Derek C. Wietelman

Welcome to my personal research website. I am a Postdoctoral Associate at the University of Colorado Boulder, housed in the Institute of Behavioral Science. In 2026, I received my Ph.D. from the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Maryland.*

I am an applied microeconomist who specializes in environmental and resource economics. Much of my current research studies the pricing and allocation of energy and water resources during times of scarcity, such as periods of peak electricity demand or severe droughts. Currently, I am working on a project that illustrates how drought-induced water conservation mandates distribute costs and benefits across water suppliers with heterogeneous cost structures.

In addition to my work on resource quantities, I also maintain an active research agenda in environmental quality, particularly the economics of water quality. In this work, I characterize long-run trends in surface water quality and examine how policies like voluntary cost-share programs affect nonpoint source pollution from both the agricultural and residential sectors. Currently, I am working to identify how variation in lead exposure and in water utilities’ remediation efforts (e.g., lead service line removals) affects health and behavioral outcomes.

* All conclusions in the writings presented here are my own and do not necessarily represent the views of any of my employers, past or present.