EPIC’s pre-doctoral fellowship program is graduating another cohort of high-achieving researchers this spring. The fellows are all moving on to PhD programs at top universities, where they will continue investigating today’s toughest challenges in climate, energy and the environment through economics research.
For the past two years, fellows have worked closely with EPIC faculty conducting energy and environment research. The full-time positions allow early-career researchers to gain experience and mentorship before transitioning to a PhD program.
Read more about the graduating fellows’ future placements and their reflections on their time at EPIC below.
Jennifer Agbo
Princeton University
Jennifer Agbo worked with the Climate Impact Lab on the Climate Inequality project, analyzing how climate damages are distributed globally across income groups and socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) at different levels of global warming. She also contributed to energy economics research, including work on an energy adaptation report and sector-level data projections spanning energy, mortality, labor, and agriculture.
This fall, Agbo will begin a PhD at Princeton University.
“In my one year at EPIC, I learned that good research is as much about asking the right questions as it is about answering them. What struck me most at the Climate Impact Lab was how seriously everyone took the stakes of the work. Climate economics isn’t abstract. It is about real people and real tradeoffs. That sense of purpose has influenced how I want to approach my own research going forward as I begin my PhD.”
Marsya Paramita Candradewi
University of British Columbia
Marsya Paramita Candradewi worked with Michael Greenstone on projects relating to energy and development economics, including estimating energy demand at the global electrification frontier.
In the fall, Candradewi will be pursuing a PhD in Economics at the University of British Columbia.
“Working with Michael Greenstone at EPIC has been a highlight. He sets high standards and he’s genuinely invested in my growth as a researcher. I greatly enjoyed being part of the EPIC community where I was constantly exposed to the frontier of the field, surrounded by brilliant and generous peers. I believe my time at EPIC has prepared me well for my next steps.”
Elliot Grenier
Yale University
Elliot Grenier worked on a range of projects with the Climate Impact Lab (CIL). He contributed to a paper producing the first empirically founded estimates of the local damages of climate change across the world. He also worked on projects quantifying the global effects of climate change on labor disutility and on agricultural yields across six staple crops.
In the fall, Elliot will be pursuing a PhD in Environmental Economics at Yale University.
“The pre-doctoral fellowship at EPIC has been an invaluable experience. I am especially grateful for the mentorship I received from the researchers at CIL and for the opportunity to work on collaborative and interdisciplinary research. Through my role, I learned what it means to do careful and rigorous work, honed my technical abilities, and gained real confidence as a researcher. I leave Chicago with a foundation I expect to build on throughout the rest of my academic career.”
Caleb Halvorson-Fried
University of California, Berkeley
Caleb Halvorson-Fried worked with Professor Koichiro Ito to analyze the international spillover effects of Japan’s fuel economy policy on global automobile markets. His work centered on developing and implementing the structural model used in the analysis.
In the fall, Halvorson-Fried will be pursuing a PhD at the University of California, Berkeley, focusing on energy and environmental economics.
“My two years at EPIC and within the broader UChicago economics community have confirmed my commitment to credible, policy-relevant research for the benefit of both humanity and the planet. I am especially grateful for Koichiro’s guidance and mentorship, as well as the energy and intellectual curiosity of researchers across the university.”
Keishi Kimura
University of Chicago
Keishi Kimura worked with Michael Greenstone on several research projects, including measuring the effectiveness of smart meters in reducing electricity theft in India, and estimating willingness to pay for clean air via mask purchases with randomized prices. He also supported Greenstone on a book examining the localized damages of climate change and proposing cross-country transfers for mitigation and adaptation.
Kimura will be pursuing a PhD in Economics at the University of Chicago beginning in fall 2026.
“Working with Michael Greenstone has been a formative experience. I’ve developed a feel for the rhythms of the research process and the careful deliberation each step demands. I also had the privilege of Michael’s mentorship and made many invaluable friends and connections along the way. It’s hard to see clearly from this close, but I’m certain what I’ve learned here will keep paying dividends as my research career unfolds.”
Anora Wu
Johns Hopkins University
As a Research Professional for Professor Michael Greenstone, Anora Wu worked on climate economics and environmental policy projects, including the Climate Compensation project and cloud seeding evaluation in China.
Wu will be joining the Economics PhD program at Johns Hopkins University this fall, focusing on how informational and political incentive structures shape environmental outcomes.
“My time at EPIC gave me a much stronger sense of how to formulate research questions that have both theoretical rigor and real-world empirical challenges. I’m excited to deepen that understanding in my PhD.”