Steven Buck is an assistant professor of environmental and natural resource economics in the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Kentucky. His research focuses on topics in consumer and producer behavior related to water and land resource economics. Methodologically, his expertise is in applied econometric methods, especially empirical methods for valuation of water resources, modeling land-use decisions, forecasting both water- and land-uses, and program evaluation.
His research on valuation topics includes valuing irrigation water, urban water supply reliability, and water conservation. Research on modeling land-use decisions includes econometric models of crop choice and the role of both water availability and water salinity on agricultural land-use. Research on forecasting topics include forecasts of residential water consumption, commercial & industrial water consumption, embedded energy consumption in residential water demand, Kentucky agricultural land-use and land vulnerable to nutrient loading. In addition, his research on consumer behavior with water and applied econometrics is general enough to inform research in other areas. For examples, he has collaborations on health topics related to consumer behavior with tobacco and cannabis plant/hemp products, food consumption choices, and household food security.
He has published research in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics, the Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economics, Resource and Energy Economics, and Water Resources Research, among others.