Impact Assessment of Natural Resource and Environmental Programs Using Propensity Score Analysis

Day 2: Sept 23, 2013 • 2:30pm • Ballard Hall Small Conference Room

By Mark Braza

Quantitative estimates of the impacts of environmental programs are critical but rare. This presentation describes Propensity Score Analysis (PSA) and applies it to evaluate a federal land conservation program. It explains how concepts of PSA – such as constructing control groups and estimating counterfactual outcomes – can be applied to other evaluations.

I am a Senior Research Methodologist for Natural Resource and Environment issues the U.S. Government Accountability Office. I design policy research studies of natural resource and environmental protection programs using both quantitative methods, such as statistical analysis and simulation models, and qualitative methods, including survey research. I was formerly a Presidential Management Fellow in the Office of Policy at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. I hold an M.S. in Policy Analysis from Carnegie Mellon University, where I focused on quantitative methods, and a Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Maryland where I focused on environmental planning and geospatial analysis.

• A list of all presentations at the 2013 EENP Forum