Deborah Roberts
Professor Deborah Roberts is Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director of Science. She holds an Honorary Chair in the Business School, University of Aberdeen. Her research experience spans agricultural economics and regional science and she has undertaken work for a wide range of funding bodies including the European Commission, DEFRA, ESRC, the Scottish Government, Forestry Commission, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Current research interests
Deb has research interests in a number of inter-related areas. First, in relation to rural and regional development she focuses on understanding how and why rural economies are unique, the key drivers for change, and reasons for regional disparities. Second, in relation to the policy, she has focussed on modelling the economy-wide impacts of changes in farm, forestry and structural policies using social accounting methods and general equilibrium models. She has also carried research at the micro-level looking at farm household behaviour and the dynamics of fuel poverty. Increasingly her work has considered the importance of allowing for spatial effects and interdependencies in understanding rural markets including, for example, the spatial pattern of farm household transactions, and links between rural and urban housing markets arising from commuting and counterurbanisation.
Ongoing and recent projects
- Impacts of Household Incomes on Food Demand in Developing Countries: A Meta-Analysis. European Commission, Joint Research Centre.
- The comparative costs of community and commercial renewable energy projects in Scotland.
- Understanding the land ownership barriers to community land-based activities.
- Delivering Food Security on Limited Land.
Bibliography
- Abdul-Salam, Y.; Ovando, P.; Roberts, D. (2021) Understanding the economic barriers to the adoption of agroforestry A Real Options analysis., Journal of Environmental Management, 302, Article. 113995.
- Argaw, T.L.; Phimister, E.; Roberts, D. (2021) From farm to kitchen: how gender affects production diversity and the dietary intake of farm households in Ethiopia., Journal of Agricultural Economics.72, 268-292.
- Brooker, R.; Mitchell, R.; Roberts, D.; Matthews, K.; Waylen, K.A. (2021) Think piece on multifunctional landscapes, Report submitted to Sallie Ballie in response to Call-Down request.
- Abdul-Salam, Y.; Hawes, C.; Roberts, D.; Young, M. (2019) The economics of alternative crop production systems in the context of farmer participation in carbon trading markets., Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 43, 67-91.
- Sébastien, M.; Phimister, E.; Roberts, D.; Santini, F. (2019) A Monte Carlo filtering application for systematic sensitivity analysis of computable general equilibrium result., Economic Systems Research, 31, 404-422.
- Colen, L.; Melo, P.C.; Abdul-Salam, Y.; Roberts, D.; Mary, S.; Paloma, G.Y. (2018) Income elasticities for food, calories and nutrients across Africa: a meta-analysis., Food Policy, 77, 116-132.
- Roberts, D.; Torrance, L.; Stirton, G.; Britton, A.J.; Craig, C.; Kyle, C-A.; Abel, C.; Macaulay, C.; Fielding, D.; Watson, H.; Pohle, I.; Robertson, J.; Maxwell, J.; Irvine, K.; Sutherland, L-A.; Dawson, L.A.; Shepherd, L.; Miller, P.; Ellis, R.; Richards, S.; Blok, V.; Hackett, C.; Kettle, H. (2018) Women in Science., The James Hutton Institute, 25pp.
- Berka, A.L.; Harnmeijer, J.; Roberts, D.; Phimister, E.; Msika, J. (2017) A comparative analysis of the costs of onshore wind energy: Is there a case for community-specific policy support?, Energy Policy, 106, 394-403.
- Phimister, E.; Roberts, D. (2017) Allowing for uncertainty in exogenous shocks to CGE models: the case of a new renewable energy sector., Economic Systems Research, 29, 509-527.
- Gilbert, A.; Colley, K.; Roberts, D. (2016) Are rural residents happier? A quantitative analysis of subjective wellbeing in Scotland., Journal of Rural Studies, 44, 37-45.
- Ge, J.; Polhill, J.G.; Liu, N.; Roberts, D.; Craig, T. (2016) Modelling lifestyle and energy footprint in Europe’s ‘oil capital’ using an agent-based model., In: Sauvage, S., Sanchez-Perez, J.M., Rizzoli, A.E. (eds.). Proceedings of the 8th International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software, Toulouse, France, 10-14 July 2016. Session A4: Modeling for Low carbon Economies, p253.
- Melo, P.C.; Abdul-Salam, Y.; Roberts, D.; Cohen, L.; Sebastien, M.; Gomez Y Paloma, S. (2016) Income growth and malnutrition in Africa: is there a need for region-specific policies?, 90th Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Society, University of Warwick, 4-6 April 2016.
- Cook, P.; Booth, J.; Roberts, D.; Hopkins, J.; Slee, B.; Grieve, J. (2016) The land based sector in NE Scotland: facing the future (Summary and Main reports)., Report for Aberdeenshire Council, March 2016.
- Roberts, D.; Vera-Toscano, E.; Phimister, E. (2015) Fuel poverty in the UK: Is there a difference between rural and urban areas?, Energy Policy, 87, 216-223.
- Phimister, E.; Vera-Toscano, E.; Roberts, D. (2015) The dynamics of energy poverty: evidence from Spain., Economics of Energy and Environmental Policy, 4, 153-166.
- Pangbourne, K.; Roberts, D. (2015) Small towns and agriculture: understanding the spatial pattern of farm linkages., European Planning Studies, 23, 494-508.
- Melo, P.C.; Abdul-Salam, Y.; Roberts, D.; Gilbert, A.; Matthews, R.B.; Cohen, L.; Sebastien, M.; Gomez Y Paloma, S. (2015) Income elasticities of food demand in Africa: a meta-analysis., JRC Technical Report, EUR 27650 EN, Publications Office of the European Union.
- Espinosa, M.; Psaltopoulos, D.; Santini, F.; Phimister, E.; Roberts, D.; Mary, S.; Ratinger, T.; Skuras, D.; Balamou, E.; Cardenette, M.; Paloma, S. (2014) Ex-ante analysis of the regional impacts of the Common Agricultural Policy: a rural-urban recursive dynamic CGE model approach., European Planning Studies, 22, 1342-1367.
- Liu, N.; Roberts, D. (2013) Counter urbanisation, planning and house prices: an analysis of the Aberdeen housing market area, 1984 - 2010., Town Planning Review, 84, 81-105.
- Roberts, D.; Majewski, E.; Sulewski, P. (2013) Farm household interactions with local economies: A comparison of two EU case study areas., Land Use Policy, 31, 156-165.
- Miller, D.R.; Birnie, R.V.; Dunn, S.M.; Hough, R.L.; Morrice, J.; Roberts, D.; Stutter, M.I.; Sutherland, L-A.; Towers, W. (2013) Review of renewable energy research at the James Hutton Institute., Report to Scottish Government.
- Roberts, D.; Thomson, K.; Dinnie, L.; Brown, K.; Martin-Ortega, J.; McKee, A.; Prager, K.; Pages, M.; Towers, W.; Munoz-Rojas, J.; Slee, B. (2013) Improving implementationn and increasing uptake of measures to improve water quality in Scotland: key messages for informing policy makers., Scottish Government Land Reform Review Group (LRRG): Call for Evidence - Submission on behalf of the James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen, 11 January 2013.
- Phimister, E.; Roberts, D.; Gilbert, A. (2004) The dynamics of farm incomes in Scotland., The Future of Rural Development Conference, Aberdeen, December 2004.
- Phimister, E.; Roberts, D.; Gilbert, A. (2002) The dynamics of farm incomes in Scotland: panel data analysis using the Farm accounts Survey., Agricultural Economics Society Annual Conference, 76th, Aberystwyth, 8-11 April 2002.
- Gelan, A.; Roberts, D. (2001) Commuting costs and rural development., Regional Studies Association Annual Conference, Durham, 4-6 September 2001.
- Roberts, D.; Gelen, A. (2001) The changing economic base of rural areas: non-traditional sources of income in the Western Isles., Agricultural Economics Society Annual Conference, Harper Adams, England, 10-13 September 2001. Unpublished.
- Abdul-Salam, Y.; Ovando, P.; Roberts, D. (2021) Understanding the economic barriers to the adoption of agroforestry A Real Options analysis., Journal of Environmental Management, 302, Article. 113995.
- Argaw, T.L.; Phimister, E.; Roberts, D. (2021) From farm to kitchen: how gender affects production diversity and the dietary intake of farm households in Ethiopia., Journal of Agricultural Economics.72, 268-292.
- Abdul-Salam, Y.; Hawes, C.; Roberts, D.; Young, M. (2019) The economics of alternative crop production systems in the context of farmer participation in carbon trading markets., Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 43, 67-91.
- Sébastien, M.; Phimister, E.; Roberts, D.; Santini, F. (2019) A Monte Carlo filtering application for systematic sensitivity analysis of computable general equilibrium result., Economic Systems Research, 31, 404-422.
- Colen, L.; Melo, P.C.; Abdul-Salam, Y.; Roberts, D.; Mary, S.; Paloma, G.Y. (2018) Income elasticities for food, calories and nutrients across Africa: a meta-analysis., Food Policy, 77, 116-132.
- Berka, A.L.; Harnmeijer, J.; Roberts, D.; Phimister, E.; Msika, J. (2017) A comparative analysis of the costs of onshore wind energy: Is there a case for community-specific policy support?, Energy Policy, 106, 394-403.
- Phimister, E.; Roberts, D. (2017) Allowing for uncertainty in exogenous shocks to CGE models: the case of a new renewable energy sector., Economic Systems Research, 29, 509-527.
- Gilbert, A.; Colley, K.; Roberts, D. (2016) Are rural residents happier? A quantitative analysis of subjective wellbeing in Scotland., Journal of Rural Studies, 44, 37-45.
- Roberts, D.; Vera-Toscano, E.; Phimister, E. (2015) Fuel poverty in the UK: Is there a difference between rural and urban areas?, Energy Policy, 87, 216-223.
- Phimister, E.; Vera-Toscano, E.; Roberts, D. (2015) The dynamics of energy poverty: evidence from Spain., Economics of Energy and Environmental Policy, 4, 153-166.
- Pangbourne, K.; Roberts, D. (2015) Small towns and agriculture: understanding the spatial pattern of farm linkages., European Planning Studies, 23, 494-508.
- Espinosa, M.; Psaltopoulos, D.; Santini, F.; Phimister, E.; Roberts, D.; Mary, S.; Ratinger, T.; Skuras, D.; Balamou, E.; Cardenette, M.; Paloma, S. (2014) Ex-ante analysis of the regional impacts of the Common Agricultural Policy: a rural-urban recursive dynamic CGE model approach., European Planning Studies, 22, 1342-1367.
- Liu, N.; Roberts, D. (2013) Counter urbanisation, planning and house prices: an analysis of the Aberdeen housing market area, 1984 - 2010., Town Planning Review, 84, 81-105.
- Roberts, D.; Majewski, E.; Sulewski, P. (2013) Farm household interactions with local economies: A comparison of two EU case study areas., Land Use Policy, 31, 156-165.
- Pouliakas, K.; Roberts, D.; Balamou, E.; Psaltopoulos, D. (2014) Modelling the effects of immigration on regional economic performance and wage distribution: a computable general equilibrium (CGE) analysis of three European Union regions., Regional Studies, 48, 318-338.
- Devaney, S.; Roberts, D. (2012) Who gets the jobs? Factors influencing the employability of property and construction graduates in the UK., Construction, Management and Economics, 30, 233-246.
- Liu, N.; Roberts, D. (2012) Do incomers pay more for rural housing?, Environment and Planning A, 44, 1986-2005.
- Phimister, E.; Roberts, D. (2012) The role of ownership in determining the rural economic benefits of on-shore wind farms., Journal of Agricultural Economics, 63, 331-360.
- Laing, R.; Buda, G.; Devaney S.; Roberts, D. (2011) Built environment higher education in Scotland: pressures, challenges and change in uncertain times., CEBE Transactions, 8, 41-59.
- Johnson, T.J.; Roberts, D.J.; Wojan, T.R. (2010) Model-based evaluation of rural development policies., Eurochoices, 9, 30-36.
- Roberts, D.; Newlands, D. (2010) The economic integration of new sectors in rural areas: a case study of the Shetland economy., Environment and Planning A, 42, 2687-2704.
- Phimister, E.; Roberts, D. (2006) The effect of off-farm work on the intensity of agricultural production., Environmental and Resource Economics, 34, 493-515.
- Shucksmith, M.; Thomson, K.J.; Roberts, D. (eds.) (2005) The CAP and the regions: the territorial impact of the Common Agricultural Policy., CABI Publishing, Wallingford, 250p. ISBN 978-0851990552
- Roberts, D. (2005) The role of households in sustaining rural economies: a structural path analysis., European Review of Agricultural Economics, 32, 393-420.
- Thomson, K.; Roberts, D. (2004) The Common Agricultural Policy and its territorial impact., Territoires 2020, DATAR (Delegation a l'amenagement du territoire et a l'action regionale.) Summer, 2004.
- Roberts, D.; Torrance, L.; Stirton, G.; Britton, A.J.; Craig, C.; Kyle, C-A.; Abel, C.; Macaulay, C.; Fielding, D.; Watson, H.; Pohle, I.; Robertson, J.; Maxwell, J.; Irvine, K.; Sutherland, L-A.; Dawson, L.A.; Shepherd, L.; Miller, P.; Ellis, R.; Richards, S.; Blok, V.; Hackett, C.; Kettle, H. (2018) Women in Science., The James Hutton Institute, 25pp.
- Brooker, R.; Mitchell, R.; Roberts, D.; Matthews, K.; Waylen, K.A. (2021) Think piece on multifunctional landscapes, Report submitted to Sallie Ballie in response to Call-Down request.
- Cook, P.; Booth, J.; Roberts, D.; Hopkins, J.; Slee, B.; Grieve, J. (2016) The land based sector in NE Scotland: facing the future (Summary and Main reports)., Report for Aberdeenshire Council, March 2016.
- Melo, P.C.; Abdul-Salam, Y.; Roberts, D.; Gilbert, A.; Matthews, R.B.; Cohen, L.; Sebastien, M.; Gomez Y Paloma, S. (2015) Income elasticities of food demand in Africa: a meta-analysis., JRC Technical Report, EUR 27650 EN, Publications Office of the European Union.
- Miller, D.R.; Birnie, R.V.; Dunn, S.M.; Hough, R.L.; Morrice, J.; Roberts, D.; Stutter, M.I.; Sutherland, L-A.; Towers, W. (2013) Review of renewable energy research at the James Hutton Institute., Report to Scottish Government.
- Roberts, D.; Thomson, K.; Dinnie, L.; Brown, K.; Martin-Ortega, J.; McKee, A.; Prager, K.; Pages, M.; Towers, W.; Munoz-Rojas, J.; Slee, B. (2013) Improving implementationn and increasing uptake of measures to improve water quality in Scotland: key messages for informing policy makers., Scottish Government Land Reform Review Group (LRRG): Call for Evidence - Submission on behalf of the James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen, 11 January 2013.
- Ge, J.; Polhill, J.G.; Liu, N.; Roberts, D.; Craig, T. (2016) Modelling lifestyle and energy footprint in Europe’s ‘oil capital’ using an agent-based model., In: Sauvage, S., Sanchez-Perez, J.M., Rizzoli, A.E. (eds.). Proceedings of the 8th International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software, Toulouse, France, 10-14 July 2016. Session A4: Modeling for Low carbon Economies, p253.
- Melo, P.C.; Abdul-Salam, Y.; Roberts, D.; Cohen, L.; Sebastien, M.; Gomez Y Paloma, S. (2016) Income growth and malnutrition in Africa: is there a need for region-specific policies?, 90th Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Society, University of Warwick, 4-6 April 2016.
- Phimister, E.; Roberts, D.; Gilbert, A. (2004) The dynamics of farm incomes in Scotland., The Future of Rural Development Conference, Aberdeen, December 2004.
- Phimister, E.; Roberts, D.; Gilbert, A. (2002) The dynamics of farm incomes in Scotland: panel data analysis using the Farm accounts Survey., Agricultural Economics Society Annual Conference, 76th, Aberystwyth, 8-11 April 2002.
- Gelan, A.; Roberts, D. (2001) Commuting costs and rural development., Regional Studies Association Annual Conference, Durham, 4-6 September 2001.
- Roberts, D.; Gelen, A. (2001) The changing economic base of rural areas: non-traditional sources of income in the Western Isles., Agricultural Economics Society Annual Conference, Harper Adams, England, 10-13 September 2001. Unpublished.
