{"id":227714,"date":"2025-12-30T11:59:27","date_gmt":"2025-12-30T21:59:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=227714"},"modified":"2025-12-30T11:59:27","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T21:59:27","slug":"it-came-to-me-in-a-dream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/12\/30\/it-came-to-me-in-a-dream\/","title":{"rendered":"‘It came to me in a dream’: A fellowship in ecological resource economics"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

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Professor Emeritus Jim Roumasset dreamed that he gave a substantial gift to the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at Mānoa Department of Economics<\/a> in the College of Social Sciences<\/a>. On awakening, he realized what a good idea it was. In discussions with Chair Nori Tarui and UH<\/abbr> Economic Research Organization<\/a> (UHERO<\/abbr>) specialist Kimberly Burnett, he decided that the gift should be in the form of a research assistantship in ecological resource economics.<\/p>\n

The Ecological Resource Economics Research Assistantship Fund will support graduate students at UH<\/abbr> Mānoa who show aptitude in resource economics and a strong interest in the natural environment. Roumasset has pledged support for four years, with renewal eligibility for recipients.<\/p>\n

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Jim Roumasset and Kim Burnett<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A career rooted in Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span><\/h2>\n

Roumasset first came to UH<\/abbr> Mānoa as a graduate student, earning an MA<\/abbr> in economics in 1969. He was drawn by an affinity for Asia and a strong, personal letter from the department chair. He had just completed his Peace Corps service in the Philippines, and Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> felt like a natural fit.<\/p>\n

He spent his career at UH<\/abbr> Mānoa, teaching and researching economics, and mentoring students from the Philippines and around the world. Along with former students, his work helped shape policy discussions surrounding agricultural risk, sustainable development, institutional change, competition policy, and resource economics, especially concerning water and energy.<\/p>\n

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Economies are embedded in nature<\/h2>\n

Ecological resource economics is distinct from traditional environmental economics. While the latter often centers on pollution and climate change, ecological resource economics examines how multiple natural resources interact, such as groundwater, the watershed, coastal marine resources, invasive species and protective infrastructure.<\/p>\n

“Resource economics focuses on managing a single resource,” he said. “Ecological resource economics allows for the interaction of these resources, and how one affects the other.”<\/p>\n

A fellowship with real-world impact<\/h2>\n

Burnett, one of Roumasset\u2019s former graduate students, said the new assistantship will open doors for students in a rigorous, deeply relevant field.<\/p>\n

“Every new problem I approach I see through an ecological resource economics lens,” she said. “Ecology and the economy are part of the same system, and decisions made within either will affect both.”<\/p>\n

Read the entire story on the UH<\/abbr> Foundation website<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The fund will support graduate students who show aptitude in resource economics and a strong interest in the natural environment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":227720,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[301,197,507,1466,1026,319,9],"class_list":["post-227714","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-college-of-social-sciences","tag-economics","tag-graduate-education","tag-manoa-enhancing-student-success","tag-social-science","tag-uh-foundation","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t