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Penn IUR Scholar

Raj Chetty

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William A. Ackman Professor of Public Economics, Harvard University

Director of Opportunity Insights

About

Raj Chetty is the William A. Ackman Professor of Public Economics at Harvard University. He is also the Director of Opportunity Insights, which uses “big data” to understand how to give children from disadvantaged backgrounds better chances of succeeding. Chetty's research combines empirical evidence and economic theory to help design more effective government policies. His work on topics ranging from tax policy and unemployment insurance to education and affordable housing has been widely cited in academia, media outlets, and Congressional testimony.

Chetty received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 2003 and is one of the youngest tenured professors in Harvard's history. Before joining the faculty at Harvard, he was a professor at UC-Berkeley and Stanford University. Chetty has received numerous awards for his research, including a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship and the John Bates Clark medal, given to the economist under 40 whose work is judged to have made the most significant contribution to the field.

Selected Publications

Raj Chetty, John N Friedman, Emmanuel Saez, Nicholas Turner, Danny Yagan, Income Segregation and Intergenerational Mobility Across Colleges in the United States, The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Volume 135, Issue 3, August 2020, Pages 1567–1633, https://doi.org/10.1093/qje/qjaa005

Raj Chetty, Nathaniel Hendren, Maggie R Jones, Sonya R Porter, Race and Economic Opportunity in the United States: an Intergenerational Perspective, The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Volume 135, Issue 2, May 2020, Pages 711–783, https://doi.org/10.1093/qje/qjz042

Alex Bell, Raj Chetty, Xavier Jaravel, Neviana Petkova, John Van Reenen, Who Becomes an Inventor in America? The Importance of Exposure to Innovation, The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Volume 134, Issue 2, May 2019, Pages 647–713, https://doi.org/10.1093/qje/qjy028

Raj Chetty, Nathaniel Hendren, The Impacts of Neighborhoods on Intergenerational Mobility II: County-Level Estimates, The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Volume 133, Issue 3, August 2018, Pages 1163–1228, https://doi.org/10.1093/qje/qjy006

Fellow

James Cloar

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Chief Executive Office & President, Aspen Medical Products

Areas of Interest

    About

    Jim Cloar is the Chief Executive Office & President at Aspen Medical Products and an expert on downtown development and non-profit management structures. His recent projects include consulting for Wichita, KS, Tulsa, OK and Burlington VT on their downtown management structures. He is on the Board of Commissioners of the Tampa Housing Authority, the Board of Directors of the National Civic League and the Henry B. Plant Museum.  Cloar previously served as the President and CEO of the Partnership for Downtown St. Louis and chaired the City’s Downtown Economic Stimulus Authority. He also headed downtown associations in Dallas, TX and Tampa, FL. Cloar served nineteen years on the Board of Directors of the International Downtown Association (IDA) and is a former Chair of the organization. He has also been the President of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and is a former Chair of ULI’s Public-Private Partnership Council. He is the recipient of several awards, including the St. Louis Mayor’s “Quality of Life” Award, and the Dan E. Sweat “Lifetime Achievement in Downtown Leadership” Award” from the IDA. 

    Selected Publications

    Cloar, James A. 1990. Centralized Retail Management: New Strategies for Downtown. Washington, DC: Urban Land Institute. 

    Fellow

    Steve Cochrane

    x

    Chief APAC Economist, Moody’s Analytics

    Areas of Interest

      About

      Steven G. Cochrane, Chief APAC Economist for Moody’s Analytics, leads the firm’s Asia economic analysis, forecasting and research. Based in Singapore, Steve leads a team of economists involved in research and consulting projects focused on near-term economic risks to Asia-Pacific economies, including: the potential impact of tariffs; exposure to international capital flows and interest rate shifts; and rising debt loads of households, corporations, and governments. An analyst with Moody’s Analytics since 1993, Cochrane has been featured on Wall Street Radio, the PBS NewsHour, and CNBC.

      Selected Publications

      Cochrane, Steve and Sophia Koropeckyj, Aaron Smith, and Sean Ellis. 2013. Central Cities and Metropolitan Areas: Manufacturing and Nonmanufacturing Employment as Drivers of Growth. In Revitalizing American Cities, eds. Susan M. Wachter and Kimberly Zeuli, eds. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.

      Cochrane, Steve. 1997. Emerging Opportunities in Sonoma County: The Five Year Forecast. Sonoma County Economic Development Board.

      Cochrane, Steve. 2005. Economic Outlook: U.S. and North Dakota. North Dakota Governor’s Office.

      Penn IUR Scholar

      Janet Currie

      x

      Henry Putnam Professor of Economics and Public Affairs, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs

      Areas of Interest

        About

        Janet Currie is the Henry Putnam Professor of Economics and Public Affairs at Princeton University. She also directs the Program on Families and Children at the National Bureau of Economic Research. She is a Member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Sciences, a Fellow of the Econometric Society, and a Fellow of the Society of Labor Economists.  She was elected Vice President of the American Economics Association in 2010, and will be President of the Society of Labor Economists in 2014. Her research focuses on the health and well-being of children. She has written about early intervention programs, programs to expand health insurance and improve health care, public housing, and food and nutrition programs. Her current research focuses on socioeconomic differences in child health, and on environmental threats to children’s health.

        Selected Publications

        Currie, Janet, and Erdal Tekin. 2015. “Is There a Link Between Foreclosure and Health? American Economic Journals: Economic Policy.”

        Currie, Janet, and Joshua Graff-Zivin, Jamie Mullen, and Matthew Neidell. 2014. “What Do We Know About Short and Long Term Effects of Early Life Exposure to Pollution? Annual Review of Resource Economics. 

        Currie, Janet and Robert Khan, ed. 2012. The Future of Children. Children With Disabilities, 22(1). Washington DC: Princeton-Brookings.

        Currie, Janet and Reed Walker. 2011. Traffic Congestion and Infant Health. American Economic Journal-Applied Economics, 65-90.

        Currie, Janet M. 2006. The Invisible Safety Net: Protecting the Nation’s Poor Children and Families. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

        Penn IUR Scholar

        Anthony DeFusco

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        Associate Professor of Finance, University of Wisconsin

        Faculty Research Fellow, National Bureau of Economic Research

        Areas of Interest

          About

          Anthony DeFusco is an Associate Professor of Finance at the University of Wisconsin and a Faculty Research Fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research. Formerly an Associate Professor in the Department of Finance at Kellogg School of Management and a Doctoral Student in Applied Economics at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. His research interests include public economics, urban economics, and real estate finance. DeFusco received his Bachelor of the Arts in Mathematics and Mathematical Economics from Temple University in 2009. Prior to graduate school, he spent some time as a research assistant at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.

          Selected Publications

          DeFusco, Anthony A., and Andrew D. Paciorek (2014). “The Interest Rate Elasticity of Mortgage Demand: Evidence from Bunching at the Conforming Loan Limit” Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2014-11. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).

          DeFusco, Anthony, Wenjie Ding, Fernando Ferreira, and Joseph Gyourko (2013). “The Role of Contagion in the Last American Housing Cycle.” Wharton School, mimeo.

          Penn IUR Scholar

          Rebecca Diamond

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          Class of 1988 Professor of Economics, Graduate School of Business

          About

          Rebecca Diamond is an Assistant Professor of Economics at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She is an applied micro economist studying local labor and housing markets. Her recent research focuses on the causes and consequences of diverging economic growth across U.S. cities and its effects on inequality. She was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research from 2013 to 2014. 

          Selected Publications

          Diamond, Rebecca. Forthcoming. Housing Supply Elasticity and Rent Extraction by State and Local Government Workers. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy.

          Diamond, Rebecca. 2016. The Determinants and Welfare Implications of US Workers’ Diverging Location Choices by Skill: 1980-2000.” American Economic Review, 106(3): 479-524. 

          Diamond, Rebecca, Thomas Barrios, Guido W. Imbens, and Michal Kolesár. 2012. Clustering, Spatial Correlations, and Randomization Inference. Journal of the American Statistical Association 107(498): 578-591.

          Penn IUR Scholar
          Headshot of Lewis DijkstraHeadshot of Lewis Dijkstra

          Lewis Dijkstra

          x

          About

          Lewis Dijkstra is the Head of the Economic Analysis Sector of the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy in the European Commission. He is the editor the Cohesion Report, which analyses economic, social and environmental issues in EU regions and cities. He is also a visiting professor at the London School of Economics.

          He works closely with the OECD, the UN, the World Bank, the European Environmental Agency, the Joint Research Centre and Eurostat.

          His recent work covers topics such as a global definition of cities and rural areas, measuring transport performance, the geography of EU discontent, quality of government and gender equality.

          He holds a PhD in Urban and Regional Planning from Rutgers University, New Jersey, an MSc in Urban and Regional Planning from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a BA in Political Science from the University of Ghent, Belgium.

          Selected Publications

          Hugo Poelman, Lewis Dijkstra, and Linde Ackermanss. How Many People Can You Reach by Public Transport, Bicycle or on Foot in European Cities? Measuring Urban Accessibility for Low-Carbon Modes. European Commision. 2020.

          Lewis Dijkstra, Teodora Brandmüller, Thomas Kemper, Arbab Asfandiyar Khan, and Paolo Veneri (eds.). Applying the Degree of Urbanisation: A Methodological Manual to Define Cities, Towns and Rural Areas for International Comparisons. European Commision. 2020.

          Lewis Dijkstra, Hugo Poelman, and Paolo Veneri. The EU-OECD Definition of a Functional Urban Area. European Commission, OECD. 2019.

          Lewis Dijkstra, Aneta Florczyk, Sergio Freire, Thomas Kemper, and Martino Pesaresi. Applying The Degree of Urbanisation to the Globe: A New Harmonised Definition Reveals a Different Picture of Global Urbanisation. OECD. 2018.

          Mert Kompil, Chris Jacobs-Crisioni, Lewis Dijkstra, and Carlo Lavalle. Mapping Accessibility to Generic Services in Europe: A Market-Potential Based Approach. Sustainable Cities and Society. 2018.

          Fellow

          Lei Ding

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          Community Development Research Officer, Community Development and Regional Outreach, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia

          Areas of Interest

            About

            Lei Ding is the Community Development Research Officer at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Ding was initially trained as a mechanical engineer, but his strong interest in social science led him to pursue a Ph.D. in public policy, work as a senior research associate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2005-2009) and later as a faculty member in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at Wayne State University (2009-2013). He joined the Community Development and Regional Outreach Department at the Philadelphia Fed in 2013, conducting research and managing projects on housing and community development topics.

            Ding is a well-known expert on access to credit, housing policy, and gentrification and neighborhood change. He has published numerous articles on the topics of mortgage finance, Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), neighborhood change, and property tax. His recent research on the consequences of gentrification and the effects of the CRA has drawn significant attention from policymakers, practitioners, and the media. It has led to the publication of numerous research articles and has been covered by outlets that include CNN, Bloomberg, NPR, and other major media outlets. Ding has also worked in the public policy arena and contributed to the interagency update to CRA regulation from 2019 to 2022.

            Ding has a Ph.D. in public policy from George Mason University and bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Tsinghua University.

            Selected Publications

            Hou, Yilin, Lei Ding, David J. Schwegman, and Alaina G. Barca. (accepted), “Assessment Frequency and Equity of the Real Property Tax: Latest Evidence from Philadelphia,” Journal of Policy Analysis and Management.

            Ding, Lei and Leonard Nakamura. 2021. “Don't Know What You Got Till It’s Gone - The Community Reinvestment Act in a Changing Financial Landscape,” Journal of Real Estate Research, 43(1): 96-122.

            Ding, Lei, Hyojung Lee and Raphael W. Bostic. 2020. “Effects of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) on Small Business Lending.” Journal of Urban Affairs. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352166.2020.1808005.

            Ding, Lei, Jackelyn Hwang, and Eileen Divringi. 2016. “Gentrification and residential mobility in Philadelphia,” Regional Science and Urban Economics, 61, 38–51.

            Watcher, Susan and Lei Ding. 2016. Shared Prosperity in America’s Communities. Penn Press

            Ding, Lei and Leonard Nakamura. 2016. “The Impact of the Home Valuation Code of Conduct on Appraisal and Mortgage Outcomes,” Real Estate Economics, 44(3), 658–690.

            Ding, Lei, Roberto G. Quercia, Wei Li, and Janneke Ratcliffe. 2011. “Risky Borrowers or Risky Mortgages: Disaggregating Effects Using Propensity Score Models,” Journal of Real Estate Research, 33(2), 245- 276.

            Faculty Fellow

            Fernando Ferreira

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            Professor, Departments of Real Estate, and Business Economics and Public Policy

            About

            Fernando Ferreira is C.F. Koo Professor, Professor of Real Estate, Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy in the Wharton School. His interests include public economics, urban economics, and real estate. He is also a Faculty Fellow and Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), for which he co-edits the Journal of Public Economics. Ferreira has served as a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and is the recipient of various research grants, including from the Ford Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education. 

            Selected Publications

            Ferreira, Fernando “What Drives Racial and Ethnic Differences in High Cost Mortgages? The Role of High Risk Lenders”, with Patrick Bayer and Stephen Ross. Review of Financial Studies, 2018. 

            Ferreira, Fernando, Patrick Bayer, and Stephen Ross. 2016. “The Vulnerability of Minority Homeowners in the Housing Boom and Bust.” American Economic Journal: Economic Policy 8(1).

            Ferreira, Fernando and Joseph Gyourko. 2014. “Does Gender Matter for Political Leadership? The Case of U.S. Mayors.” Journal of Public Economics 112: 24-39.

            Ferreira, Fernando, Leah Platt Boustan, Hernan Winkler, and Eric Zolt. 2013. “The Effect of Rising Income Inequality on Taxation and Public Expenditures: Evidence from U.S. Municipalities and School Districts, 1970-2000.” Review of Economics and Statistics 95(4): 1291-1302.

            Fellow

            Nora Fitzpatrick

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            Chief of Staff, Communications & Outreach Group, Federal Reserve Bank of New York

            Areas of Interest

              About

              Nora Fitzpatrick is Chief of Staff of the Communications & Outreach Group at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where she manages external operations and develops tools to capture anecdotal information on the economy. Her career has focused on analyzing and bringing together thinkers, policymakers, and practitioners to engage in economic, community, and urban topics.

              Fitzpatrick previously served as the transition team Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in Washington, D.C. Her responsibility at HUD included developing budget advice and testimony for the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. She also held a state appointment as senior advisor to Lt. Governor of the State of New York and was part of a core team responsible for fiscal analysis of State of New York’s finances.

              Fitzpatrick also served as a policy aid in the Mayor’s Office in Philadelphia and her hometown of Jersey City, working on projects such as developing new tools for tax lien securitization and community engagement. She has also worked as a financial analyst at Fortress Investment Group and the Related Companies, focusing on affordable housing investments.

              Fitzpatrick is also a youth mentor and helped launch two youth-led service groups, including as a founding member of The Imagine Society, a nonprofit focused on empowering youth to lead projects to support economic development in New York City. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Pennsylvania in political science, philosophy, and economics, and earned a master’s in public administration at New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service.

              Penn IUR Scholar

              Richard Florida

              x

              University Professor, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto

              Global Research Professor, New York University

              Areas of Interest

                About

                Richard Florida is a University Professor at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management and a Global Research Professor at New York University. He previously taught at Carnegie Mellon University and George Mason University.  Florida is one of the world’s leading public intellectuals on economic competitiveness, demographic trends, and cultural and technological innovation. He is also Senior Editor at The Atlantic, where he co-founded and serves as Editor-at-Large for The Atlantic Cities, as well as the Creative Class Group. He is the author of several best-selling books including his award-winning book The Rise of the Creative Class.

                Selected Publications

                Florida, Richard. 2017. The New Urban Crisis: How Our Cities Are Increasing Inequality, Deepening Segregation, and Failing the Middle Class—and What We Can Do About It. New York: Basic Books. 

                Florida, Richard. 2010. The Great Reset: How the Post-Crash Economy Will Change the Way We Live and Work. New York: HarperCollins.

                Florida, Richard. 2009. Who’s Your City?: How the Creative Economy Is Making Where to Live the Most Important Decision of Your Life. New York: Basic Books.

                Florida, Richard. 2005. The Flight of the Creative Class: The New Global Competition for Talent. New York: HarperCollins.

                Florida, Richard. 2002. The Rise of the Creative Class. New York: Basic Books.

                Penn IUR Scholar

                Matthew Freedman

                x

                Associate Professor of Economics, University of California, Irvine

                Areas of Interest

                  About

                  Matthew Freedman is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of California, Irvine. His research interests lie at the intersection of labor economics, public finance, and urban economics. His current work examines how federal, state, and local housing and economic development programs affect neighborhoods. His research also explores segregation within cities and the local labor, capital, and housing market dynamics that give rise to differential patterns of inequality across metropolitan areas. Freedman was previously an Associate Professor of Economics at Cornell University and has held visiting positions at the Wharton School and Princeton University. Freedman’s research has been published in leading economics and urban studies journals including the Economic Journal, the Journal of Urban Economics, the Journal of Public Economics, the Journal of Human Resources, and the Journal of Economic Geography.

                  Selected Publications

                  Freedman, Matthew, N. Baum-Snow and R. Pavan. Forthcoming. Why Has Urban Inequality Increased? American Economic Journal: Applied Economics.

                  Freedman, Matthew, E. Owens and S. Bohn. Forthcoming. Immigration, Employment Opportunities, and Criminal Behavior. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy.

                  Freedman, Matthew. 2017. Persistence in Industrial Policy Impacts: Evidence from Depression-Era Mississippi. Journal of Urban Economics, 102: 34-51.

                  Freedman, Matthew. 2013. “Targeted Business Incentives and Local Labor Markets.” Journal of Human Resources 48(2): 311-344.

                  Freedman, Matthew. 2012. “Teaching New Markets Old Tricks: The Effects of Subsidized Investment on Low-Income Neighborhoods.” Journal of Public Economics 96(11-12): 1000-1014.

                  Freedman, Matthew and Renata Kosova. 2012. “Agglomeration, Product Heterogeneity, and Firm Entry.” Journal of Economic Geography.” 12(3): 601-626.

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