Robert is an Assistant Professor of environmental economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara's Environmental Studies Program and the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management. In his research, Robert combines emerging methods of causal inference from economics with data made possible through advances in Earth observation to answer pressing questions about how society protects and uses natural resources. Robert’s current research focus is on the environmental and socioeconomic impact of nonstate policies to end deforestation. He received his B.A. in Environment, Economics and Politics from Claremont McKenna College, his M.A. in Economics from Stanford University, and his Ph.D. in Environment and Resources from Stanford University. His research has been published in top scientific journals, including the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nature Climate Change, and Nature Sustainability. Robert strives to translate his research into action, whether through participation in policy processes (e.g. High Carbon Stock Approach, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) or through effective communication with the media (e.g. research cited in The Economist, CNN, BBC, NPR, and Rolling Stone).