Rigo is a PhD Candidate in the Leadership for the Ecozoic (L4E) project at the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Gund Institute for Environment at the University of Vermont. Rigo is broadly interested in research-to -action by building and acting on ecological economic theory and practice to inform innovative educational and policy strategies to tackle our complex and interrelated climate and social crises. His research is focused on the socio-ecological implications of financialization for a just sustainability transition away from fossil fuels in the U.S. Rigo grounds his work on the strong biophysical and social foundation of ecological economics and draws from other heterodox schools of economics in his research. He holds two master’s degrees in Public Affairs and Environmental Science from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry and Syracuse University Maxwell School of Public Affairs. Rigo's favorite quote is: “The scarcest resource is not oil, metals, clean air, capital, labour, or technology. It is our willingness to listen to each other and learn from each other and to seek the truth rather than seek to be right.” -Donella Meadows