BA in Economics, University College Roosevelt; MA in Economics, New York University
Faculty Supervisor: Eyal Frank
Sara Gerstner worked with Eyal Frank. Frank’s research lies at the intersection of economics and ecology and, broadly speaking, his work aims to quantify the cost associated with a loss in biodiversity. During her time at EPIC, Gerstner worked on a range of different projects, including estimating the effect of listing a species under the Endangered Species Act on property values and the examining the extent to which landowners anticipate these listings.
In the fall of 2024, Gerstner will be pursuing a PhD in Sustainable Development at Columbia University.
“The pre-doctoral program at EPIC is truly one of a kind and I could not be more grateful to have been a part of it. Getting hands-on research experience allowed me to translate the theoretical knowledge I had gained from my degrees into practical skills to answer important policy questions. Dr. Frank has been an incredible mentor and involved me in every step of the research process, allowing me to get a realistic understanding of what life as a researcher looks like. His patience and guidance is what led me to find the right PhD program for me and the skills I gained from working with him allowed me to be accepted into my top choice program.”