Jill Caviglia-Harris

Jill Caviglia-Harris is a Professor of Economics at Salisbury University, affiliated with the Franklin P. Perdue School of Business (Economics & Finance Department) and the Fulton School of Liberal Arts (Environmental Studies Department). Her research examines the trade-offs between economic development and deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, focusing on how ecological costs like biodiversity loss and climate change are balanced against local economic gains.

Her work has been funded by the National Science Foundation and published in journals including World Development, Ecological Economics, and Journal of Environmental Economics and Management. Recent studies explore water's role in agricultural productivity, collective leadership for sustainability, and policy mechanisms like REDD+ and the Brazilian Forest Code.

• 2021: Examined green/blue water impacts on Amazon agriculture and proposed a leadership framework for sustainability.
• 2020: Investigated access to economic associations and non-cognitive traits in undergraduate success.
• 2019: Analyzed the Forest Code’s role in preserving riparian zones.
• 2018: Studied agricultural intensification policies and REDD+ effects on Amazon ecosystems.

She has received numerous awards, including the Leopold Leadership Fellowship (2013-2014), which led to workshops on communicating research to general audiences. At Salisbury University, she teaches environmental economics, natural resource economics, and microeconomics.

• Distinguished Faculty Award (2004)
• State of Maryland Board of Regent’s Award (2010)
• Outstanding Mentor Award (2010)
• Elzinga Teaching Award (2010)
• Wilson H. Elkins Professorship (2012-2013)
• Leopold Leadership Fellowship (2013-2014)

She founded the NAREA Career Advancement and Mentoring (CAM) program and serves as Managing Editor of Agricultural and Resource Economics Review. Her teaching and outreach emphasize improving student achievement and translating complex research for public understanding.