Duke Institute for Brain Sciences

My research aims at areas of intersect among biology, demography, and empirical microeconomics. Lately I've become increasingly interested in the cognitive processes related to economic choice and behavior, as well as social and biological dynamics involved in the development of and returns to cognitive capital like executive functioning and self-regulation.

Ph.D., University of California at Los Angeles, Economics, 2007

MPAID, International Development, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 2001

A.B. (with departmental honors), Harvard College, Biochemical Sciences, 1996

“Hepatitis B Vaccine and Sex Ratios at Birth: A new look at the evidence” (2009), Economic Development and Cultural Change.

“Risk Aversion, Consumption Smoothing, and Household Partition in Rural Mexico” (2009), mimeo, University of Michigan.

“Pension Income and the Well-being of Children and Grandchildren: New evidence from South Africa” (2005) (with Duncan Thomas), California Center for Population Research discussion paper 043-05.