UW Honors Legacy of Economist Thomas Crocker

The University of Wyoming community is mourning the loss of Thomas Crocker, a professor emeritus of economics and a pioneering figure in environmental and resource economics, who passed away Sunday, June 7, at the age of 89.

Crocker joined the UW faculty in 1975 following appointments at the University of Wisconsin and the University of California campuses at Berkeley and Riverside. Over the next several decades, he played a central role in building UW's Department of Economics into an internationally recognized center for research and teaching in environmental and natural resource economics.

A visionary economist, Crocker helped shape the development of environmental economics as a field. His research advanced the integration of economics and the natural sciences and contributed to a deeper understanding of sustainable development, environmental policy and the role of institutions in managing natural resources. Crocker was honored as a Fellow of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists in 2008.

Among his most influential contributions was his early work on market-based approaches to environmental regulation. Crocker helped lay the intellectual foundation for emissions trading systems, commonly known as cap-and-trade programs. What began as a theoretical insight has since influenced environmental policy around the world, providing governments with cost-effective tools to reduce pollution and address complex environmental challenges.

Throughout his career, Crocker explored how economic incentives, governance structures and institutions influence both environmental outcomes and human well-being. His scholarship helped advance methods for valuing environmental amenities and ecosystem services, including clean air, clean water, open space and biodiversity. Crocker believed that economists could not effectively address environmental challenges in isolation from the natural sciences, public policy and other disciplines -- a perspective that shaped both his scholarship and his leadership at UW.

"Few faculty members leave a legacy as profound as Tom Crocker's. He was a pioneering scholar, a builder of institutions and a generous mentor whose influence can still be felt across the University of Wyoming," says Scott Beaulier, the H.A. "Dave" True Family Dean of the College of Business. "The College of Business is proud to have been home to a scholar whose ideas changed his discipline and whose character earned the admiration of colleagues and students alike."

Beyond his research, Crocker was a dedicated educator and mentor. He encouraged generations of students to engage with complex social and environmental challenges and emphasized the importance of drawing insights from multiple disciplines when addressing public policy issues.

"Tom played a significant role in bringing me to the University of Wyoming," says Acting Provost Anne Alexander. "From the moment I arrived, I understood why so many spoke of him with such admiration. While his contributions to environmental economics were extraordinary, those who knew him best will remember his kindness, generosity and commitment to helping others succeed."

Crocker's impact extended far beyond the classroom and scholarly journals. He played a leading role in the creation of what would become the Ruckelshaus Institute and the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, helping establish UW as a national leader in collaborative approaches to environmental and natural resource policy.

Crocker is survived by his wife, Judith Powell, former UW associate provost and professor, and their three daughters and grandchildren.

Information regarding a celebration of Crocker's life will be announced at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to the Tom Crocker Memorial Fund at the UW Foundation. Gifts can be made securely online at https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/81852/donations/new or mailed to the University of Wyoming Foundation, 222 S. 22nd St., Laramie, WY 82070.