UNU-WIDER Wallace E. Tyner

Professor Tyner is an energy economist and James and Lois Ackerman Professor of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University.  He received his BSc degree in chemistry (1966) from Texas Christian University, and his MA (1972) and PhD (1977) degrees in economics from the University of Maryland. Professor Tyner's research interests are in the area of energy, agriculture, and natural resource policy analysis and structural and sectoral adjustment in developing economies.  He has over 200 professional papers in these areas including three books and 70+ journal papers, published abstracts, and book chapters. His past work in energy economics has encompassed oil, natural gas, coal, oil shale, biomass, ethanol from agricultural sources, and solar energy. His current research focuses on renewable energy policy issues and climate change. He teaches a graduate course in benefit-cost analysis, which incorporates risk into the economic and financial analysis of investment projects. In 4 of the past 6 years, his students have received the department's outstanding thesis award.  In June 2007, Senator Richard G. Lugar of Indiana named Tyner an 'Energy Patriot' for his work on energy policy analysis. In 2009 he received the Purdue College of Agriculture Outstanding Graduate Educator award and was part of a group that received the College Team award for multidisciplinary research on biofuels. He is currently a member of the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Economic and Environmental Impacts of Biofuels.