Faculty from the University of New Mexico's Department of Economics and the Department of Community and Regional Planning presented six research projects at the third annual New Mexico Economic Research Day earlier this month. These projects, funded by the New Mexico State Legislature through the Research in Public Service Projects funding and a 2024 junior fiscal appropriation bill, aimed to investigate various economic or policy-related topics impacting the state.
“Every one of these projects included both graduate and undergraduate students and that is really remarkable and illustrates that research is education,” said Vice President for Research Ellen Fischer. “Each of these projects highlights really well that there are a lot of complexities to the challenges that we are facing within the state of New Mexico, especially given our rich, multicultural heritage, and our vast, open rural spaces.”
The event covered several issues:
**Food Insecurity and Food Purchase Behaviors**
Associate Professor Sarah Stith, Assistant Professor Xiaxue Li, graduate research assistant Swarup Paudel, and undergraduate research assistant Lawrence Rybarcyk explored how access to healthy food impacts buying decisions in New Mexico. Their findings indicated that people in rural areas purchase fewer fruits and vegetables compared to urban residents, with income level having little impact on food choices.
**Equity in Solar PV Adoption**
Assistant Professor Yuting Yang's team examined how New Mexico’s Solar Tax Credit affects solar PV technology adoption equity. They found racial equity in solar installations but noted lower-income households were less likely to install solar panels compared to higher-income households.
**Pluriversal Economic Systems**
Associate Professor Manuel Montoya discussed challenges faced by Mora in receiving compensation for damages from the Hermits Peak Calf Canyon fire. His ongoing work examines Mora's unique position as an unincorporated community within a traditional economic system.
**Valuing Urban Greening**
Regents Professor Robert Berrens' team studied the value of urban green spaces using real estate data. They found cooling effects from green areas significantly impacted housing market values more than proximity to parks or green spaces.
**Urban Water Demand Price Elasticities**
Associate Professor Jingjing Wang analyzed how price increases affect water demand in Albuquerque. Her study revealed wealthier zip codes use more water, with water usage being largely price-inelastic across all sectors.
**Economic Growth on Albuquerque’s Westside**
Moises Gonzales presented research on Westside expansion impacts over 50 years. The study highlighted future growth challenges including increased water demand and transportation issues due to commuting patterns.
Further details about these projects can be found on the Department of Economics website.
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