Kelly Cobourn

Dr. Kelly Cobourn is an Associate Professor in the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). She holds a B.A. from the University of Virginia (2001), an M.S. from the University of Maine (2004), and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis (2009). Her research focuses on natural resource economics, applied econometrics, water policy, and invasive species management. Dr. Cobourn has led and contributed to major projects including the 'Spatiotemporal Drivers of Fine-Scale Forest Plantation Establishment in Andhra Pradesh' (2017–2022) and 'Water Institutions and Agricultural Land-Use Change in the Western U.S.' (2013–2016). She teaches courses such as FREC 4434 (Forest Resource Policy) and FREC 5014 (Ethics in Environmental Conservation).

Her work integrates interdisciplinary methods, including hydro-economic modeling and satellite data analysis, to address challenges like water resource management, climate adaptation, and sustainable land use. Key affiliations include the Global Change Center, Water Resources Program, and Project Links (focusing on lakes and hydroeconomic systems).

Dr. Cobourn’s research emphasizes policy evaluation and socio-environmental systems, with recent studies on lake water quality valuation, agricultural adaptation to climate variability, and the economic drivers of tree planting in rural India. Her grants and collaborations highlight innovative approaches to balancing ecological and economic outcomes.