Joshua H. Hess

I am a clinical associate professor of economics in the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. I am also the Director for the Center of Economic Excellence.

Before I entered graduate school for economics, I taught mathematics and astrononmy at Front Range Community College. I still think astronomy is cool. Before that, I taught high school math.

My research focuses on risky behaviors and public policy. Most recently, I have been studying the impact of cannabis liberalization. I think there are some unanswered questions concerning the substitutability of alcohol and cannabis in social versus medicinal situations. While casual inference is, and always will be, the goal; I'm not one to walk away from null results or the measurement of effects. 

I am very passionate about teaching. I believe in a student-centered, classroom experience that focuses on critical thinking and open discussions. I eschew long-format lectures for shorter modules punctuated with deep dives into concepts through a socratic format.