Backstory: Ariel Zucker Bergquist on Price Incentives for Conservation

Riccardo speaks with Ariel Zucker, Assistant Professor of Economics at UC Santa Cruz, about her paper “Price Incentives for Conservation: Experimental Evidence from Groundwater Irrigation.”
The conversation explores the logistical challenges of running a large-scale field intervention, the lessons learned from multiple pilot attempts, and the trade-offs graduate students often face when conducting fieldwork on a tight budget. It concludes with a broader reflection on what draws Ariel to her field of research and to academia more generally.
You can find the working paper (coauthored with Nick Hagerty) here: arielzucker.net/_files/ugd/2eee53_ed03d0df4bfb…