Research

Research Interests:

• • Economics of Education

  • Labor Economics

Grant Funding:

• National Science Foundation, “Only the Wealthy? Examining how Monetary and Community Cultural Wealth Translate to Engineering Degree Attainment.” Co-Principal Investigator (2022-2025), $550,701.

• National Science Foundation, “An Engineer Like Me.” Co-Principal Investigator (2015-2021), $247,412.

Google Scholar Page 

Published Papers & Chapters:

• 1. "Choosing an Engineering Discipline: A Conceptual Model of Student Pathways into Engineering." (with J.B. Main, X. Xu, & A.M. Dukes). (2022). Journal of Engineering Education, 111(1): 40-64.

  2. "Let's Not Lose Our Advantage in Higher Education." (forthcoming) invited piece in edited special issue of Independent Review. 

  3. "The Role of the Teaching Assistant: Female Role Models in the Classroom." (with Joyce B. Main) (2021). Economics of Education Review, 85, 102179.

  4. "Under Pressure: Grade inflation by academics." (with Veronica Sovero). (2021). Economics of Education Review.

  5. "The Impact of Technology and Rule Changes on Elite Swimming Performances." (With Todd A. McFall & Kurt W. Rothoff). (2020). in The Economics of Aquatic Sports, 77-92.

  6. "From SIGNALS to Success: The Impact of Advising on Student Course Performance and Grades." (with Joyce B. Main). (2019) Education Economics, 27(6), 608-623.

  7. "First Impressions in the Classroom: How do class characteristics affect student grades and majors?" (with Joyce B. Main) (2019). Economics of Education Review, 69, 125-137.

  8. "Allocating Group Housing" (with Justin Burkett & Francis Flanagan) (2017) Social Choice and Welfare.

  9. "The Effect of Institutional Expenditures on Employment Outcomes and Earnings" (with Kevin N. Rask) (2016)  Economic Inquiry.

  10. "Faculty Gender in the College Classroom: Does it matter for achievement and major choice?" (2014) Southern Economic Journal. 81(1) 211-231 .

  11. "Peer Effects in Higher Education: A look at heterogeneous impacts." (with Kevin N. Rask) (2014) Economics of Education Review. 39. 65-77.

  12. "Using PGA Tour Results to Illustrate the Effects of Selection Bias" (with Todd A. McFall) (2013) Journal of Economic Education. 44(3). 238-48.

  13. "Behavioral Responses to Epidemics in an Online Experiment" (with Frederick Chen, Allin Cottrell, & Yue-Ling Wong) (2013) PLOS One. January 9, 2013.

  14. "Keeping up with the Joneses: Institutional changes following the adoption of a merit aid policy." (2011). Economics of Education Review. 30(5).

  15. "The Karyopherin Kap95 and the C-termini of Rfa1, Rfa2, and Rfa3 are necessary for efficient nuclear import of functional RPA complex proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae." (with Kenneth D. Belanger, Heather L. Baker, Jeanne N. Hansen, Laura A. Simmons Kovacs, Justin S. Seconi & Andrew C. Strine) (2011) DNA & Cell Biology. 30(9). 641-51.

  16. "Persistence of women and minorities in STEM field majors: Is it the school that matters?" (2010). Economics of Education Review. 29(6). 911-22.

  17. Can't Get There From Here: The decision to apply to a selective institution." (with Donna S. Rothstein). (2009). Economics of Education Review. 28(5). 620-28.

  18. "The Influence of the US News and World Report Collegiate Rankings on the Matriculation Decisions of High-Ability Students 1995-2004." (with Kevin N. Rask) (2007). Economics of Education Review. 26(2). 244-55.

Working Papers:

• • "Second Try's a Charm: The Impact of Financial Aid Policy on Course Retaking Behavior for Low Income Students." (with Veronica Sovero). Revision Requested.

  • "More A's and I Get to Stay? How Grading Influences Employment Outcomes for Contingent Faculty." (with Veronica Sovero). Revision Requested.

  • "The Impact of Math and Science Remedial Education on Engineering Major Choice, Degree Attainment, and Time to Degree." (with Joyce B. Main and Camille Wixon) Revision Requested.

  • "The Gender and Race/Ethnicity Gaps in College Engineering Major Interest and Choice." (with Joyce B. Main, Rajeev Darolia, & Cory Koedel).

  • “How a Community can Make an Engineer: The importance of social, cultural, and economic capital in pursuing a STEM major” (with Joyce B. Main)

  • “How Communities Contribute to the Development of Engineers: A Focus on Social, Cultural, and Economic Capital” (with Joyce B. Main) 2023 ASEE Annual Conference.

  • “Diversity across Engineering Disciplines: Factors that Influence Student Engineering Major Choice” (with JB Main, XR Xu, and AM Dukes) 2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.

  • "There is No I in Team: Peer Effects in Engineering." (with Joyce B. Main).

  • Factors affecting major choice and occupational choice of minority students (with Ronald G. Ehrenberg & Gary Cohen).

  • "Test-Optional Admissions: Increasing Access or Selectivity?" (with Emily K. Rizik & Claire Hammond)

Work in Progress:

• • “Flip or Flop? How the use of a flipped classroom affects grades and major choice.”(with Joyce B. Main)

  • “Identifying the Predictors of College Enrollment for High-School Students using Interpretable Machine Learning.” (with Joyce B. Main, Roland Molontay, & Marcell Nagy).

  • “Predicting STEM major choices: A predictive analysis of HSLS:09.” (with Joyce B. Main, Roland Molontay, & Marcell Nagy).

  • “Understanding the science/mathematics identity of high-school students based on HSLS:09.” (with Joyce B. Main, Roland Molontay, & Marcell Nagy).

  • “The factors influencing college enrollment from community colleges  to selective four-year institutions.” (with Joyce B. Main, Roland Molontay, & Marcell Nagy).