University of Wisconsin Stout | Wisconsin's Polytechnic University

Education

B.A. Chemistry & Economics - Wake Forest University - Winston-Salem, NC

M.A. Economics - Miami University - Oxford, OH

Ph.D. Economics - Indiana University - Bloomington, IN

Research Interests

My research is in the general area of Public Economics, with a focus on policy issues relating to the economics of education and human capital, community choice, aging, social security, and Medicare.

I also have an interest in issues relating to applications of game theory, mechanism design, and strategic interaction, and in applied micro policy topics in the environmental economics and the economics of sports, music, and leisure.

Recent Publications and Presentations:

"An Empirical Analysis of the Growth of Youth Rugby in the Upper Midwest" (with Xanthi Gerasimo) at the Midwest Economic Association Meeting - Columbus, OH - March 2013

"Growth and Distributional Effects of Retirement Migration and Community Choice" at the Midwest Economic Association Meeting – Chicago, IL – March 2012 

"Current Issues Surrounding Economic Inequality" UW-Stout Social Science Speaker Series – Menomonie, WI - November 2011.  

"National Debt, Public Finance, Growth, and Social Welfare" UW-Stout Constitution Day – Menomonie, WI – September 2011.

"Human Capital Investment, Longevity, Health Care, & Growth" and "Contract Rigidities & the Quantity and Quality of Teachers (co-authored with Greg Gilpin)" at the Annual Association for Education Finance & Policy Conference - Seattle, WA - March 2011

"Retirement Migration & Community Choice: Effects on Public Goods Provision" at the Midwest Economic Association Meeting - St. Louis, MO - March 2011

"Contract Rigidities and the Quantity and Quality of Teachers: An Analysis of Differential Effects Across Teaching-Subject Areas" at the Southern Economic Association Meeting - Atlanta, GA - November 2010.

"Wage Frictions, Teacher Quality, and Teacher Quantity: An Empirical Analysis of Differential Effects Across Subject Areas" at the Midwest Economics Association Meeting - Chicago, IL - March 2010

"Retirement Migration & Community Choice: Effects on Public School Funding" at the American Education Finance Association Meeting - Richmond, VA - March 2010

"Wage Frictions and Teacher Quality" at the National Council on Teacher Quality Annual Conference - Washington, D.C. - March 2009

 ...and just to show I'm well-rounded:

Melvin, M.S., Ferguson, D.C., Lindquist, N. and R.A. Manderville. 1999. DNA Binding by 4-Methoxypyrrolic Natural Products. Preference for Intercalation at AT Sites by Tambjamine E and Prodigisosin. Journal of Organic Chemistry 64(18): 6861-6869.

Courses Taught

ECON 210 - Principles of Macroeconomics

ECON 215 - Principles of Microeconomics

ECON 215H - Honors Principles of Micro

ECON 360 - Game Theory and Strategic Behavior

ECON 380 - Economic Model Building and Forecasting

ECON 410 - Intermediate Microeconomics

ECON 415 - Intermediate Macroeconomics

ECON 445 - Public Finance

APSS 300 - Applied Social Analysis II

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In Development:

SOC/ECON 325 - Economic & Social Issues of Sports and Leisure 

ECON XXX - Economics of Education