Rachel Young is a PhD Candidate at the Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs’ Science, Technology and Environmental Policy Program. Her dissertation research uses quantitative methods and big data to examine social impacts of climate change and natural disasters. Rachel’s recent work focuses on the long-run impact of hurricanes on health and migration, as well as the impacts of individual- and place-based disaster response policies, including evaluating the federal property acquisition (buyout) program.

In May 2022, Rachel completed an internship with the White House Executive Office of the President, Council on Environmental Quality, where she advised on issues related to FEMA's flood mitigation and insurance programs. She also helped create guidance and tools for the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard, and the climate resilience requirements for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act spending.

Before starting at Princeton, Rachel was a full-time research assistant for Prof. Jesse Rothstein (Economics and Public Policy, UC Berkeley) at the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, where she helped analyze the effect of major economic shocks on earnings and employment. Rachel completed her MPP at the Goldman School of Public Policy, UC Berkeley, in 2017. Rachel began her research career as a policy analyst for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, in Washington D.C., where she evaluated national energy efficiency legislation. Rachel holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Lewis & Clark College.