Quy Van Khuc, PhD
College of Arts and Sciences
Adjunct Faculty
Biography
Dr. Van Quy Khuc is an accomplished interdisciplinary scholar and academic leader with nearly a decade of international research experience and extensive teaching expertise across universities in Vietnam and the United States. He currently serves as Department Head of Environmental Economics and Sustainable Development at the Faculty of Development Economics, VNU University of Economics, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. Previously, he held the position of Department Head of Economics at the Phenikaa University.
Dr. Khuc’s academic journey spans multiple continents and prestigious institutions. After completing his undergraduate studies in Vietnam, he pursued advanced degrees at Colorado State University in the United States, where he developed expertise in environmental and resource economics. His postdoctoral research at the University of Alabama further strengthened his international research profile before returning to Vietnam to contribute to the nation’s academic and policy landscape.
His work addresses critical contemporary challenges including air pollution, water pollution, waste management, deforestation and forest degradation, macroeconomic policies, and poverty alleviation. Dr. Khuc is particularly known for developing and applying innovative theoretical frameworks including the Culture Tower, Mindspongeconomics, and a special knowledge management system (SCDM) to foster Four Transformations (Tu Chuyen Doi): green transformation, digital transformation, clean transformation, and creative transformation, ultimately supporting sustainable development in Vietnam and beyond.
Dr. Khuc’s research expertise encompasses several interconnected areas that address pressing global and regional challenges:
· Development Economics & Environmental Economics: Investigating the complex relationships between economic development and environmental sustainability, with particular focus on emerging economies and policy interventions.
· Forest Transition & Environmental Management: Analyzing deforestation patterns, forest restoration initiatives, and their socioeconomic impacts on rural communities.
· Waste Management & Circular Economy: Investigating waste treatment solutions, plastic consumption patterns, and circular economy implementation in developing contexts.
· Climate Change Mitigation & Air Quality: Examining urban pollution dynamics, household mitigation strategies, and policy frameworks for environmental improvement.
· Green Finance & Sustainability: Exploring innovative financial instruments and educational approaches that promote sustainable practices and environmental stewardship.
· Theoretical Innovation: Developing and applying Mindspongeconomics, Culture Tower, SCDM knowledge management system) to address contemporary sustainability challenges.
His research methodology combines rigorous quantitative analysis with mixed-methods approaches, often employing contingent valuation methods, CBMM, CVML, spatial analysis, and advanced econometric techniques to generate policy-relevant insights.
Dr. Khuc brings passion and expertise to economics education at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. His comprehensive teaching portfolio reflects his interdisciplinary background and commitment to preparing students for contemporary economic challenges:
· Macroeconomics & Microeconomics: Delivering foundational and advanced courses that bridge theoretical frameworks with real-world applications, particularly in developing economy contexts.
· Environmental Economics and economics of sustainable development: Teaching specialized courses that examine the intersection of economic principles and environmental policy, including valuation methods and sustainability assessment.
· Development Economics: Focusing on economic growth dynamics, institutional analysis, and policy evaluation in emerging markets with emphasis on sustainable development goals.
· Research Methods & Quantitative Analysis: Providing training in econometric methods, data analysis techniques, and research design to develop students’ analytical capabilities.
· Dr. Khuc has successfully taught 12 different subjects across six universities in Vietnam and the United States, demonstrating his versatility and commitment to academic excellence. He actively engages in curriculum development and program management, ensuring that course content remains relevant and engaging for today’s dynamic economic landscape.
As of September 2025, Dr. Khuc has established an impressive publication record with 65 total publications, including 33 articles in WOS/SCOPUS-indexed journals, demonstrating sustained scholarly impact with 2,481 citations (Google Scholar) and an h-index of 23.
Recent High-Impact Articles:
· Khuc, V.Q., Tran, M., Thinh, N.A., et al. (2024). “Closing nature connectedness to foster environmental culture: investigating urban residents’ utilization and contribution to parks in Vietnam”. Discover Sustainability, 5(1), 144. (Q1, IF: 3.0)
· Khuc, V.Q.*, et al. (2023). “Improving Energy Literacy to Facilitate Energy Transition and Nurture Environmental Culture in Vietnam”. Urban Science, 8(63). (Q1, IF: 2.9)
· Tran, P.M., Nguyen, T., Khuc, V.Q.* (2024). “Improving Green Literacy and Environmental Culture Associated with Youth Participation in the Circular Economy: A Case Study of Vietnam”. Urban Science, 8(63). (Q1, IF: 2.9)
· Khuc, V.Q.*, et al. (2023). “Driving forces of forest cover rehabilitation and implications for forest transition, environmental management and upland sustainable development in Vietnam”. Environment, Development and Sustainability. (Q1, IF: 4.9)
· Khuc, V.Q.*, Tran, D.T. (2023). “Contingent Valuation Machine Learning (CVML): A Novel Method for Estimating Citizens’ Willingness to Pay for a Safer and Cleaner Environment”. Urban Science, 7(3), 84. (Q1, IF: 2.9)
· Khuc, V.Q., Nong, D., Vu, P.T. (2022). “Pay or not to pay for air pollution mitigation in a world’s dynamic city: An experiment in Hanoi, Vietnam”. Economic Analysis and Policy. (Q1, IF: 8.7)
· Khuc, V.Q., et al. (2022). “Brain drain out of the blue: pollution-induced migration in Vietnam”. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(6), 3645. (Q1, CiteScore)
· Vuong, Q.H., Le, T.T., Khuc, V.Q., et al. (2021). “On the environment-destructive probabilistic trends: A perceptual and behavioral study on video game players”. Technology in Society, 65, 101530. (Q1, IF: 12.5)
· Khuc, V.Q., Nguyen, T., et al. (2021). “Young adults’ intentions and rationales for COVID-19 vaccination participation: Evidence from a student survey in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam”. Vaccines, 9(7), 794. (Q1, IF: 7.8)
· Nong, D., Nguyen, T.H., Wang, C., Khuc, V.Q. (2020). “The environmental and economic impact of the emissions trading scheme (ETS) in Vietnam”. Energy Policy, 140, 111362. (Q1, IF: 9.2)
· Magliocca, N.R., Khuc, V.Q., de Bremond, A., Ellicott, E.A. (2020). “Direct and indirect land-use change caused by large-scale land acquisitions in Cambodia”. Environmental Research Letters, 15(2), 024010. (Q1, IF: 6.7)
· Magliocca, N.R., Khuc, V.Q., Ellicott, E.A., De Bremond, A. (2019). “Archetypical pathways of direct and indirect land-use change caused by Cambodia’s economic land concessions”. Ecology and Society, 24(2), 25. (Q1, IF: 4.4)
· Khuc, V.Q., Tran, B.Q., Meyfroidt, P., Paschke, M.W. (2018). “Drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in Vietnam: An exploratory analysis at the national level”. Forest Policy and Economics, 90, 128-141. (Q1, IF: 4.0)
· Nguyen, T.H., Cook, M., Field, J.L., Khuc, V.Q., Paustian, K. (2018). “High-resolution trade-off analysis and optimization of ecosystem services and disservices in agricultural landscapes”. Environmental Modelling & Software, 107, 105-118. (Q1, IF: 4.9)
Books and Edited Volumes:
• Macroeconomics (2024), VNU Press
· Doctor of Philosophy in Forest Sciences (Resource Economics and Policy) Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA, 2018
· Master of Science in Agricultural Economics (Environmental and Resource Economics) Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA, 2013
· Bachelor of Science in Social Forestry (Forestry Project Management) Vietnam National University of Forestry, Hanoi, Vietnam, 2006
• Outstanding Scientist Award, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (2022, 2023, 2024)
• Certificate of Merit from the Minister of Education and Training 2025
• Outstanding Lecturer Award, VNU University of Economics and Business (2022)
· Emulation Fighter at the Grassroots Level (2023, 2024)
• International Presidential Fellow, Colorado State University (2015)
• Vietnam Education Foundation Fellowship (2012)
• Agriculture Scientific Technology Fellowship, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (2010)
• National KOVA Award (2006)
