On this page you find some research areas I find interesting (in no particular order) and in which I am happy to supervise MSc Dissertations.
Note that I am supervising not more than 5 MSc Dissertations each year – if you have a research idea which you would like to discuss with me please contact me well in advance via email on: c.spielmann@ucl.ac.uk.
(1) Environmental and Natural Resource Economics.
I am interested in most topics in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics – so if you have a good idea feel free to discuss it with me. I have a particular interest in the effect of environmental policies and regulations on economic outcomes such as innovations, investment or trade flows.
Past and present supervision topics:
– “Is Environmental Regulation a Significant Determinant of Foreign Direct Investment Inflows?”
– “Climate Change Innovations: What Role does Environmental Stringency Play?”
– “Deforestation and the Environmental Kuznets Curve”
(2) Explaining Employment and Unemployment.
I am interested in theoretical models of unemployment as well as the effects of institutions on unemployment. I am also interested in empirical studies (panel and cross section only!) on factors affecting employment outcomes.
Past and present supervision topics:
– “Does Homeownership cause Unemployment in U.S. States?”
(3) The Welfare State and Public Policy Reform.
I.e. Labour Market Policies, Education Policies, Pensions, and Poverty Reduction.
Past and present supervision topics:
– “Attitudes towards unemployment benefits”
(4) The Economics of Education.
I am interested in the effects of institutional variables, peer effects and teaching quality and education policies on labour market and education outcomes.
Past and present supervision topics:
– “Intergenerational education mobility in Indonesia”
(5) The Economics of the Cultural Sector.
I an interested in social aspects of culture and the arts. This includes the effects of cultural engagement, portfolio-work within the arts, the individual and social returns to artistic engagement the effect of outreach programmes.
(6) The Economics of Happiness and Wellbeing .
