Edson R. Severnini is an Associate Professor of Economics and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University (Heinz College), a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), and a Research Affiliate at the Institute of Labor Economics (IZA). His research interests lie at the intersection of Energy and Environmental Economics, Economic History, and Labor Economics. His work focuses on examining the impacts of the expansion of energy access, pollution, and environmental regulation on local development, health outcomes, and firm behavior since the age of electrification in the United States. He is also interested on the impact of climate change on air pollution, electricity generation, and infectious disease, and on racial issues in local labor markets and in higher education.

He's a proud first-generation college student, immigrant, and queer.

He joined IZA as a Research Affiliate in March 2013 and became a Research Fellow in December 2023.