After 31 years of teaching at Colby College, Tom Tietenberg is retiring! This site was created to collect messages from current and former students and colleagues. We plan to present this blog to Tom on April 15, following his last public lecture as a Colby professor, "Emissions Trading: From Economic Concept to Global Implementation", the Economics Department annual Grossman lecture. Please take a moment, write a message, and help us wish Tom well in his next chapter in life.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Click on the comments button below to leave a message for Tom. Please note: we hope to surprise Tom with these messages on April 15. We have a short window to make this happen, so please write today and send this link along to friends who you think might want to contribute!
Dear Professor Tietenberg - Congratulations on a terrific career! You had great enthusiasm during my years at Colby and it looks like you never lost that gift. Thanks for influencing so many of us in a positive way.
So many fond memories......from Environmental Economics to a wonderful afternoon with fellow students at your home. You have made such a mark on Colby. Good luck to you!
While I never had the opportunity to take one of your classes, I always enjoyed chatting with you in the halls of Miller Library. I also can't tell you how many times I've walked into a senior-level partners' office at my firm and seen your book on their shelves. You have truly influenced a countless number of people.
Like many of us, I arrived at Colby unsure of which paths to follow and where they might take me. Back in the 70s I heard about this new guy in town who everyone raved about. I enrolled in one of your courses to see what all the fuss was about and have never looked back. Thanks in part to you, I chose to major in economics, and you helped give me the knowledge, courage and confidence to run a thriving non-profit organization for nearly 20 years. Having listened to my somewhat embellished Colby stories for their entire lives, my own 2 children are now enrolled in the College. How lucky are we that our paths now take us through Waterville nearly every week?
You and the economics department remain among my fondest memories of Colby. The benefits of a major in economics continue to accrue, evidenced most recently when fund manager clients contemplated investing in pollution credits. Hey - that's easy, right? We learned about the idea at Colby almost 30 years ago!
Congratulations on your retirement, and successes throughout a distinguished economics career!! It is thanks to two of your environmental economics classes that I chose to start my career with the UN Environment Programme. I should add (and this is likely no surprise!) that your work was regularly referenced in our work around fisheries, trade, and market-based mechanisms for environmental protection. Nice to be able to respond that along side his research, he was also a fabulous teacher!!
Perhaps the most important lesson about economics that I learned at Colby didn't have to do with mathematical derivations or the slope of a supply curve. The most important lesson was about how to be an economist who combined rigorous technical analysis with passion for humanity and our world. You, your advising, your teaching, and your research agenda exmplify this and continue to be an inspiration for me.
Thanks for being a true example of one of the "good economists." As I set forth on the path of becoming an academic economist, I aspire to incorporate even just a fraction of your dedication and vision into my work. The world would be a better place if there were more economists like you. Fortunately, because of you, it already is.
Best wishes for your retirement. You will be sorely missed.
It was an honor having you as a professor - the Economics Department will not be the same without you. Thanks very much for everything you have done for countless Colby students over the many years.
You made a huge impact on my time at Colby and pursuit of a carreer working on environmental issues. Your lectures were so excellent that I regularly recall points you made even today. Also, your kind, supportive manner gave me confidence that I could do well at Colby and into the future. Thank you for everything!
Your class was one of the most – if not the most – memorable classes I took at Colby. You're a fantastic teacher and great person. Many thanks for holding off on retirement until after I graduated!
Congratulations! Environmental Economics remains one of my favorite Colby classes. When so much of what I have learned over the years seems to fall away, reminders of your insights appear daily. And I see differently, and talk with my children differently as a result. I also feel privileged to have shared with you many enjoyable hours singing in the methodist church choir. I hope retirement offers you many opportunties to sing to your heart's content!
Your classes were so important to me as an Economics Major that I didn't do Junior Year abroad. I will always have your classes as the highlights of my Junior year studies.
I wish you all the best in your retirement and I am proud to have had you as my teacher.
Tom- You are a major influencer in the world on environmental economics. People are always impressed when they discover I had the opportunity to learn from you. Fifteen years after graduating, we finally implemented pollution trading in our watershed. It was a huge victory, grounded by your teachings. Thanks for making such an impression on my life, and the lives of countless Colby grads. You will be missed. I wish you and your family the best in your retirement. Say Hi to Heidi for me.
Congratulations on your retirement. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn from such a pioneer in his field. Concepts you taught 15-20 years ago are now focal points of issues that our society discusses every day.
Professor Tietenberg, Congratulations on your retirement...it was an honor having you as a professor. Your class changed the way I looked at economics and inspired the research I am currently doing while studying abroad. Come back and have some Colby cookies with us sometime! Thank you for everything, Jamie Warner '09
Dear Professor Tietenberg, Wishing you all the best in your retirement. It's been more than 20 years since taking Law and Economics and its been a pleasure to have been in your class. Ban Chuan Cheah
Professor Tietenberg, best wishes for whatever comes next!! I remember the Topics in Law and Econ class vividly, I only wish I'd taken one of your courses before my senior year.
BTW, whenever emmissions trading comes up in a conversation I'm proud to say I studied under one of it's founders!
Congratulations on a successful and influential career. You have inspired thousands of Colby students over the years and your commitment to teaching and your work showed us all the very real and important ways that knowledge of Economics can shape the world in a positive way. I know you will make retirement an adventure as well!
Professor Tietenberg, Warm wishes for a long, healthy and enjoyable retirement! Although it was many years ago, I still remember you being kind enough to allow me to write a paper for you second semester of my junior year when I participated in The Washington Center program. Thank you for the support, guidance and enthusiam that you shared with so many of us. Kristin (Giblin) Lindquist '86
I took your environmental economics class purely out of interest in the subject matter. You thoroughly impressed upon me the fact that every problem deserves its own full and complete analysis. In a world where soundbites and shortcuts have dominated many political discussions, I will remember this and demand the same from everyone else. Thank you for an excellent class.
I took your environmental economics class purely out of interest in the subject matter. You thoroughly impressed upon me the fact that every problem deserves its own full and complete analysis. In a world where soundbites and shortcuts have dominated many political discussions, I will remember this and demand the same from everyone else. Thank you for an excellent class.
Enjoy the new opportunities that retirement may bring. Your environmental economics class played a significant part in my decision to pursue environmental law, which in turn led to a career in natural resources management in the west. Thanks for guiding me that way.
Before having the opportunity to teach at Colby, I already knew your name and, professionally speaking, it has been my honor to work alongside you in the Economics Department. What I didn’t realize 16 years ago, however, was how much I’d admire you on a personal level. You have all your priorities straight and you see the best in everyone. Thanks for being a great colleague and best wishes to you and Gretchen. Deb Barbezat
It has been a pleasure to know you for the past 18 years. I remember so well meeting you when I interviewed at Colby in March, 1990. You were the external member of the Biology search committee for my position. Your enthusiasm for Colby was so apparent. Any doubts I had about Colby were erased after meeting with you.
Thanks for all the "green" work you have done at Colby and so far beyond. You contributions are so great and so appreciated.
Best wishes for health and happiness in your life after Colby. I'll never forget opting in to your "write your own final exam" challenge. My economics degree from Colby has served me well over the years and it's great to see the world waking up to our many environmental challenges. True to the "Outdoor Code", you left it better than you found it.
Thank you for four wonderful years. In environmental studies the issues we discuss can often seem daunting and impossibly complex. Your optimism and cheerfulness are a refreshing and encouraging force for those of us who are searching to solve these problems. I wish you nothing but the best as you enter this new period of your life. Good luck!
Thank you for the passion and enthusiasm you brought to the classroom. Your classes were some of my favorites, but it was during a graduation lucheon when you offered some kind words of praise on my behalf when I introduced you to my parents that remains one of my most indelible memories at Colby. Thank you for that. Best wishes as you move beyond the Hill and onto the next chapter of your life!
Thank you so much for all you taught me during my four years at Colby. From illuminating my toughest subject, economics, to allowing us into your home for sundaes and meaningful conversation about the direction of the ES program, I was always impressed with your ability to connect with the students. Thank you! I am currently working for The Trust for Public Land in Boston on the land transactions team, conserving land for people all over Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
I have so many fond memories of Colby and of the Economics Department. I feel so fortunate to have taken your Law and Economics course and can still remember the many hours I spent perfecting my paper on the law and Adverse Possession. You were always encouraging and supportive. I wish you all the best in your next endeavor.
Even today, when I talk about Colby, your classes are the ones I talk about most. You were a professor that inspired students and create a desire to take your classes regardless of the subject. Now that you are entering retirement, I feel lucky to have been able to experience them. Good Luck.
At the time, I never would have thought your work on emissions credits would change the world we live in, but it did. Valuing externalities was way ahead of it time.
I never took a class by you, Professor, but its the one thing I regret from my Colby days. But this is a time to commemorate, and for you, the godfather of emissions credits, thats what i'd like to do. Your influence runs far. I thank you so much for your influence.
Tom, I really enjoyed taking your Environmental Economics class and then your Senior Seminar. I'm sure many have already said this, but your class was really ahead of it's time. When I was at Colby in the early '90s, most of society assumed that environmentalism was synonymous with anti-corporatism or anti-capitalism. While I have always cared about the earth, I also knew that broad changes needed a consensus across the whole ideological spectrum. Your classes gave us hope that it may be possible for activists, business leaders, left and right, etc. to all embrace "green" practices, and that helping the environment was not a zero-sum game regarding its hurting capitalism.
We still have a long way to go, but you can feel proud that you pushed a lot of us in the right direction. Enjoy your retirement. You certainly deserve it.
You are a wonderful professor with such an enthusiasm for what you teach. I feel fortunate to have been able to learn from you. Environmental Economics was one of the best courses I took during my years at Colby. There is no doubt you will be missed- Colby won't be the same without you.
One true test of a professor's true stature is the impact he/she has upon students who never took their courses. By this measure, you stand out relative all others during my academic experience. 20-odd years after graduation, I still kick myself for not having taken one of your courses. I console myself with the knowledge that so many fortunate Colby students were able to benefit from your pioneering efforts in and outside of the classroom. Moreover, your legacy lives on through your numerous papers, books and lectures that will inform and inspire generations to come.
Tom, You were a colleague and a mentor par excellence! I benefited enormously from working with you. It was a short but productive encounter. It's a legacy I will cherish for long in my career, and I am sure I will come across many who can say the same of a man who was willing to give his outmost to those who sought succor from the fruits of his labors.
Professor Tietenberg, I wish you the best in your well deserved post Colby life. You were a great teacher and I enjoyed my time in your classes. As we "green" the world today and the topic of the environment has energized the planet, there was a voice speaking of the economics of the environment from Waterville, Maine back in 1978. You were definitely ahead of the curve. All the best and enjoy your family and friends. Mark Anthony Ciarallo, '82 April 15, 2008, Beaconsfield, Quebec
Congratulations! Enjoy your retirement. Law and Economics was one of my favorite and most memorable classes at Colby, and I was always so impressed when you knew it was me outside your office door, waiting ask a question or get some help on a paper. Thank you for your committment to your students.
Dear Professor Tietenberg, My first economics class was your Environmental economics class in my sophomore year. I thoroughly enjoyed your passion and teachings and soon thereafter chose economics as a major. Congratulations on a meaningful and hopefully thoroughly fulfilling career and enjoy the next chapter.
Thank you for your inspiration and guidance. Environmental health policy is still my passion and I am applying it to my career in rural health care. I recently had an article about power plant emissions published in the largest nursing journal in the world. It all started with meeting you at Colby! All the best in your retirement.
Prof. Tietenberg, Throughout my 4 years at Colby you were an amazing academic advisor, mentor, and teacher. In my masters program here at Duke University, we read your work daily, and I'm constantly reminded what an immense honor it was to work so closely with you on so many projects. I look forward to carrying on your legacy as an environmental economist, and hope even in retirement you continue to advance the field. Words can't express how grateful I am that you so generously supported me (and my lobsters) in life and my academic endeavors.
It was a pleasure to have been a part of your Environmental Econ class. Congratulations on all of your contributions and accomplishments and best of luck in retirement!
I would like to take a moment to thank you for all that you have done during your illustrious career at Colby. You have undeniably positively impacted the lives of countless environmental studies & economics students throughout your years of service to our community. Congratulations on your retirement.
Whenever I meet an economist who's not from around here and tell them I'm from Colby College, the answer is always the same. "Oh...Tom Tietenberg's there, right?" Thank you for everything you've done over the years to help put Colby Econ on the map, and to help make it the excellent place to work that it is today. It's been a privilege to overlap with you here, if only for a few of your many years.
Congratulations on reaching retirement. You have impacted the lives of many graduates including mine and you will be missed. Every time I land at LaGuardia or O'Hare airport I think back to your lecture on the pricing of landing rights and wonder why the FAA didn't pay attention! Best of luck in your future pursuits and thank you for your many years at Colby.
Dear Tom, I want to thank you for all you have given to Colby and even more importantly, for all you have given to the thousands of Colby students over the years who were fortunate to have taken your courses. There are so many successful Colby alums who have been profoundly affected by you and your love for your subject matter and in many ways, their careers were begun and nurtured by you. As a long time member of the board of trustees, it has been a pleasure being associated with you and I thank you for your encouragement and support for the Goldfarb Center. Best Wishes, Bill
It has been such an enormous pleasure working with you. When I first arrived as a postdoctoral fellow I recall a day when I was playing with my daughter outside by Lovejoy and you stopped by to ask how things were going. This simple act of thoughtfulness and kindness--which meant a great deal to a newly-arrived young hire--represent much about why you are so appreciated by so many. Your passion and energy for teaching and scholarship are legendary and a lesson for all of us. Thank you for sharing your talent and passion with us. I appreciate deeply and will always value the opportunity to have been mentored by you in ES118, and to have worked with you as a colleague. Best wishes for the coming years--and we will try to keep the chocolate cake tradition going at ES functions.
I have greatly enjoyed teaching in the Environmental Studies program these past 4 years and having such wonderful examples of successful educators, like yourself, to emulate. Congratulations on having had an immeasurable impact on the lives of so many students and colleagues, and so much professional success! I hope that your retirement years will be just as successful and rewarding!
Thanks for being an inspiring teacher and leader at Colby. The ES program (or Colby!) will never be the same without you. You are not only an amazing professor, but are also a great person to sit down and talk with. I have appreciated your constant attentiveness to the quality of education we all receive here, in part due to you.
In my years here at Colby I have looked at you as a kind of role model. This has been in part because of your low key and unpretentious way in which you do excellent work. And it is also due to the way in which you try, to the best of your abilities, to nudge Colby, and so many other institutions, in a more sustainable direction. But most of all, even while doing this, you have maintained a sense of balance, working for academic excellence, engagement with your communities, and a spiritual centering. For all of this, I am deeply grateful.
Best wishes on your new career! Whether sitting in class in Urban and Regional Economics or chatting recently as a colleague about the latest developments in carbon trading you have always been teaching and expanding my personal knowledge base.
I am honored to have both the good fortune of being a student in your Environment & Natural Resource Economics course, and the opportunity to work with you in your retirement at NRCM. I only wish I had not waited to take your course until my senior year as it profoundly influenced my direction since Colby. I admire your energy and passion for teaching and your involvement in helping shape policy at all levels of government. I wish you all the best in your time off from teaching at Colby and look forward to seeing you in Augusta.
At Colby, I was amazed by how your work in Natural Resource Economics had been recognized around the world. This became even more real to me when I had Dr. Kerry Krutilla for a graduate course in Public Management Economics at Indiana University. When Dr. Krutilla found out that I took your economics class as an undergraduate, he assured me that I should have no problem with his class (no pressure right!) But this turned out to be true.
Thanks for all of your support at Colby. I really enjoying being part of the start up of the green Colby movement, including the ES Advisory group which met at your house to discuss ideas over yummy desserts. Good luck with your future endeavors!
Your class was one of the best that I have taken at Colby. It opened my eyes to economics and has really changed the way I think about environmental policy. Beyond all that you have given me inside your classroom, I am extremely grateful for all that you have done for the ES Program. The program, and my experience as an environmental policy major, would not have been the same without your expertise, guidance, and energy. Your support and encouragement of student led initiatives and Colby greening projects is remarkable. I am very grateful to have had you as my advisor. Whenever I have needed advice or help with anything, your door has always been open and your advice has always been perceptive.
As you are retiring this year from an extensive, fruitful professional career, I am just beginning mine. I can only hope that my dedication and compassion for this field will be as deep as yours, but am more confident knowing that I studied and learned under your direction. I will always try to be efficient, maximize my net benefits, and when possible look for the white horse.
As many others have already written, I too enjoyed your classes, but it was not only for the information that I learned. It also was for the attention and encouragement that you gave this quiet student in the back of the class. It also was for the invitation into your home for a wonderful meal. It also was for the friendly smile that brightened up a long day.
Tomorrow, as I discuss the US educational system with my students from around the world, we will talk about the differences between a college and a university. Most of them will say that a college provides a lower level of education. However, I will tell them that that is not so. In fact, a college can have some of the best and most respected teachers. You were, and are, an example of this.
Still working best under pressure and at the last minute ...
Dear Professor Tietenberg, Your class has influenced my career and life choices for almost 15 years. You demonstrated real examples of how to balance economics, policy, and the environment, and you gave me my first understanding of "sustainability." Since college I have used my economics training to promote and implement socially responsible business practices and renewable energy. For everything, I thank you and wish you the best of retirements!
Professor Tietenberg, I feel incredibly lucky to have been able to work with you and to have had you as an advisor while here at Colby. Your impact on this school and its people is phenomenal - thank you for the effort you've put into making Colby (and the world) greener. Good luck with your retirement, Beth Darling
"Never catch the fast train to the wrong destination". This message from your course at the World Bank on Environmental Economics for Development Policy way back in 1998 stuck with me. Seeing that you are retiring gracefully I am sure you have caught the train to the right destination!
Go well Martin de Wit, attendee at World Bank course 1998
My name is Dan McLean and I had the pleasure of taking your Energy Econ course in my sophomore year ('78-'79).
I would have to say that it was the most enjoyable, interesting (and dare I say practical) econ courses I had.
I also had the opportunity to tackle econometrics with you and you were also my econ Jan Plan adviser - modeling the cost and benefits of installing sulfur dioxide scrubbers for the State of Maine.
I learned alot from you - thank you and good luck!
You are a rare and wonderful man. I so enjoyed working with you and I appreciate your insight, candor, wisdom, and humor. Thanks for all you have done for Colby, and enjoy your new adventures! -- Kate O'Halloran
Your Environmental Economics class was one of my favorites at Colby. When I think about what I may pursue later in my career, I now consider options within environmental economics that I probably would not have thought about before taking your class. Thank you.
Thank you for your tremendous contribution to environmental economics and to the discipline more generally. While I never had the privilege to take a class with you, I still feel extremely fortunate to have been a student of economics during your long and memorable tenure at Colby.
Professor Tietenberg possesses a unique combination of incredible intellectual gravitas and tremendous humility. Even before arriving at Colby I knew of what an intellectual heavy-weight Prof. Tietenburg was. My freshman micro-econ professor demanded that I take classes with professor Tietenburg. So when I got to school I was surprised to see that the professor had extended office hours and would spend considerable time answering even the most humble of questions for students of his introductory ES class. I don't think that these students understood that the call professor Tietenburg would take five minutes later would be receiving a call from the World Bank. Ultimately, however, it may not be so surprising that Professor Tietenburg managed to be so humble and so powerful. In fact, maybe it's just another testament to his uniquely impressive abilities.
272 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 272 of 272Dear Professor Tietenberg - Congratulations on a terrific career! You had great enthusiasm during my years at Colby and it looks like you never lost that gift. Thanks for influencing so many of us in a positive way.
Sandy Whatley, '82
Dear Professor Titenberg-
So many fond memories......from Environmental Economics to a wonderful afternoon with fellow students at your home. You have made such a mark on Colby. Good luck to you!
Susan Roberts Dangel '86
Dear Professor Tietenberg,
While I never had the opportunity to take one of your classes, I always enjoyed chatting with you in the halls of Miller Library. I also can't tell you how many times I've walked into a senior-level partners' office at my firm and seen your book on their shelves. You have truly influenced a countless number of people.
Best wishes for a wonderful retirement!
Stephanie (Healy) Pokrywa, '97
Tom:
Like many of us, I arrived at Colby unsure of which paths to follow and where they might take me. Back in the 70s I heard about this new guy in town who everyone raved about. I enrolled in one of your courses to see what all the fuss was about and have never looked back. Thanks in part to you, I chose to major in economics, and you helped give me the knowledge, courage and confidence to run a thriving non-profit organization for nearly 20 years. Having listened to my somewhat embellished Colby stories for their entire lives, my own 2 children are now enrolled in the College. How lucky are we that our paths now take us through Waterville nearly every week?
Sincerely,
Henry Kennedy, ‘80
You and the economics department remain among my fondest memories of Colby. The benefits of a major in economics continue to accrue, evidenced most recently when fund manager clients contemplated investing in pollution credits. Hey - that's easy, right? We learned about the idea at Colby almost 30 years ago!
Lauren Dustin '80
Professor Tietenberg,
Congratulations on your retirement, and successes throughout a distinguished economics career!! It is thanks to two of your environmental economics classes that I chose to start my career with the UN Environment Programme. I should add (and this is likely no surprise!) that your work was regularly referenced in our work around fisheries, trade, and market-based mechanisms for environmental protection. Nice to be able to respond that along side his research, he was also a fabulous teacher!!
All the best!!
Colin McKee '01
Prof. Tietenberg,
Perhaps the most important lesson about economics that I learned at Colby didn't have to do with mathematical derivations or the slope of a supply curve. The most important lesson was about how to be an economist who combined rigorous technical analysis with passion for humanity and our world. You, your advising, your teaching, and your research agenda exmplify this and continue to be an inspiration for me.
Thanks for being a true example of one of the "good economists." As I set forth on the path of becoming an academic economist, I aspire to incorporate even just a fraction of your dedication and vision into my work. The world would be a better place if there were more economists like you. Fortunately, because of you, it already is.
Best wishes for your retirement. You will be sorely missed.
Caroline Theoharides '06
Prof. Tietenberg,
It was an honor having you as a professor - the Economics Department will not be the same without you. Thanks very much for everything you have done for countless Colby students over the many years.
All the best in your future endeavors!
Jon Bodansky, '06
Tom,
You made a huge impact on my time at Colby and pursuit of a carreer working on environmental issues. Your lectures were so excellent that I regularly recall points you made even today. Also, your kind, supportive manner gave me confidence that I could do well at Colby and into the future. Thank you for everything!
Christina McAlpin ('99)
Professor Tietenberg,
End of and era. Nice to see the rest of the world finally catching up to you.
Enjoy the next chapter in your life
All the Best
Peter Luber, '96
Tom,
Your class was one of the most – if not the most – memorable classes I took at Colby. You're a fantastic teacher and great person. Many thanks for holding off on retirement until after I graduated!
Cheers,
Jake
Dear Professor Tietenberg,
Congratulations! Environmental Economics remains one of my favorite Colby classes. When so much of what I have learned over the years seems to fall away, reminders of your insights appear daily. And I see differently, and talk with my children differently as a result. I also feel privileged to have shared with you many enjoyable hours singing in the methodist church choir. I hope retirement offers you many opportunties to sing to your heart's content!
Best wishes,
Jenny (Stringham) Ward '83
Professor Tietenberg,
Your classes were so important to me as an Economics Major that I didn't do Junior Year abroad. I will always have your classes as the highlights of my Junior year studies.
I wish you all the best in your retirement and I am proud to have had you as my teacher.
Corinne Hauser Tardio '91
We have so few opportunities to work with giants in our discipline. You continue to set a standard that we strive for but cannot reach.
We wish the best for you and your family.
Cliff Reid
Tom-
You are a major influencer in the world on environmental economics. People are always impressed when they discover I had the opportunity to learn from you. Fifteen years after graduating, we finally implemented pollution trading in our watershed. It was a huge victory, grounded by your teachings. Thanks for making such an impression on my life, and the lives of countless Colby grads. You will be missed. I wish you and your family the best in your retirement. Say Hi to Heidi for me.
Kendra Smith '92
Professor Tietenberg -
Congratulations on your retirement. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn from such a pioneer in his field. Concepts you taught 15-20 years ago are now focal points of issues that our society discusses every day.
Curt Stevenson '92
Professor Tietenberg,
Congratulations on your retirement...it was an honor having you as a professor. Your class changed the way I looked at economics and inspired the research I am currently doing while studying abroad. Come back and have some Colby cookies with us sometime!
Thank you for everything,
Jamie Warner '09
Dear Professor Tietenberg,
Wishing you all the best in your retirement. It's been more than 20 years since taking Law and Economics and its been a pleasure to have been in your class.
Ban Chuan Cheah
Professor Tietenberg, best wishes for whatever comes next!! I remember the Topics in Law and Econ class vividly, I only wish I'd taken one of your courses before my senior year.
BTW, whenever emmissions trading comes up in a conversation I'm proud to say I studied under one of it's founders!
Best,
Kevin Yardi '05
Congratulations on a successful and influential career. You have inspired thousands of Colby students over the years and your commitment to teaching and your work showed us all the very real and important ways that knowledge of Economics can shape the world in a positive way. I know you will make retirement an adventure as well!
Elaine Jorgensen Lang '91
Professor Tietenberg,
Warm wishes for a long, healthy and enjoyable retirement!
Although it was many years ago, I still remember you being kind enough to allow me to write a paper for you second semester of my junior year when I participated in The Washington Center program.
Thank you for the support, guidance and enthusiam that you shared with so many of us.
Kristin (Giblin) Lindquist '86
Dear Prof. Tietenberg,
I took your environmental economics class purely out of interest in the subject matter. You thoroughly impressed upon me the fact that every problem deserves its own full and complete analysis. In a world where soundbites and shortcuts have dominated many political discussions, I will remember this and demand the same from everyone else. Thank you for an excellent class.
Dear Prof. Tietenberg,
I took your environmental economics class purely out of interest in the subject matter. You thoroughly impressed upon me the fact that every problem deserves its own full and complete analysis. In a world where soundbites and shortcuts have dominated many political discussions, I will remember this and demand the same from everyone else. Thank you for an excellent class.
Michael "Smokey" Collins '08
Professor:
Enjoy the new opportunities that retirement may bring. Your environmental economics class played a significant part in my decision to pursue environmental law, which in turn led to a career in natural resources management in the west. Thanks for guiding me that way.
John Andrews
Class of 1981
Tom,
Before having the opportunity to teach at Colby, I already knew your name and, professionally speaking, it has been my honor to work alongside you in the Economics Department. What I didn’t realize 16 years ago, however, was how much I’d admire you on a personal level. You have all your priorities straight and you see the best in everyone.
Thanks for being a great colleague and best wishes to you and Gretchen.
Deb Barbezat
Tom,
It has been a pleasure to know you for the past 18 years. I remember so well meeting you when I interviewed at Colby in March, 1990. You were the external member of the Biology search committee for my position. Your enthusiasm for Colby was so apparent. Any doubts I had about Colby were erased after meeting with you.
Thanks for all the "green" work you have done at Colby and so far beyond. You contributions are so great and so appreciated.
Best wishes for your retirement!
Herb Wilson
Dear Professor Tietenberg,
Best wishes for health and happiness in your life after Colby. I'll never forget opting in to your "write your own final exam" challenge. My economics degree from Colby has served me well over the years and it's great to see the world waking up to our many environmental challenges. True to the "Outdoor Code", you left it better than you found it.
Best regards,
Rick Schaub '81
Dear Tom,
Thank you for four wonderful years. In environmental studies the issues we discuss can often seem daunting and impossibly complex. Your optimism and cheerfulness are a refreshing and encouraging force for those of us who are searching to solve these problems. I wish you nothing but the best as you enter this new period of your life. Good luck!
Sincerely,
Joel Alex, ‘08
Dear Professor Tietenberg,
Thank you for the passion and enthusiasm you brought to the classroom. Your classes were some of my favorites, but it was during a graduation lucheon when you offered some kind words of praise on my behalf when I introduced you to my parents that remains one of my most indelible memories at Colby. Thank you for that. Best wishes as you move beyond the Hill and onto the next chapter of your life!
Wendy Neville, 1985
Tom,
Thank you so much for all you taught me during my four years at Colby. From illuminating my toughest subject, economics, to allowing us into your home for sundaes and meaningful conversation about the direction of the ES program, I was always impressed with your ability to connect with the students. Thank you! I am currently working for The Trust for Public Land in Boston on the land transactions team, conserving land for people all over Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Enjoy your retirement! Congrats!
Lauren Wolpin, '05
Dear Professor Tietenberg,
I have so many fond memories of Colby and of the Economics Department. I feel so fortunate to have taken your Law and Economics course and can still remember the many hours I spent perfecting my paper on the law and Adverse Possession. You were always encouraging and supportive. I wish you all the best in your next endeavor.
Shelley (Horton) Olson '89
Professor Tietenberg,
Even today, when I talk about Colby, your classes are the ones I talk about most. You were a professor that inspired students and create a desire to take your classes regardless of the subject. Now that you are entering retirement, I feel lucky to have been able to experience them. Good Luck.
Marc Moody '95
Dear Professor Tietenberg,
At the time, I never would have thought your work on emissions credits would change the world we live in, but it did. Valuing externalities was way ahead of it time.
Best of luck in your next adventure.
Lee Walter '89
I never took a class by you, Professor, but its the one thing I regret from my Colby days. But this is a time to commemorate, and for you, the godfather of emissions credits, thats what i'd like to do. Your influence runs far. I thank you so much for your influence.
Thanks a million,
Sam Patel
Tom,
I really enjoyed taking your Environmental Economics class and then your Senior Seminar. I'm sure many have already said this, but your class was really ahead of it's time. When I was at Colby in the early '90s, most of society assumed that environmentalism was synonymous with anti-corporatism or anti-capitalism. While I have always cared about the earth, I also knew that broad changes needed a consensus across the whole ideological spectrum. Your classes gave us hope that it may be possible for activists, business leaders, left and right, etc. to all embrace "green" practices, and that helping the environment was not a zero-sum game regarding its hurting capitalism.
We still have a long way to go, but you can feel proud that you pushed a lot of us in the right direction. Enjoy your retirement. You certainly deserve it.
Jonathan Blumberg '94
Professor Tietenberg,
You are a wonderful professor with such an enthusiasm for what you teach. I feel fortunate to have been able to learn from you. Environmental Economics was one of the best courses I took during my years at Colby. There is no doubt you will be missed- Colby won't be the same without you.
I wish you all the best in your retirement.
Heather Unterreiner '02
Tom:
One true test of a professor's true stature is the impact he/she has upon students who never took their courses. By this measure, you stand out relative all others during my academic experience. 20-odd years after graduation, I still kick myself for not having taken one of your courses. I console myself with the knowledge that so many fortunate Colby students were able to benefit from your pioneering efforts in and outside of the classroom. Moreover, your legacy lives on through your numerous papers, books and lectures that will inform and inspire generations to come.
best wishes,
Mark
Tom,
You were a colleague and a mentor par excellence! I benefited enormously from working with you.
It was a short but productive encounter. It's a legacy I will cherish for long in my career, and I am sure I will come across many who can say the same of a man who was willing to give his outmost to those who sought succor from the fruits of his labors.
With best wishes,
kabiri
Professor Tietenberg,
I wish you the best in your well deserved post Colby life. You were a great teacher and I enjoyed my time in your classes. As we "green" the world today and the topic of the environment has energized the planet, there was a voice speaking of the economics of the environment from Waterville, Maine back in 1978. You were definitely ahead of the curve. All the best and enjoy your family and friends.
Mark Anthony Ciarallo, '82
April 15, 2008, Beaconsfield, Quebec
Professor Tietenberg,
Congratulations! Enjoy your retirement. Law and Economics was one of my favorite and most memorable classes at Colby, and I was always so impressed when you knew it was me outside your office door, waiting ask a question or get some help on a paper. Thank you for your committment to your students.
Best wishes,
Hilary Smyth Wirtz '00
Dear Professor Tietenberg,
My first economics class was your Environmental economics class in my sophomore year. I thoroughly enjoyed your passion and teachings and soon thereafter chose economics as a major. Congratulations on a meaningful and hopefully thoroughly fulfilling career and enjoy the next chapter.
Thank you and best regards,
Jeff Ward ‘89
Dear Prof. Tietenberg,
Thank you for your inspiration and guidance. Environmental health policy is still my passion and I am applying it to my career in rural health care. I recently had an article about power plant emissions published in the largest nursing journal in the world. It all started with meeting you at Colby! All the best in your retirement.
Alane O’Connor ‘96
Prof. Tietenberg,
Throughout my 4 years at Colby you were an amazing academic advisor, mentor, and teacher. In my masters program here at Duke University, we read your work daily, and I'm constantly reminded what an immense honor it was to work so closely with you on so many projects. I look forward to carrying on your legacy as an environmental economist, and hope even in retirement you continue to advance the field. Words can't express how grateful I am that you so generously supported me (and my lobsters) in life and my academic endeavors.
Best wishes for your (well deserved) retirement.
Lindsay Kohlhoff
Colby '07
Duke '09
Professor Tietenberg,
It was a pleasure to have been a part of your Environmental Econ class. Congratulations on all of your contributions and accomplishments and best of luck in retirement!
Heather DeVito '05
Professor Tietenberg,
I would like to take a moment to thank you for all that you have done during your illustrious career at Colby. You have undeniably positively impacted the lives of countless environmental studies & economics students throughout your years of service to our community.
Congratulations on your retirement.
Best wishes,
Jesse Mullins '02
Tom,
Whenever I meet an economist who's not from around here and tell them I'm from Colby College, the answer is always the same. "Oh...Tom Tietenberg's there, right?" Thank you for everything you've done over the years to help put Colby Econ on the map, and to help make it the excellent place to work that it is today. It's been a privilege to overlap with you here, if only for a few of your many years.
Best wishes for your retirement,
Jason Long
Tom,
You have truly shaped the perspective of generations of thought leaders.
Thank you for your commitment to students and to the environment.
I wish you the best of luck in this new stage of your life.
Corley Hughes '98
Professor Tietenberg,
Congratulations on reaching retirement. You have impacted the lives of many graduates including mine and you will be missed. Every time I land at LaGuardia or O'Hare airport I think back to your lecture on the pricing of landing rights and wonder why the FAA didn't pay attention! Best of luck in your future pursuits and thank you for your many years at Colby.
Happy trails,
Sam Weiser '81
Dear Tom,
I want to thank you for all you have given to Colby and even more importantly, for all you have given to the thousands of Colby students over the years who were fortunate to have taken your courses. There are so many successful Colby alums who have been profoundly affected by you and your love for your subject matter and in many ways, their careers were begun and nurtured by you. As a long time member of the board of trustees, it has been a pleasure being associated with you and I thank you for your encouragement and support for the Goldfarb Center.
Best Wishes,
Bill
Dear Tom,
It has been such an enormous pleasure working with you. When I first arrived as a postdoctoral fellow I recall a day when I was playing with my daughter outside by Lovejoy and you stopped by to ask how things were going. This simple act of thoughtfulness and kindness--which meant a great deal to a newly-arrived young hire--represent much about why you are so appreciated by so many. Your passion and energy for teaching and scholarship are legendary and a lesson for all of us. Thank you for sharing your talent and passion with us. I appreciate deeply and will always value the opportunity to have been mentored by you in ES118, and to have worked with you as a colleague. Best wishes for the coming years--and we will try to keep the chocolate cake tradition going at ES functions.
Regards,
Philip Nyhus
Dear Tom,
I have greatly enjoyed teaching in the Environmental Studies program these past 4 years and having such wonderful examples of successful educators, like yourself, to emulate. Congratulations on having had an immeasurable impact on the lives of so many students and colleagues, and so much professional success! I hope that your retirement years will be just as successful and rewarding!
Best,
Gail Carlson
Dear Professor Tietenberg:
Thanks for being an inspiring teacher and leader at Colby. The ES program (or Colby!) will never be the same without you. You are not only an amazing professor, but are also a great person to sit down and talk with. I have appreciated your constant attentiveness to the quality of education we all receive here, in part due to you.
Good Luck in your future! Have fun!
-- Anna Barnwell
In my years here at Colby I have looked at you as a kind of role model. This has been in part because of your low key and unpretentious way in which you do excellent work. And it is also due to the way in which you try, to the best of your abilities, to nudge Colby, and so many other institutions, in a more sustainable direction. But most of all, even while doing this, you have maintained a sense of balance, working for academic excellence, engagement with your communities, and a spiritual centering. For all of this, I am deeply grateful.
William Edelglass
Tom:
Best wishes on your new career! Whether sitting in class in Urban and Regional Economics or chatting recently as a colleague about the latest developments in carbon trading you have always been teaching and expanding my personal knowledge base.
Thank you and have fun!
Linwood Downs '83
Dear Professor Tietenberg,
I am honored to have both the good fortune of being a student in your Environment & Natural Resource Economics course, and the opportunity to work with you in your retirement at NRCM. I only wish I had not waited to take your course until my senior year as it profoundly influenced my direction since Colby. I admire your energy and passion for teaching and your involvement in helping shape policy at all levels of government. I wish you all the best in your time off from teaching at Colby and look forward to seeing you in Augusta.
All the best,
Sara Lovitz, '01
Tom,
At Colby, I was amazed by how your work in Natural Resource Economics had been recognized around the world. This became even more real to me when I had Dr. Kerry Krutilla for a graduate course in Public Management Economics at Indiana University. When Dr. Krutilla found out that I took your economics class as an undergraduate, he assured me that I should have no problem with his class (no pressure right!) But this turned out to be true.
Thanks for all of your support at Colby. I really enjoying being part of the start up of the green Colby movement, including the ES Advisory group which met at your house to discuss ideas over yummy desserts. Good luck with your future endeavors!
Jenna Morrison ‘06
Tom,
Your class was one of the best that I have taken at Colby. It opened my eyes to economics and has really changed the way I think about environmental policy. Beyond all that you have given me inside your classroom, I am extremely grateful for all that you have done for the ES Program. The program, and my experience as an environmental policy major, would not have been the same without your expertise, guidance, and energy. Your support and encouragement of student led initiatives and Colby greening projects is remarkable. I am very grateful to have had you as my advisor. Whenever I have needed advice or help with anything, your door has always been open and your advice has always been perceptive.
As you are retiring this year from an extensive, fruitful professional career, I am just beginning mine. I can only hope that my dedication and compassion for this field will be as deep as yours, but am more confident knowing that I studied and learned under your direction. I will always try to be efficient, maximize my net benefits, and when possible look for the white horse.
My warmest wishes for your retirement.
Fondly,
Emmie Theberge ’08
Professor Tietenberg,
As many others have already written, I too enjoyed your classes, but it was not only for the information that I learned. It also was for the attention and encouragement that you gave this quiet student in the back of the class. It also was for the invitation into your home for a wonderful meal. It also was for the friendly smile that brightened up a long day.
Tomorrow, as I discuss the US educational system with my students from around the world, we will talk about the differences between a college and a university. Most of them will say that a college provides a lower level of education. However, I will tell them that that is not so. In fact, a college can have some of the best and most respected teachers. You were, and are, an example of this.
Still working best under pressure and at the last minute ...
Karen Vlaskamp, '88
Professor Tietenberg
Thank you for your dedication and leadership. You have left us with many wonderful memories. Have fun -you will be missed!
Kim Merriman, '91
Dear Professor Tietenberg,
Your class has influenced my career and life choices for almost 15 years. You demonstrated real examples of how to balance economics, policy, and the environment, and you gave me my first understanding of "sustainability." Since college I have used my economics training to promote and implement socially responsible business practices and renewable energy. For everything, I thank you and wish you the best of retirements!
Heather Beusse '95
Professor Tietenberg,
I feel incredibly lucky to have been able to work with you and to have had you as an advisor while here at Colby. Your impact on this school and its people is phenomenal - thank you for the effort you've put into making Colby (and the world) greener.
Good luck with your retirement,
Beth Darling
Professor Tietenberg, Your environmental economics class was one of my favorites. Thank you for challenging and inspiring me. Best wishes to you.
Christina Schleicher, '99
Dear Tom
"Never catch the fast train to the wrong destination". This message from your course at the World Bank on Environmental Economics for Development Policy way back in 1998 stuck with me. Seeing that you are retiring gracefully I am sure you have caught the train to the right destination!
Go well
Martin de Wit, attendee at World Bank course 1998
My name is Dan McLean and I had the pleasure of taking your Energy Econ course in my sophomore year ('78-'79).
I would have to say that it was the most enjoyable, interesting (and dare I say practical) econ courses I had.
I also had the opportunity to tackle econometrics with you and you were also my econ Jan Plan adviser - modeling the cost and benefits of installing sulfur dioxide scrubbers for the State of Maine.
I learned alot from you - thank you and good luck!
Dan McLean
1981 BA - Economics
Palo Alto, CA
Tom,
You are a rare and wonderful man. I so enjoyed working with you and I appreciate your insight, candor, wisdom, and humor. Thanks for all you have done for Colby, and enjoy your new adventures! -- Kate O'Halloran
Dear Professor,
Your Environmental Economics class was one of my favorites at Colby. When I think about what I may pursue later in my career, I now consider options within environmental economics that I probably would not have thought about before taking your class. Thank you.
All the best,
Carolyn Adler ‘07
Professor Tietenberg,
Thank you for your tremendous contribution to environmental economics and to the discipline more generally. While I never had the privilege to take a class with you, I still feel extremely fortunate to have been a student of economics during your long and memorable tenure at Colby.
All the best,
Robert Oh, '07
Professor Tietenberg possesses a unique combination of incredible intellectual gravitas and tremendous humility. Even before arriving at Colby I knew of what an intellectual heavy-weight Prof. Tietenburg was. My freshman micro-econ professor demanded that I take classes with professor Tietenburg. So when I got to school I was surprised to see that the professor had extended office hours and would spend considerable time answering even the most humble of questions for students of his introductory ES class. I don't think that these students understood that the call professor Tietenburg would take five minutes later would be receiving a call from the World Bank. Ultimately, however, it may not be so surprising that Professor Tietenburg managed to be so humble and so powerful. In fact, maybe it's just another testament to his uniquely impressive abilities.
Brandon Smithwood, '06
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