Zhenshan Chen

Zhenshan Chen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at Virginia Tech. His research focuses on climate change adaptation, coastal flood risk, renewable energy policy, and environmental valuation. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut (2021) and degrees from Ocean University of China (2014 M.S.) and Sun Yat-sen University (2011 B.S.).

Education:

• Ph.D., Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Connecticut, 2021
• M.S., Economics, Ocean University of China, 2014
• B.S., Physics, Sun Yat-sen University, 2011

Research Interests: Chen specializes in applying econometric methods to evaluate policies addressing climate resilience. Key areas include coastal housing markets, solar energy impacts, oyster reef restoration valuation, and behavioral responses to environmental changes. His work emphasizes large spatial datasets and novel statistical approaches.

Grants & Projects:

• DOE EERE SEEDS 4 Grant ($2.5M, PI: Bessette) studying equitable solar development processes
• VT ISCE Grant ($10K) on carbon markets for sustainable agriculture
• Agri-photovoltaic pilot project ($150K) for sustainable livestock systems

Awards: Multiple recognitions including ARE Predoctoral Fellowship and Outstanding Poster Presentation Award. His research bridges empirical data with policy analysis, focusing on trade-offs between environmental protection and economic outcomes.