Dr Mehdi Nemati

Dr Mehdi Nemati is an Assistant Professor of Water Resource Economics and Policy in the School of Public Policy at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), USA. Dr Nemati’s role is to provide leadership throughout the state to develop mission-oriented research programs among colleagues and universities. He facilitates teamwork among government agencies, stakeholder groups, and private industry with a focus on promoting sustainable and cost-effective strategies for addressing water-related issues, such as water scarcity and drought.

His policy-oriented research program focusses on economic issues associated with urban/municipal water use and water conservation programs, including alternative pricing structures (e.g. budget-based tiered rates and drought pricing); rebate programs (e.g. turfgrass removal); direct and indirect potable water reuse; design of enforcement and monitoring strategies; incentives for the adoption of conservation practices and technologies.

Dr Nemati's papers have appeared in various peer-reviewed publications, including Nature Sustainability, Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, Resource and Energy Economics, Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Review of Development Economics, and ARE Update. Dr Nemati received his PhD in Agricultural Economics and MS in Economics at the University of Kentucky, USA.