Economics Faculty Help Illuminate Rural Energy Futures Through CRES
Research-Led Approach to Energy Decisions
Powering Rural Futures
The University of Missouri’s new Center for Rural Energy Security (CRES) is bringing a Midwestern, research‑driven perspective to some of the most pressing questions facing rural America. As energy infrastructure expands—through wind and solar development, transmission lines, data centers, and shifting household energy demands—CRES provides unbiased analysis to help communities, policymakers, and industry leaders make informed decisions.
Economics plays a central role in this mission. Dr. Zack Miller, chair of the Department of Economics, contributes long‑horizon climate and statistical modeling that helps CRES translate complex scientific patterns into insights relevant for policy and rural planning. His work highlights how long‑term climate cycles shape economic and regulatory decisions, offering clarity for leaders navigating rapidly changing conditions.
Dr. Seunghoon Lee, also an Economics faculty member and CRES affiliate, supports the center’s multidisciplinary research on rural energy markets, infrastructure impacts, and the economic dynamics of renewable development. Together, Miller, Lee, and their colleagues help ensure that CRES’s work is grounded in rigorous economic analysis and accessible to the communities it serves.
By integrating economic expertise with MU’s land‑grant mission, CRES positions the university as a trusted, nonpartisan resource for understanding how energy policy, infrastructure, and innovation shape the future of rural Missouri and rural America.