Dr. Waring studies how cooperation determines sustainability outcomes. Using economic experiments and agent-based simulations, he builds evolutionary models of social and economic change to learn how sustainable behaviors, and durable institutions arise and persist. He has led two national working groups to refine this theory and apply it to case studies around the world. Dr. Waring now leads a five-year research project to study how cooperation can improve the success of local food organizations, and grow the local food economy.