Lachlan Watkins

Postdoctoral Scholar

Nashville Metropolitan Area

About

I am a postdoctoral scholar at Vanderbilt University Law School with a PhD in Economics from Vanderbilt University. My research spans environmental, health, and behavioral economics, integrating spatial modeling, machine learning, and causal inference. I focus on the economics of environmental health risks, with ongoing projects on electric vehicle adoption, consumer demand for radon mitigation, and predictive modeling of lung cancer risk among veterans. Before academia, I worked as a healthcare consultant at The Lewin Group (OptumInsight Consulting), where I analyzed the economic impact of public health policies, including tobacco use in the military and the cost-effectiveness of Poison Control Centers.

Experience

  • Postdoctoral Scholar at Vanderbilt University Law School
    Aug 2023 - Present · 2 yrs 11 mos

  • Pre Doctoral Fellow at National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
    May 2022 - Apr 2023 · 1 yr

  • Teaching Assistant at Vanderbilt University
    Aug 2018 - May 2022 · 3 yrs 10 mos

  • The Lewin Group (Full-time · 3 yrs 4 mos)
    • Research Consultant
      Jan 2017 - Sep 2017 · 9 mos

    • Senior Research Analyst
      Jun 2014 - Dec 2016 · 2 yrs 7 mos

  • Colorado College (3 yrs 5 mos)
    • Research Assistant
      Jan 2011 - May 2014 · 3 yrs 5 mos

      Aided in the research of economic papers for Colorado College faculty mostly consisting of compiling literature reviews, data creation, and manuscript editing.

    • Researcher
      May 2012 - Aug 2012 · 4 mos

      I received a research grant to work with professor Dr. Kristina Lybecker to research and write a paper in economics. I researched, wrote, and compared how differing liability environments in the United States and the United Kingdom could help contribute to the large price differential between U.S. and U.K. pharmaceuticals. We are currently working on a revised version of the paper for resubmission to an academic journal of economics.