UHERO RESEARCH: FOCUS AREAS
UHERO's mission is to inform public- and private-sector economic decision-making through quantitative and analytical research with a particular focus on the economies of Hawai'i and the Asia-Pacific region. UHERO's research is focused in three areas:
Environmental Economics and Sustainable Economic Development
Dr. James Roumasset is the director of UHERO's research area in Environmental Economics and Sustainable Resource Management. This research has developed principles of environmental resource management and sustainability science and applied these to energy use and global warming, pollution control, water allocation and pricing, integrated water resource management and policy design for the control of invasive species. Applications include the simultaneous management of groundwater and watershed conservation, the economic benefits of environmental resource conservation, the design of policies for control of Miconia calvescens and the Brown Treesnake, and methods for measuring sustainable development.
Grants and Funded Projects • Publications • Working Papers
Hawai'i's Economy: Analysis, Forecasting, and Measurement
Dr. Byron Gangnes is the director of UHERO's Hawaii Economy Project. UHERO produces multi-year forecasts for the Hawaii economy, major external economies, and the four counties, with analysis of key developments and emerging trends. The UHERO Economic Information Service provides public access to an extensive collection of relevant economic statistics. Research associates have completed a wide range of studies assessing economic performance and policy issues for Hawaii. These have included methodological inquiries into issues such as appropriate forecasting techniques for tourism and methods for evaluating the impact of tax and expenditure programs. UHERO has also studied the potential impact of external economic shocks, such as the 9/11 terror attacks. UHERO’s Hawaii Economy research recognizes the unique features of the local economy including the key role of tourism, Hawaii’s links with developing Asia, and the role of the state’s dynamic construction and service sectors.
Grants and Funded Projects • Publications • Working Papers
Hawaii's People: The Economics of Health, Education, and Labor
Dr. Jerry Russo is the director of UHERO's Human Resources Project. Focusing largely on the microeconomics of Health, Education and the effectiveness of Labor markets, the Human Resources group studies issues ranging from the problem of the medically underinsured to the role of state funding of higher education, and the economic impact of the University of Hawaii.