I am an economist driven by a central puzzle: Why do identical incentives or financial windfalls create such different outcomes depending on where they happen? My research investigates "Structural Rigidity"—the hidden barriers that stop resources from turning into real growth. I apply this lens to three distinct areas: 

Public Economics: I analyze how aggressive fiscal reforms, such as the Kansas tax experiment, often fail to spur growth due to local economic structures. 

Development Economics: I study how resource discoveries, such as oil in Ghana, can trigger the "Dutch Disease" and distort traditional sectors, including agriculture. 

Economics of Education: I investigate the "University Production Function," specifically how "Administrative Overhang" crowds out investment in teaching. My work asks why increased funding for higher education often fails to produce more graduates.

Across these fields, I use modern causal inference methods including Synthetic Control and Difference-in-Differences to separate political promises from economic reality.

Recent Awards:

[1] 2025-- Outstanding Graduate Scholar: NIU Dept. of Economics

[2] 2024-- Runner-up, PhD Paper Competition: Illinois Economic Association (IEA)

Service:

2025/2026 Academic Year--  President, Association of Graduate Economics Students, NIU