Ryan Swartzentruber

Ryan Swartzentruber is a dedicated educator and researcher with a passion for environmental policy and experimental economics. He strives to engage students by applying microeconomic theory to real-world challenges and encouraging them to tackle complex issues. Ryan joined Pacific Lutheran University in 2024 after completing his Ph.D. at the University of Tennessee. He has taught a variety of courses at the University of Tennessee and Eastern Mennonite University. Ryan has applied his economic expertise to real-world issues throughout his career. During his master’s studies at Colorado State University he estimated the economic impact of conservation easements in Colorado. While working at the U.S. Forest Service, he forecasted water demand across the United States. His academic research covers a range of environmental and behavioral topics: how policy uncertainty affects electric utility investments, how power plants respond to transboundary air pollution regulation, and how uncertainty affects individual decision making under low-probability high-severity outcomes. Outside of the classroom, he can often be found mountain biking or hiking with his family.