Fred V. Carstensen

Director, Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis

Professor, Finance, School of Business

Primary Research Theme

Economic and Community Development

Secondary Research Themes

Built Environment, Governance and Urban Services, Healthy Cities, People and the City, Social-Ecological Systems

Research Interests

The Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis (CCEA) does primarily sponsored research projecting economic impacts of proposed or current policies, of investments, and of initiatives. These studies have included estimating the benefits created by urban diaper banks helping low income families keeping their children in clean diapers (health benefits), the environmental value of urban park tree cover (greenhouse gas emission capture), the health benefits that a trail/greenway generates through improved access to physical exercise (health benefits), the value of cultural institutions, specifically art museums, the value creation of training child care providers so they can be licensed, and the competitive assets of the City of Hartford. CCEA is skilled at providing analysis that reveals the economic benefits that flow from voluntary activities, cultural institutions, welfare programs, and policies or programs that are not directly involved in economic development (e.g. diaper banks, walking trails, cultural institutions).