Madeline Werthschulte

Madeline Werthschulte is a tenured Assistant Professor at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, specializing in Behavioral Economics, Environmental and Energy Economics, and Lab/Field Experiments. Her research focuses on understanding how behavioral insights can inform policy design for energy efficiency, consumer decision-making, and sustainable resource management.

Her work bridges economic theory and real-world applications, often employing experimental methods to evaluate interventions such as energy subsidies, tariff structures, and behavioral nudges. Key contributions include analyzing the mechanisms of energy efficiency subsidies, evaluating flexible electricity tariffs in Germany, and exploring how self-set goals via smartphone apps influence energy conservation behaviors.

Her articles often appear in top-tier journals like Environmental and Resource Economics, European Economic Review, and Journal of Environmental Economics and Management. Press coverage of her work includes outlets like BILDplus, Mannheimer Morgen, and Verivox, highlighting the practical relevance of her findings.

Madeline collaborates extensively with researchers like Andreas Löschel, Bettina Chlond, and Martin Kesternich, focusing on topics such as the impact of the pandemic on energy consumption routines and the role of energy advisors in efficiency programs. Her research portfolio includes both published studies and ongoing work on photovoltaic leasing models, gas savings during peak prices, and the psychological effects of daily commute patterns.