Profile
- Master’s degree (M2) in economics, environmental economics, energy and transport economics, behavioral economics
- Engineer with training in economics
- Prerequisites: microeconometrics (qualitative variables, panel data, discrete choice models, etc.).
Context
Advances in biotechnology have led to the emergence of New Genomic Techniques (NTG), which have the potential to accelerate the agroecological transition. However, their applications involve significant costs and risks, with potentially irreversible consequences. The mixed reactions of the general public to bioengineered products pave the way for behavioral analyses that go beyond a simple cost-benefit approach.
This doctoral thesis aims to study, from a behavioral economics perspective, public perceptions of products derived from NGTs. In particular, this project aims to i) identify the most important factors likely to influence the emergence of NTG-based innovations, ii) improve our understanding of public perceptions of these technologies, and iii) analyze the potential demand for NTG products. These objectives will be addressed in three chapters. The first chapter will use Q methodology to determine the most important factors among those already mentioned in the literature. In the second chapter, we will assess public perceptions of NTG products by analyzing the relative importance of the main barriers to their societal acceptability. To this end, a discrete choice experiment (DCE) will be implemented, focusing on the impact of various uncertainties. Finally, the third chapter will evaluate, through the implementation of laboratory economic experiments, the commercial potential of two categories of NTG products (food and non-food) by estimating consumers’ willingness to pay or accept them.
This thesis will contribute to behavioral economics by analyzing three distinct cases of application. Each case will provide an opportunity to present original articles demonstrating the expertise acquired by the doctoral student.
Duration
- 3 years, starting in November 2026
Salary
- €2,450 gross per month, reviewed annually
Location
- IFP Énergies nouvelles, Département Économie et Évaluation Environnementale, 1 et 4 avenue de Bois-Préau, 92852 Rueil-Malmaison, France.
Send your CV and cover letter to:
- Stéphan Marette (stephan.marette@inrae.fr);
- Benoît Chèze (benoit.cheze@ifpen.fr);
- Chris Ouangraoua (chris.ouangraoua@ifpen.fr).