Arlene Kons Cassidy received her bachelor’s degree in Applied and Theoretical Mathematics
and a master’s degree in Economics from Stony Brook. She completed her Ph.D. in Administration/Management
with a concentration in Economics and Mathematics at Walden University. Dr. Cassidy
has several years’ experience teaching a variety of economics, mathematics and business
courses for undergraduate as well as graduate students. She has experience mentoring
Ph.D. students and has worked as a consultant in varied research design and statistical
analysis projects. She has also served on several committees involving academic evaluation
and program development, organized and chaired student activities and worked with
student advisement.
Dr. Cassidy’s interest are related to Environmental Economics and examining the costs
and benefits from externalities resulting from the production and consumption systems.
Residuals from economic activity depend on several factors relating to population
demographics, social awareness, ecological and geological factors as well as the political
decision processes. Her research includes examining these factors that contribute
to degradation of environmental quality, as well as, examining equity issues or how
environmental degradation is distributed among the population. Her teaching incorporates
the traditional process of production, consumption and distribution with the addition
of how these systems effect sustainability of the world’s resources. She believes
a system approach to the problems of residuals from economic activity should incorporate
several fields of study and collaborates with other faculty members to formulate new
interdisciplinary approaches to contemporary environmental quality issues.
As Faculty Director of Sustainability Studies, Dr. Cassidy advises students, develops internship and research opportunities, and
forms collaborative relationships with the community. She serves as a faculty facilitator
for undergraduate student research and Internships for Sustainability Studies students.