2023-24

What Class He Teaches: Lately I have been teaching ECON 173 Applied Econometrics and ECON 150 Labor Economics. Professor Michael Kevane and I will be offering a new research-based seminar course starting next academic year. 

Hobbies/Interests: I am an avid hiker and nature-lover. I spend a lot of time in our local hills looking at native plants and animals, and camp and hike in the Sierra Nevada when I can (see selfie of me from the summit of Mt. Elwell). I love music of all kinds, but especially jazz. I like to cook and to eat. I read a lot... mostly novels and poetry. I am happily married (going on 42 years!) and have two fantastic adult sons.

Biography: I grew up mostly in Connecticut. I received my B.A. from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and my Ph.D. from Stanford University (both in Economics). After finishing at Stanford I took my first faculty job at SCU and have been here ever since! In my research I apply rigorous data analysis to important justice and policy questions. My current research projects include the evolution of racial disparities in employment and earnings; the impacts of climate change and poverty on the food and water insecurity of smallholder farmers in Central America; racial disparities in the criminal legal system; and housing policy in the Silicon Valley region. I have been an active participant in collaborative governance and faculty affairs at SCU, and served as President of the Faculty Senate in 2017-2018. I was proud to be honored as Faculty Senate Professor for 2022-2023.

Advice: "Economics is the best major of them all! You will learn critical thinking and data analysis skills that will prepare you for your career as well as your life as an informed citizen. Be prepared to be challenged by some of the quantitative and analytical aspects of the curriculum. Try to draw connections between the abstract models and the real-world applications. Be an active participant in class and always ask yourself (and others, politely) how you know what you think you know."