Our Research Areas, Academia and Research Methods
As for publications and presentations, please see this page.
The ultimate goal of the activities of our laboratory (indeed group) is to contribute to the realization of a “Sustainable Society” as shown in the center of the figure above. Such “sustainable society” does not exist as a particular outcome of a particular process. Instead, this “sustainable society” would be a society of continuous exploration for ideals, always with the awareness of the realities.
There are many ways to transform the current society into a sustainable society. Abe Lab is currently focusing our study on four areas related to environmental Information, policy, and management. The main academic disciplines of our studies are Applied Economics (e.g., Environmental Economics), Statistics and International Development. Additionally, we are exploring new disciplines such as Operations Research, Cognitive Science, Policy Science, Appropriate Technology and Social Entrepreneurship.
We employ a variety of research techniques in accordance with research themes. These techniques include dynamic optimization, econometrics, multivariate analysis, survival analysis, system dynamics, and cost-benefit analysis.
Our laboratory is tackling a wide range of subjects that do not fit in one specific field. This approach reflects my emphasis on the students’ individual interests, ideas and commitments in their research as a teacher. It is also my opinion that, given the complexity of our society, no problem could possibly be solved from a single viewpoint while I also think some fundamental truths could be actually simple. In that respect, it is imperative to study a variety of research fields and learn an array of analysis techniques (this is virtually an endless process).
For list of studies we have completed in the past, please refer to Dissertations & Theses.
I have always believed in the Japanese proverb “Persistence Pays Off”. I am working towards creating a laboratory where motivated people would gather.
– Naoya Abe