Arthur van Benthem

Professor at The Wharton School

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

About

I am a Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at Wharton. My research and teaching focuses around energy and environmental economics. My recent research has a particular emphasis on unintended consequences of environmental legislation, electricity markets, carbon markets, vehicle policy, and biodiversity and land protection. I am the Faculty Co-Director of Wharton’s Climate Center. Before pursuing my doctoral studies at Stanford, I worked in various roles at Royal Dutch Shell, including in corporate strategy as an energy economist in the Long-Term Energy Scenarios Team.

Experience

  • The Wharton School (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States)
    • Professor
      Jul 2025 - Present · 1 yr

      Teaching and research in energy and environmental economics, Business Economics and Public Policy department. Designed and taught courses for undergraduate, MBA and executive MBA students. Faculty co-director of the Wharton Climate Center.

    • Associate Professor
      Jul 2020 - Jun 2025 · 5 yrs

      Teaching and research in energy and environmental economics, Business Economics and Public Policy department. Designed and taught courses for undergraduate, MBA and executive MBA students. Faculty co-lead of Wharton's Business, Climate and Environment Lab.

    • Assistant Professor
      Jul 2012 - Jun 2020 · 8 yrs

      Teaching and research in energy and environmental economics, Business Economics and Public Policy department. Designed and taught courses for undergraduate, MBA and executive MBA students.

  • Ph.D. in Economics at Stanford University
    Sep 2007 - Jun 2012 · 4 yrs 10 mos

    Areas of specialization: energy & environmental economics, public finance.

  • Shell International (The Hague, South Holland, Netherlands)
    • Energy Economist
      Mar 2006 - Aug 2007 · 1 yr 6 mos

      Part of the Shell Scenario Team in the corporate strategy division, involved in producing Shell's “World Energy Model” and the Long-Term Energy Scenarios. Work included research in energy economics, energy demand estimation, support for the Chief Economist’s office and the businesses.

    • Quantitative Analyst
      Sep 2005 - Feb 2006 · 6 mos

      Research on European natural gas markets and valuation of new investments. Projects on carbon trading, gas demand forecasting and power price forecasting.

  • Research Intern at Shell Global Solutions
    Mar 2003 - Dec 2003 · 10 mos

    Research involved application of real options theory to the question when and how to invest in a large-scale hydrogen infrastructure for road transport, and the impact of government intervention.

  • Evening stock trader at IMC Trading
    Jul 2002 - Nov 2003 · 1 yr 5 mos

    Trading of Dutch stocks listed on foreign stock exchanges in Europe and the United States; currency trades to hedge exchange rate risk; assistance of daily market making operations.