Kevin Meyer
B.S. Economics, University of Alaska, Anchorage 2006
M.S. Economics, Central Michigan University 2010
Ph.D. Economics, Iowa State University 2017
Co-major Professors: Catherine Kling and David Keiser
Kevin Meyer grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, surrounded by mountains, oceans, forests, and all the wildlife that depends on these natural resources. Early on, he appreciated and valued the environment.
“Alaska’s economy is highly dependent on its natural resources, specifically oil, so there was always a lot of questions in the news on the best way to manage those resources. I later found out that economics provides the tools to answer those types of questions,” says Meyer.
A couple of engaging undergraduate courses at the University of Alaska spurred his interest in the field of economics, setting the course for his future studies.
In 2010 Meyer earned his master’s in economics from Central Michigan University. Because of his experience living in Alaska, he was drawn to the specific field of environmental and natural resource economics. He chose Iowa State to do his Ph.D. study because of “its impressive reputation in agricultural, environmental, and resource economics.”
Meyer conducts his study, which focuses on identifying the effect of changes in land use on lake water quality in Iowa, with help from Co-major Professors David Keiser and Catherine Kling.
His work has earned him the 2015 James R. Prescott Scholarship in Economics, which was established to recognize graduate students who demonstrate creativity in their research. The scholarship is funded by a gift to the ISU Foundation from former faculty member James Prescott and his wife, Jeri.
“I feel honored to be recognized for my research at this early stage of my career, and am grateful for the continued generosity of Jeri Prescott,” stated Meyer.
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After graduating from Iowa State, Meyer was hired as an assistant professor at Saginaw Valley State University, Saginaw, Michigan.