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Robert Metcalfe

@rmetcalfe.bsky.social
21K followers 586 following 256 posts

Economist, Prof at Columbia University. Chief Economist: Centre for Net Zero (Octopus Energy Group). Co-editor: Journal of Public Economics. 1st gen, 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 www.rmetcalfe.net

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Robert Metcalfe @rmetcalfe.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I'm hiring an economics predoc at @columbiasipa.bsky.social, generally on applied micro projects, but with a large focus on the impacts of AI on economic outcomes using large-scale field experiments with many companies. Please share widely: apply.interfolio.com/194121
apply.interfolio.com
Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
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Robert Metcalfe @rmetcalfe.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Another incredible Advances with Field Experiments conference in the bag! Two packed days of creative, engaging, & thought-provoking research. @johnlist.bsky.social & I feel incredibly lucky to have hosted this conference for the 11th time!
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Robert Metcalfe @rmetcalfe.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
One of the cleverest field experiments I’ve seen in a while. It’s a must read for students in empirical economics on what you can achieve with a clever design.
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Hans Henrik Sievertsen @hhsievertsen.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Hey #EconSky, join the #EconFPL. Win the fantastic mug ⤵️, and most importantly join this list of past winners 20/21 Vigyan D Ratnoo 21/22 @proflivingston.bsky.social 22/23 @conornomics.bsky.social 23/24 @danielepaserman.bsky.social 24/25 @proflivingston.bsky.social 24/25Vigyan D Ratnoo
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Robert Metcalfe @rmetcalfe.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
We are doing another Economist Fantasy Premier League. Econs please join. Congrats to Vigyan who won last season and received the coveted mug. Here is the link to join the league: fantasy.premierleague.com/leagues/auto...
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Robert Metcalfe @rmetcalfe.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
🚨 We are hiring at Columbia! Columbia SIPA is searching for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in environmental, resource, and/or energy economics. It is a very exciting time for env & energy economics at Columbia. Please share widely! Apply: apply.interfolio.com/190500
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Robert Metcalfe @rmetcalfe.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Tried to create an interactive tool for this paper. Any thoughts would be very welcome. rmetcalfe.net/demand-turnu...
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NBER @nber.org · 01/08/2026
Curtailing renewables wastes cheap, clean energy. In nationwide trials in Great Britian and Spain, letting prices go to zero for consumers captured welfare gains curtailment leaves behind, from Daniel Lopez Garcia, @rmetcalfe.bsky.social, Andrew R. Schein, and Yixin Sun www.nber.org/papers/w35530
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NBER @nber.org · 23/07/2026
Demand flexibility is key to the future grid but does it work at scale? A 2.6M-customer field experiment finds consumers cut peak demand by 23 percent, with EVs, batteries, and heat pumps, from Louise Bernard, @rmetcalfe.bsky.social, and Andrew Schein www.nber.org/papers/w35485
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Environmental Markets Lab (emLab) @emlab.ucsb.edu · 22/07/2026
⏳ Only 10 days left to submit your paper! Don't miss the chance to present your environmental and resource economics research at our "Occasional" workshop from Nov 5-7th on the beautiful @ucsantabarbara.bsky.social campus. 🔗 Learn more and submit here: occasionalworkshop.weebly.com/submission.h...
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Robert Metcalfe @rmetcalfe.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
One of the fastest ways to slow the UK’s clean energy transition? Introduce electricity block rate tariffs. Here’s why this seemingly simple policy gets the economics wrong. 👇 www.centrefornetzero.org/news/case-ag... @centrefornetzero.bsky.social
centrefornetzero.org
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Robert Metcalfe @rmetcalfe.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
What if, instead of paying wind farms to switch OFF, we paid households to switch ON? New paper: we ran nationwide natural field experiments in 🇬🇧 and 🇪🇸 with ~120,000 households to find out. 🧵
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John Bistline @bistline.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
This is based on a recently published AER paper by Hahn, Hendren, @rmetcalfe.bsky.social, @bsprungkeyser.bsky.social: www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=... Ungated preprint is here: rmetcalfe.net/HahnHendrenM... Great to see a climate policy article published in a top-five econ journal!
aeaweb.org
A Welfare Analysis of Policies Impacting Climate Change
(July 2026) - We study the welfare impacts of 96 climate-related tax and spending policies. We extend and apply the marginal value of public funds (MVPF) framework, most notably providing a new method...
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John Bistline @bistline.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
EVs are the marquee climate subsidy. They also have one of the lowest returns per dollar spent. New MVPF analysis: wind production tax credits deliver $5.87 in social benefit per $1 spent. Residential solar: $3.86. EV subsidies: $1.45.
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Joel Wood 🇨🇦 @joelwwood.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
I think @lindsaytedds.bsky.social might appreciate this. MVPF in the latest issue of the AER! Hahn, Hendren, @rmetcalfe.bsky.social, @bsprungkeyser.bsky.social: A Welfare Analysis of Policies Impacting Climate Change www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=...
aeaweb.org
A Welfare Analysis of Policies Impacting Climate Change
(July 2026) - We study the welfare impacts of 96 climate-related tax and spending policies. We extend and apply the marginal value of public funds (MVPF) framework, most notably providing a new method...
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koenfucius @koenfucius.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
Analysis of 7 years of student test performance data in the UK by @rmetcalfe.bsky.social et al suggests the football World Cup tournament coinciding with high stakes exams reduces the odds of meeting the required benchmark by 12% (28% for keen football fans): buff.ly/qS5JPmG
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NBER @nber.org · 24/05/2026
Merger proposals create a selection effect: even if market power and efficiency gains are unrelated overall, proposed mergers will often show a negative correlation between them, from @rmetcalfe.bsky.social, Alexandre B. Sollaci, and Chad Syverson www.nber.org/papers/w35221
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Robert Metcalfe @rmetcalfe.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
📢 CALL FOR PAPERS: Reminder to submit by May 29, 2026 The 2026 Advances with Field Experiments Conference will take place September 17–18, 2026, at the University of Chicago. The conference brings together researchers advancing the frontier of field experiments across many disciplines.
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Martin Gaynor @martingaynor.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Important new paper by Robert Metcalfe, Alexandre Sollaci & Chad Syverson. They show that proposed mergers that lead to greater market power will have smaller efficiencies & vice versa. This has important implications for enforcement agencies & courts in assessing mergers. www.nber.org/papers/w35221
nber.org
Proposed Mergers Where Efficiencies Are Needed Most Might Be the Least Likely to Deliver Them
Founded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers, an...
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Robert Metcalfe @rmetcalfe.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
I reviewed the new "Experimental Economics: Theory and Practice" by John List after teaching it for the first time this semester to Columbia PhD students. drive.google.com/file/d/1kUto...
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Becker Friedman Institute for Economics @beckerfriedman.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
Applications are now open for the 2026 Price Theory Summer Camp! Designed for PhD students outside UChicago, the program focuses on applying core economic tools to real problems. 🗓️ June 14–18 📝 Apply by March 1 🔗 ow.ly/k6ON50Y8mQt
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NBER @nber.org · 25/01/2026
AI can cut peak electricity demand at scale. A large natural field experiment shows AI-managed EV charging cuts peak load 42 percent and shifts usage to cleaner hours, from @rmetcalfe.bsky.social, Andrew Schein, Cohen R. Simpson, and Yixin Sun www.nber.org/papers/w34709
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Eugenie Dugoua @eugeniedugoua.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
Best workshop, best keynote and best time to visit London! Submit your paper/abstract. Deadline Feb 1.
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Robert Metcalfe @rmetcalfe.bsky.social · 19/01/2026
New @nber.org paper by myself, @the-scheining.bsky.social, Yixin Sun from @centrefornetzero.bsky.social, & Cohen Simpson. We study the largest field experiment on AI-managed EV charging, showing that it can reduce peak demand, lower costs, and cut emissions without disrupting household routines.
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Robert Metcalfe @rmetcalfe.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
Simply awful. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/c...
nytimes.com
E.P.A. to Stop Considering Lives Saved When Setting Rules on Air Pollution
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Will Wheeler @willwheels1.bsky.social · 11/01/2026
I attended the lecture by Hendren and Sprung - Keyser and it was excellent!
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Robert Metcalfe @rmetcalfe.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
The AEA has posted eight "Recent Developments" lectures exploring highly topical issues in economics, presented by the best scholars in the field: www.aeaweb.org/conference/w... Well worth a watch!
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Katy Milkman @katymilkman.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
I’m really looking forward to this and hope you’ll consider joining us!
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Robert Metcalfe @rmetcalfe.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
Excited to announce that this year's Advances with Field Experiments conference will take place at the University of Chicago on September 17-18, 2026. @johnlist.bsky.social and I will send out a call for abstracts early in the Spring. bfi.uchicago.edu/events/event... @katymilkman.bsky.social
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Sefi Roth @sjroth.bsky.social · 08/01/2026
📢 Call for Papers! The 9th Annual LSE/Imperial Workshop on Environmental Econ. will be held in London June 8-9 ✅ Submissions by Feb 1 📄 Full papers only (no abstracts) 🎤 Keynote: Prof. @rmetcalfe.bsky.social 🔗 more details here: www.lse.ac.uk/geography-an...
lse.ac.uk
9th Annual LSE/Imperial Workshop on Environmental Economics
Information about the LSE Department of Geography and Environment's Environmental Economics Workshop.
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Trade Diversion (Jonathan Dingel) @tradediversion.bsky.social · 02/01/2026
I look forward to catching up with folks at the Columbia Economics #ASSA2026 reception on Saturday evening in Marriott Downtown, Room 407. www.aeaweb.org/conference/2...
aeaweb.org
American Economic Association
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Jon Mellon @jonmellon.bsky.social · 28/12/2025
Expanding on this. The rise of LLMs push the role of data scientists closer to systems engineers and away from coders. Systems engineering is about turning competing stakeholder demands into consensus criteria for judging a solution and coming up with ways to verify whether criteria have been met.
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NBER @nber.org · 28/12/2025
A large UK field experiment—110,000 drivers, 60 percent of public chargers—found that cutting prices by 40 percent increased charging by 117 percent. Consumers respond fast, large grid benefits, from Bernard, Hackett, @rmetcalfe.bsky.social, Panzone, and Schein www.nber.org/papers/w34600
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Scott Lincicome @scottlincicome.bsky.social · 22/12/2025
New @nberpubs: "The Impact of Dynamic Prices on Electric Vehicle Public Charging Demand: Evidence from a Nationwide Natural Field Experiment" www.nber.org/papers/w34600 "Our findings suggest that dynamic pricing for public EV charging generated large consumer welfare gains."
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Sandy Black @econsandy.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Hannah's work shows that, when the minimum wage increases, schedule unpredictability goes up too. Perhaps not surprising (but very hard to show)--as the wage goes up, workers pay in other ways. She is on the market and has a number of very cool and important papers! hannahfarkas.github.io
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Jesse Anttila-Hughes @jessexjesse.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Super excited to see Hannah's JMP in the Economist this week! She uses detailed data to show how firms pass the risk of weather-driven shift changes on to workers in food & bev / retail, & that minimum wages actual *worsen* that effect! #econsky #climsky #climate #jmp #jmc #susdev
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Anna Stansbury @annastansbury.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
1. Schedule unpredictability means you don't work full time, but can't fill the other hours. Avg hours worked per year in hospitality is 26, compared to 35-40 in most other industries. But workers can't fill the spare hours with another job as they don't know when they'll be scheduled to work.
Figure shows average hours worked per week by industry. It is 25.8 in leisure and hospitality, compared to an average of 34.7 for the whole private sector.
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Anna Stansbury @annastansbury.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Hannah also finds a tradeoff between schedule unpredictability and wages: when the minimum wage is increased, scheduling unpredictability increases too. Suggests another margin that firms are able to cut costs on when minimum wages increase. (parallels with our work on workplace injuries).
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Anna Stansbury @annastansbury.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
2. Firms pass demand risk onto workers: Hannah shows that on bad-weather days (when fewer people come to buy things from these retail & hospitality businesses), there are more last-minute shift cancellations. In most jobs, the firm bears the risk of demand shocks unless extreme (-> layoffs).
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Anna Stansbury @annastansbury.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
This is a fascinating paper. It's the first (afaik) to actually document food&drink&retail scheduling unpredictability using actual firm data. It illustrates v clearly why unpredictable scheduling makes these jobs so difficult:
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Robert Metcalfe @rmetcalfe.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Check out Hannah awesome JMP on job schedule unpredictability and how minimum wage policy affects such unpredictability: hannahfarkas.github.io/files/The_Ec...
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Hannah Farkas @hannah-farkas.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Excited to see my JMP cited in the Economist—it highlights the tradeoffs workers could face with a higher minimum wage and suggests more worker protections like Fair Workweek laws could be important alongside minimum wage increases www.economist.com/finance-and-...
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Robert Metcalfe @rmetcalfe.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
Great podcast on indoor air pollution by @volts.wtf. If you’re interested in a field experiment with using real-time information on changing indoor air pollution, check out our paper: bsky.app/profile/rmet...
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Florian Grosset-Touba @floriangrosset.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
Prospective PhD students: do not hesitate to attend this information session from my great former PhD program!
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Robert Metcalfe @rmetcalfe.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
Interested in a PhD program that offers students the opportunity to do interdisciplinary research at the nexus of natural science and economics? Please join us for a SustDev information session December 4 from 10:15-12 ET. Sign up here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
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Will Wheeler @willwheels1.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
Wow, this is a really interesting #EconJMP
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Anna Papp @annapappp.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
Super cool #EconJMP by Hayeon on policy intensity and loopholes. Check out the paper and her other work at: sites.google.com/view/hayeonj...
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Will Wheeler @willwheels1.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
I've seen Hannah present and she does great stuff. Check out the thread.
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Anna Papp @annapappp.bsky.social · 15/11/2025
Check out Hannah’s awesome #EconJMP with really cool/unique data that allows for insights into an understudied but important aspect of labor markets.
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Hannah Farkas @hannah-farkas.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
I’m on the #EconJobMarket! I study labor, extreme weather adaptation, and inequality. My JMP addresses an under-studied aspect of the labor market: schedule unpredictability among hourly workers in the service sector. 🧵👇
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