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Kurt Stephenson

Professor
Kurt Stephenson
250 Drillfield Dr.
307 Hutcheson Hall
Blacksburg, VA 24061

My expertise is in aquaculture, energy and public economics, and environmental and natural resource economics. Research in these areas includes market-based environmental policies, water resource economics, and the role of economic analysis in shaping public policy. Currently, my work focuses on environmental trading programs (including water quality trading, carbon offset programs, and wetland mitigation), the evaluation of agricultural nonpoint source policies, and the design of payment-for-environmental-service programs.

Education

  • Ph.D., Economics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, August 1994.
  • M.S., Agricultural Economics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, July 1988.
  • B.S., Economics, Radford University, June 1986.

Experience

  • Professor, Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Virginia Tech. June 2008 - Present.
  • Associate Professor, Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Virginia Tech. June 2001 - 2008.
  • Assistant Professor, Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Virginia Tech. November 1995 - June 2001.
  • Senior Research Associate, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Virginia Tech. October 1994 - October 1995.
  • Research Associate, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Virginia Tech, 1989-1990.
  • Research Associate, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Kentucky, 1988-1989.

Awards

  • Sellner Chesapeake Guardian Award (co-recipient with Denice Wardrop), Chesapeake Community Research Symposium (CCMP), May 2024.
  • 2005 Certificate of Teaching Excellence, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia Tech.
  • Best Theory-Oriented Paper for 2000, Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management. Leonard Shabman and Kurt Stephenson. “Environmental Valuation and Its Economic Critics.”  Selected by the Environmental & Water Resources Institute Planning and Management Council, American Society of Civil Engineers. 

Selected:

Courses taught

Undergraduate level:

  • AAEC 1005 Economics of the Food and Fiber System
  • AAEC 4314 Environmental Economic Analysis and Management
Graduate level:
  • AAEC 5144 Resource and Environmental Economics

My extension and outreach are directed largely at supporting public policy decision-making in the area of water resources.  I have served on numerous water quality policy and regulatory advisory committees at the state, regional, and federal levels.

Selected Service

Selected Outreach Publications/Reports

Stephenson, K., D. Wardrop, L. Shabman, K. Rose, W. Dennison, J. Testa, R. Batiuk, Z. Easton. 2025. Tiered Implementation of the Chesapeake Bay TMDL: A STAC Prospectus. STAC Publication Number 25-001, Edgewater, MD. 19 pp.

Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC). 2024. Achieving Water Quality Goals in the Chesapeake Bay: Report in Brief. (D. Wardrop and K Stephenson, Eds). Chesapeake Bay Program Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC). STAC publication.

Schons, S. K. Stephenson, J. Gannon. 2024. An Overview of Forest Carbon Credit Programs in Virginia, Virginia Cooperative Extension, CNRE-177, April 10.

Current Research Focus

  • Pay for performance incentives for agricultural nonpoint source programs.
  • Incentives to address legacy nutrient sources.
  • Evaluation of cost-effectiveness of nonpoint source programs
  • Evaluation of carbon sequestration offset practices and policies.