Justin Dempsey is a PhD student in Natural Resources at UVM, with a focus on Ecological Economics. Until recently, Justin was living in London, completing a MSc in Geography at University College London titled 'Environment, Politics, and Society'. His dissertation involved interviewing 20 Ecological Economists about their views regarding the commodification of nature. Justin is from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, but lived in Oakland, California, and Ourense, Spain, in addition to his time in London. His research involves working with local stakeholders across Vermont to establish 'Energysheds' where green energy is produced for local consumption. He is interested in the ways that the neoclassical economic narrative of 'homo-economicus' distorts our innate drive toward cooperation, and how the discipline of economics can broaden to incorporate other sources of knowledge. He loves film, traveling, brewing, and playing basketball.