Nathan J. Cook

Indiana University Indianapolis

Research Interests

political science
public policy
environmental governance
international development
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Geography, Planning and Development
Global and Planetary Change
Ecology
Food Science
Nature and Landscape Conservation
Urban Studies
Development
Economics and Econometrics
Building and Construction
Sociology and Political Science
Education

About

Nathan J. Cook is an environmental policy expert with a background in behavioral science. Dr. Cook's research focuses on the intersection of environment, society, and economy, with a particular emphasis on sustainability policy. He is especially interested in analyzing policies related to climate, natural resources, and conservation from the perspective of economic and social sustainability. He uses a variety of methods and data sources, including behavioral experiments, large-scale surveys, and data science techniques. Dr. Cook received his Ph.D. in Political Science with a focus on environmental policy from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2018, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Behavioral Science in 2020, also at the University of Colorado Boulder. After completing his education, Dr. Cook joined the faculty at Indiana University Indianapolis as an Assistant Professor in the Paul H. O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, a highly ranked public affairs school. To date, Dr. Cook's projects have received over $1.3 million in support from the National Science Foundation, including a [project](https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2242507&HistoricalAwards=false) that is currently in force. He has published articles in top-ranked journals in the area of environment and sustainability. Among others, these journals include: [Nature Climate Change](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-019-0438-4) \- ranked by Clarivate as \#1 in Environmental Studies [Nature Sustainability](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-018-0034-z) \- ranked by Clarivate as \#2 in Environmental Studies [Ecological Economics](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921800924000119?dgcid=author) \- ranked by Clarivate in the top quartiles in both Economics and Ecology [World Development](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0305750X16305599) \- ranked by Clarivate as \#4 in Development Studies\, and in the top quartile in Economics [Environmental Science & Policy](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1462901122003471?via%3Dihub) \- ranked by Clarivate in the top quartile in Environmental Sciences Dr. Cook is also actively involved in community engagement that translates research into action, working with local organizations and government agencies in South Asia, East Africa, and Latin America to co-produce research that is actionable for practitioners working to make a difference.

Publications

Experimental evidence on payments for forest commons conservation

Nature Sustainability / Mar 12, 2018

Andersson, K. P., Cook, N. J., Grillos, T., Lopez, M. C., Salk, C. F., Wright, G. D., & Mwangi, E. (2018). Experimental evidence on payments for forest commons conservation. Nature Sustainability, 1(3), 128–135. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-018-0034-z

Gender quotas increase the equality and effectiveness of climate policy interventions

Nature Climate Change / Mar 18, 2019

Cook, N. J., Grillos, T., & Andersson, K. P. (2019). Gender quotas increase the equality and effectiveness of climate policy interventions. Nature Climate Change, 9(4), 330–334. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-019-0438-4

Local Politics of Forest Governance: Why NGO Support Can Reduce Local Government Responsiveness

World Development / Apr 01, 2017

Cook, N. J., Wright, G. D., & Andersson, K. P. (2017). Local Politics of Forest Governance: Why NGO Support Can Reduce Local Government Responsiveness. World Development, 92, 203–214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2016.12.005

A Replication of a Quasi-Experimental Approach to Estimating Middle School Structural Transition Effects on Student Learning Trajectories

Educational Policy / Feb 09, 2021

Atteberry, A., Wedow, R., Cook, N. J., & McEachin, A. (2021). A Replication of a Quasi-Experimental Approach to Estimating Middle School Structural Transition Effects on Student Learning Trajectories. Educational Policy, 36(7), 1612–1651. https://doi.org/10.1177/0895904820987797

Can Restoration of the Commons Reduce Rural Vulnerability? A Quasi-Experimental Comparison of COVID-19 Livelihood-based Coping Strategies among Rural Households in Three Indian States

International Journal of the Commons / Jul 06, 2022

Hughes, K. A., Priyadarshini, P., Sharma, H., Lissah, S., Chorran, T., Meinzen-Dick, R., Dogra, A., Cook, N., & Andersson, K. (2022). Can Restoration of the Commons Reduce Rural Vulnerability? A Quasi-Experimental Comparison of COVID-19 Livelihood-based Coping Strategies among Rural Households in Three Indian States. International Journal of the Commons, 16(1), 189. https://doi.org/10.5334/ijc.1155

Conservation payments and perceptions of equity: Experimental evidence from Indonesia, Peru, and Tanzania

Current Research in Environmental Sustainability / Jan 01, 2023

Cook, N. J., Grillos, T., & Andersson, K. P. (2023). Conservation payments and perceptions of equity: Experimental evidence from Indonesia, Peru, and Tanzania. Current Research in Environmental Sustainability, 5, 100212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2023.100212

Promoting women’s leadership under environmental decentralization: The roles of domestic policy, foreign aid, and population change

Environmental Science & Policy / Jan 01, 2023

Cook, N. J., Benedum, M. E., Gorti, G., & Thapa, S. (2023). Promoting women’s leadership under environmental decentralization: The roles of domestic policy, foreign aid, and population change. Environmental Science & Policy, 139, 240–249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2022.11.007

Can restoration of the commons foster resilience? A quasi-experimental comparison of COVID-19 coping strategies among rural households in three Indian states

Jan 01, 2021

Hughes, K., Priyadarshini, P., Sharma, H., Lissah, S., Chorran, T., Meinzen-Dick, R. S., Dogra, A., Cook, N., & Andersson, K. (2021). Can restoration of the commons foster resilience? A quasi-experimental comparison of COVID-19 coping strategies among rural households in three Indian states. International Food Policy Research Institute. https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.134742

Experimental evidence on minority participation and the design of community-based natural resource management programs

Ecological Economics / Apr 01, 2024

Cook, N. J. (2024). Experimental evidence on minority participation and the design of community-based natural resource management programs. Ecological Economics, 218, 108114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2024.108114

Education

University of Colorado Boulder

Ph.D., Environmental Policy / December, 2018

Boulder, Colorado, United States of America

University of Colorado Boulder

Postdoctoral Fellowship, Behavioral Science / December, 2020

Boulder, Colorado, United States of America

Experience

Indiana University Indianapolis

Assistant Professor / January, 2021Present

Faculty in the area of environmental policy and sustainability.

Links & Social Media

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