Research
My research analyzes systems for regulating the environmental and social impacts of industrial activities. Through a range of projects, I have been examining trends in industrial development, and state, firm, and community responses to adverse impacts of industrialization. I work with NGOs and community-based organizations in the US and Asia to analyze the impacts of manufacturing on communities and workers, and to advance more effective strategies for regulating environmental and health hazards. Specifically, my research focuses on:
Transparency and Consumer Information. I am currently exploring the dynamics of providing information about the environmental, social, and health effects of products and companies to consumers in the marketplace. The Consumer Information Laboratory has three primary goals: (1) to analyze and improve the quality of information that is available to consumers on the social, environmental, and health impacts of products and companies; (2) to research the impacts of this information on consumer behavior; and (3) to develop tools to deliver better information to consumers in the most credible and user-friendly way possible.
Environmental Justice and Community-Driven Regulation. I am currently working on several projects that analyze participatory strategies for environmental planning and regulation. I have studied "Community-Driven Regulation" processes in Vietnam. I am also interested in community initiatives around environmental justice concerns in the US. I have been working for several years on community monitoring of environmental issues in the US such as "bucket brigades," community health surveys, sniffer logs, and good neighbor agreements which support environmental justice campaigns.
Sweatshops and Independent Monitoring. I have been working over the last several years to analyze the growth of "sweatshop" production in industrialized and developing countries, and emerging strategies to curb these conditions. I have conducted extensive research on the footwear sector (focusing on Nike, Reebok, and adidas), and on the transnational advocacy campaigns to influence production practices. I have conducted a number of studies to analyze labor monitoring systems, including efforts to better understand the conditions under which university-branded apparel is manufactured, and to develop strategies to enforce and verify that subcontractors are complying with codes of conduct.
Regulation of Global Production Systems. My longer-term research focuses on the challenges of regulating global supply chains and of more effectively implementing environmental and labor standards around the world. I am particularly interested in the role of the state in the regulation of multinational firms and production chains, and in the potential for state-society synergy in environmental and labor regulation. I also currently analyzing firm strategies to integrate labor and environmental standards into global management systems.
Industrial Ecology. I also have a continuing interest in the area of industrial Ecology. Based on past work in pollution prevention and cleaner production (including technical waste audits of factories), I am now looking more broadly at tools for improving the environmental performance of industry (such as design for environment, life cycle assessment, environmental management tools, etc.) and the barriers and incentives for the effective use of these tools. I am particularly interested in the development and implementation of information tools useful to the public.
All of this work involves collaborations with other academics, policy-makers, firms, and community groups in both the US and a number of developing countries.
Transparency and Consumer Information. I am currently exploring the dynamics of providing information about the environmental, social, and health effects of products and companies to consumers in the marketplace. The Consumer Information Laboratory has three primary goals: (1) to analyze and improve the quality of information that is available to consumers on the social, environmental, and health impacts of products and companies; (2) to research the impacts of this information on consumer behavior; and (3) to develop tools to deliver better information to consumers in the most credible and user-friendly way possible.
Environmental Justice and Community-Driven Regulation. I am currently working on several projects that analyze participatory strategies for environmental planning and regulation. I have studied "Community-Driven Regulation" processes in Vietnam. I am also interested in community initiatives around environmental justice concerns in the US. I have been working for several years on community monitoring of environmental issues in the US such as "bucket brigades," community health surveys, sniffer logs, and good neighbor agreements which support environmental justice campaigns.
Sweatshops and Independent Monitoring. I have been working over the last several years to analyze the growth of "sweatshop" production in industrialized and developing countries, and emerging strategies to curb these conditions. I have conducted extensive research on the footwear sector (focusing on Nike, Reebok, and adidas), and on the transnational advocacy campaigns to influence production practices. I have conducted a number of studies to analyze labor monitoring systems, including efforts to better understand the conditions under which university-branded apparel is manufactured, and to develop strategies to enforce and verify that subcontractors are complying with codes of conduct.
Regulation of Global Production Systems. My longer-term research focuses on the challenges of regulating global supply chains and of more effectively implementing environmental and labor standards around the world. I am particularly interested in the role of the state in the regulation of multinational firms and production chains, and in the potential for state-society synergy in environmental and labor regulation. I also currently analyzing firm strategies to integrate labor and environmental standards into global management systems.
Industrial Ecology. I also have a continuing interest in the area of industrial Ecology. Based on past work in pollution prevention and cleaner production (including technical waste audits of factories), I am now looking more broadly at tools for improving the environmental performance of industry (such as design for environment, life cycle assessment, environmental management tools, etc.) and the barriers and incentives for the effective use of these tools. I am particularly interested in the development and implementation of information tools useful to the public.
All of this work involves collaborations with other academics, policy-makers, firms, and community groups in both the US and a number of developing countries.
Prospective Graduate Students
I have a small research team at UC Berkeley and am thus interested in recruiting students that work in CLOSELY RELATED areas of research. I am particularly interested in students who have worked on new governance schemes (such as fair trade initiatives, codes and monitoring systems, product take-back schemes, etc.) or who have direct work experience in the industrial sectors which I am studying (such as electronics, apparel, forest products, etc.). In general, I am most interested in students with a proven record of performance both in academics and professional or advocacy work.
Please read about my current research before you contact me. If you feel your work fits closely with my research, and would like to inquire about applying, please send me an email with your research interests and resume attached as a PDF. Unfortunately, because I receive so many email inquiries from prospective students, I will not be able to respond to every inquiry.
Also, if you have any detailed questions about the admissions process, GRE score requirements, etc., please review the ESPM Graduate Information Office.
Please read about my current research before you contact me. If you feel your work fits closely with my research, and would like to inquire about applying, please send me an email with your research interests and resume attached as a PDF. Unfortunately, because I receive so many email inquiries from prospective students, I will not be able to respond to every inquiry.
Also, if you have any detailed questions about the admissions process, GRE score requirements, etc., please review the ESPM Graduate Information Office.
