Nicholas Muller
Lester and Judith Lave Professor in Economics, Engineering, and Public Policy, Engineering and Public Policy, Tepper School of Business
Nicholas Muller is the Lester and Judith Lave Professor of Economics, Engineering, and Public Policy and works at the intersection of environmental policy and economics. His interdisciplinary research projects focus on estimating individual discount rates and risk preferences using historical pricing data, comparing air pollution and climate damages from electric vehicles to conventional vehicles, estimating air pollution damage from energy production, measuring the impact of transporting freight in the United State on air pollution and climate, and analyzing the inequality in market and augmented measures of income. He teaches microeconomics and environmental and natural resource economics and has published papers in the American Economic Review, Science, and Proceedings of the National Academies of Science.
Valuation of Damage from Air Pollution and Green House Gases
Education
2007 Ph.D., Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, Yale University
2002 MPA, Environmental Policy & Public Financial Administration, Indiana University
1996 BS, Public Policy, Planning, and Management, University of Oregon
Affiliations
Media mentions
Muller wins BNY Mellon Foundation grant for Tepper sustainability students
EPP’s Nicholas Muller was awarded a BNY Mellon Foundation grant that will allow students to pursue an interdisciplinary approach to sustainability and business.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Muller speaks on corporate climate requirements
EPP’s Nick Muller comments on climate requirements for companies.
The Hill
Muller quoted on pollution and racial gaps
EPP’s Nick Muller was quoted by The Hill on how pollution disproportionately affects certain racial and ethnic groups, especially older Black and Hispanic individuals.
CNBC
Muller quoted on air quality
EPP’s Nicolas Muller was quoted by CNBC on measuring unhealthy air quality in the United States.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Muller on health effects of reduced air pollution from COVID-19
EPP’s Nick Muller was interviewed by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about a new study he co-authored about the impact of social distancing and stay-at-home months during the COVID-19 pandemic on air pollution. The study found that with reduced exposure to fossil fuel emissions from vehicles and power plants, premature mortality from air pollution was likely down 25 percent.
Reuters
Muller on a “green interest rate”
EPP’s Nicholas Muller was quoted in Reuters about a “green interest rate” he proposed in a paper at a Federal Reserve conference about climate change and economics.
Bloomberg Environment
Cohon, Robinson, and Muller published in Bloomberg Environment about natural gas extraction
CEE/EPP’s Jared Cohon, EPP’s Nicholas Muller, and MechE Head Allen Robinson published a letter about the costs of gas extraction in Bloomberg Environment.
The New York Times
Muller on increase in air pollution
EPP’s Nick Muller was quoted by The New York Times in an article about new data showing increases in air pollution since 2016, reversing a long trend of reduced air pollution. “After a decade or so of reductions, this increase is a real about-face,” said Muller.
Bloomberg
Muller’s research shines light on air pollution problem
After a dropping nearly 25% between 2009 and 2016, air pollution is on the rise again. EPP’s Nick Muller co-published a paper that found that particulate matter pollution increased 5.5% in 2017 and 2018. This increase was associated with 9,700 additional premature deaths. Muller and his co-author credit economic activity, wildfires, and declining EPA enforcement for the rebound.
Ars Technica
Muller analyzes economic impact of air pollution deaths
EPP’s Nick Muller recently investigated which polluting industries provide a net benefit to the US economy. His work is featured in Arg Technica.
CMU Engineering
How much does air pollution cost the U.S.?
Damages from air pollution have fallen dramatically in the U.S. in recent years, shows new research. But how different sectors of the economy have contributed to that decline is highly uneven.
The Wall Street Journal
Muller quoted in WSJ on Lego’s quest to make plant-based toy bricks
To reduce its carbon footprint, Lego has invested $150 million into research to find a plant-based substitute for its toy bricks. However, EPP’s Nicholas Muller is skeptical.