Thomas Light
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Education
Overview
Biography
Thomas Light is an economist at the RAND Corporation. His research focuses on transportation, energy, and logistics issues. Examples of Light's research include an analysis of the benefits and costs of speeding up highway expansion projects in Southern California; an assessment of alternative policy options for reducing domestic greenhouse gas emissions; evaluation of strategies for reducing domestic oil consumption; review of equity concerns associated with congestion pricing; and economic analysis of the efficiency and distributional implications of implementing a form of congestion pricing called value pricing. He has also been involved in research for NASA and the U.S. Air Force. In addition to his research activities at RAND, Light is a faculty member at the Pardee RAND Graduate School where he teaches public finances.
Research Focus
Recent Projects
- Evaluation of options for managing spent nuclear fuel
- Analysis of equity issues associated with congestion pricing
- Assessment of military acquisition protests
Selected Publications
L. Ecola and T. Light, "Making Congestion Pricing Equitable," Transportation Research Record, 2187:53-59, 2011
L. Ecola and T. Light, Equity and Congestion Pricing: A Review of the Evidence, RAND Corporation (TR-680), 2009
N. Burger, L. Ecola, T. Light, and M. Toman, "In Search of Effective and Viable Policies to Reduce Greenhouse Gases," Environment, 51(3):8-18, 2009
T. Light, "Optimal Highway Design and User Welfare Under Value Pricing," Journal of Urban Economics, 66(2):116-124, 2009
L. Dixon, P. Sorensen, M. Wachs, M. Collins, M. Hanson, A. Kofner, T. Light, M. Madsen, L. Marsh, A. Overton, H. Shatz, B. Weatherford, Balancing Environment and Development: Costs, Revenues, and Benefits of the Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan, RAND Corporation (MG-816-RCA), 2008
P. Sorensen, M. Wachs, E. Min, A. Kofner, L. Ecola, M. Hanson, A. Yoh, T. Light, J. Griffin, Moving Los Angeles: Short-Term Policy Options for Improving Transportation, RAND Corporation (MG-748-JAT/METRO/MCLA), 2008
Honors & Awards
- Dwight D. Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship, Federal Highway Administration
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