
MPA LIFE Ireland (2023–2030) is a large-scale EU LIFE–funded research and policy project supporting Ireland’s commitment to protect at least 30% of its maritime area by 2030. Based at the Socio-Economic Marine Research Unit (SEMRU) at the University of Galway, my role within the project focuses on the economic design and evaluation of Ireland’s future Marine Protected Area (MPA) network. This role includes assessing the welfare impacts of alternative MPA configurations on fisheries, coastal communities, and wider society, and supporting evidence-based decision-making through cost–benefit analysis, public preference elicitation, and stakeholder engagement. The project adopts a participatory, ecosystem-based management approach, combining marine science, economic, and social evidence to inform the co-design and implementation of a transparent and robust national MPA network. You can read more about the project and SEMRU here.
Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Chino Basin Water Management in California, USA.
This project, conducted in collaboration with the Chino Basin Watermaster, UC Davis, and UC Berkeley delivers a two-report economic assessment of the Peace II Groundwater Management Agreement in Southern California. The first report, delivered in November 2025, updates the basin-wide net economic benefit of Peace II using observed production, cost, and hydrological data through 2024, extending the foundational analysis of Prof. Sunding UC-Berkeley (2006). The second report constructs an agency-level distribution of those benefits across the ten largest appropriative-pool agencies, combining ARIMA-based production forecasting, observed variable costs, and expert-validated Peace II attribution shares to estimate avoided pumping cost savings in 2025 dollars. Together, the two reports provide the Watermaster and Basin agencies with the most empirically grounded economic accounting of Peace II to date. To read more about the Chino Basin Watermaster click here.
The Economic Value of Family Labor and Ag-Training on Irish Farms (R&R).
Family labour plays a crucial role in the sustainability and viability of farms. This research estimates the shadow wage of unpaid family labor and examines its substitutability with hired labor in Irish dairy farms. We use a panel dataset from 2005 to 2019, applying a two-step production function and a semi-parametric panel-censored model to estimate shadow wages while accounting for market imperfections. Our findings suggest that the average shadow wage for family labor is approximately €27 per hour, significantly exceeding market wages. The findings highlight the influence of formal agricultural education, with higher educational attainment correlating with increased shadow wages. Finally, the relationship between shadow wages and hired labour demand suggests a substitution effect, particularly in labor-intensive tasks, with a stronger impact on casual labour.
Access the WP here.
Economic Feasibility of Solar-driven Hydrogen Photoelectrochemical Systems: Insights from a Real Options Analysis (WP).
Hydrogen is an important energy carrier in the global transition to renewable energy. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) reactors, which integrate photovoltaic and electrochemical processes, offer a promising pathway for solar-driven hydrogen production. This study evaluates the economic feasibility of a PEC reactor using a Real Options Analysis (ROA) framework. We use data from a life cycle assessment, future cost projections, and environmental externalities to assess investment viability under uncertainty. Results indicate that, without policy incentives, PEC reactors face financial challenges due to high upfront costs. However, auction mechanisms that provide premium payments for hydrogen production significantly enhance their economic attractiveness. Lastly, the sensitivity analysis underscores operational costs and energy output as key risk factors. Access the WP here.
Economic and Animal Health Implications of the NewWorld Screwworm Resurgence in the Americas (WP).
This study examines the recent resurgence of the New World Screwworm (NWS), Cochliomyia hominivorax, a parasitic fly that feeds on the living tissue of livestock, wildlife, and occasionally humans. The 2024–2025 outbreak in southern Mexico resulted in severe economic and animal health losses, including reduced milk yields, weight loss, high treatment costs, and trade restrictions. Using an input–output model, we estimate that a localized outbreak could reduce sector output by $18.3 million, eliminate over 80 full-time jobs, and result in $6.7 million in lost income across cattle, feed, and processing sectors. The paper also reviews the historical eradication efforts via the Sterile Insect Technique, the factors driving reemergence, and current U.S.–Mexico containment strategies, highlighting the urgency of coordinated surveillance and biosecurity measures. Access the WP here.