Duane Chapman, Cornell professor emeritus of environmental economics, died at his home in Newfield, N.Y., July 29, after a brief illness. He was an expert in electricity markets, world oil prices and security, renewable energy costs and policy, climate change and energy use.

Born in Sioux City, Iowa, Chapman received his B.A. (1961) from Michigan State University and his M.S. (1967) and Ph.D. (1969) from the University of California-Berkeley. He retired from Cornell in 2006 after 36 years as a professor in the Department of Applied Economics and Management.

The author of "Environmental Economics: Theory, Application and Policy" (1999) and "Energy Resources and Energy Corporations" (1983), Chapman published many scholarly journal articles and belonged to various professional societies, including the American Economics Association, International Association of Energy Economists, Association of Environmental and Resource Economists and the International Society of Ecological Economics. He was a member of Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World. Chapman also worked extensively in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Siberia, Russia and Iran. Underlying his work was his heartfelt belief that education at all levels about the real world is the best way to improve people's lives and the environment.

Chapman is survived by his two daughters and their mother, Mary Chapman; his partner, Alice Brody, and her daughter, and extended family.

Friends can call from 4 to 6 p.m. on Aug. 1 at Bangs Funeral Home in Ithaca and after calling hours at Chapman's home at 130 Jackson Hollow Road, Newfield. A memorial service will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in Chapman's memory can be made to Munhu Inc., P.O. Box 1966, Coppell, TX 75019 (http://www.munhu.org), an organization that provides school fees for Zimbabwean AIDS orphans.