Spencer Banzhaf

Spencer Banzhaf is a Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at North Carolina State University (NC State), and Director of the Center for Environmental and Resource Economics Policy (CEnREP). He holds a PhD in Economics from Duke University.

His research focuses on environmental policy, particularly land use, urban equity, and the interplay between environmental quality, real estate markets, and urban demographics. Key areas include environmental justice, fiscal federalism, and the historical evolution of environmental economic thought. He has contributed to journals such as the American Economic Review and Journal of Political Economy, and serves as editor of the Review of Environmental Economics and Policy.

Recent work explores topics like racial segregation’s environmental impacts, the economic history of pollution pricing, and the valuation of ecosystem services. His scholarship bridges theoretical frameworks with applied policy analysis, emphasizing equity and interdisciplinary approaches.

He is associated with NC State’s Economics Graduate Program and actively engages in policy debates through contributions to regulatory analyses and public discourse on environmental governance.