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About Me
I originally received Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in Atlanta, GA. Following my initial studies, I worked in manufacturing environments as an engineer and quality leader for a decade.
I became interested in the social sciences and public policy, earned a Masters in Analytics (also from Georgia Tech), and began working for an applied behavioral science lab focused on improving financial well-being. We ran lab and field experiments to examine how to help individuals save more, pay off debt, and increase income. After almost five years working in behavioral science, I started N.C. State’s doctoral program in Economics. My primary interests center around environmental policy.
Research
My research focuses on:
- Applied microeconomics
- Industrial organization
- Environmental policy
Working Papers
You want a plastic bottle, pal, you’re gonna pay for it: An ex ante analysis of a national tax on plastic packaging in U.S. soft drinks
This paper investigates the impact of a weight-based tax on plastic packaging on the amount of plastic used by the U.S. soft drinks industry.
Does curbside composting increase how much food households throw away?
This paper looks at the impact of the availability of curbside composting on the quantity of food waste generated by households.
Publications
Ratcliffe, Caroline and Burke, Jeremy and Heck, Patrick and Bolton, Margaret and Saunders, Elizabeth, Consumer Savings App Strategies and Savings Outcomes (December 7, 2022). Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Office of Research Reports Series No. 22-9, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4398403