Interests

Natural Resource & Environmental Economics - Economics of sustainable natural resource systems; cost-benefit analysis and collective choice; ecological economics

Biographical Info

Fred Hitzhusen 's work focuses on economics of sustainable agriculture, forest, mining and renewable energy systems. Emphasis is on off-site sediment and water quality costs; valuing water quality and infrastrucure of river systems; economic inventory and evaluation of biomass energy systems; development and application of benefit transfer models; and economic-ecologic assessment of wetlands. He teaches courses on Cost Benefit Analysis, Economic Analysis for Collective Choice and Global Population, Food and Environment. He has also studied economics of recycling Fluidized Gas Desulfurization wastes from electric power plants and the economics of delivering and financing nonmetropolitan or rural government services such as solid waste, emergency services, roads and bridges. Hitzhusen has published three books and more than 150 articles, book chapters, bulletins and reports. His research and graduate students and post-Docs have been supported by over $2 million in grants from local, state and national governments, NGOs and private firms. Hitzhusen has led projects for NSF, USEPA, USDA, Ohio DOD and the American Agricultural Economics Association, and has served on OSU 's Graduate Council, Research Foundation Board, Task Force on South Africa, and numerous strategic committees. He is currently a member of the Academic Advisory Committe of the John Glenn School of Public Affairs and is on the Governor's Commission for Resources and Recreation in Ohio. He served as Assistant Dean of International Programs in Agriculture from 1984-87 and has a faculty appointment in the Graduate Program in Environmental Science. He retired July 2008 but remains very active in teaching and research in the department.