Student Work
The reason senior Lindsay Steiert was initially drawn toward majoring in economics was because she wanted to learn analytical reasoning skills. “I enjoy the process that goes into studying economics,” Steiert says. “I felt like I needed that aspect in my education.”
Steiert has been awarded several scholarships on campus, including the Dean’s Scholarship and a Centurion Award, which she won because of her dedication to service in the community. As a student director for the Office of Student Life, Steiert implemented a community-service component to the job description of the student workers. “I saw a bunch of student leaders who could help and make a difference,” Steiert says. “I helped implement a new requirement for service in the community.”
For her thesis, Steiert is forecasting disability requirements for the Department of Human Services. “I am intrigued by the subject matter and that economics can carry over to any subject,” Steiert says. “There are many different sub categories, so you can really pick your focus.
"Economics,” according to Weston Brinkley, “is the study of human behavior … demand, scarce resources, money; they’re all just ways to explain why people act in the way they do.”
Brinkley first came to the UO from Seattle, Wash., because Eugene was far enough from home to allow him to “go away” for school, but also because UO was big enough to have so many learning opportunities that he could study anything he wanted.
He ultimately decided on a double major in economics and geography, in order to delve into the world and how we govern ourselves. “I thought it would be a good background [that] could be applied in a variety of ways in many fields.”
When senior Steven Green was first looking into colleges, he was drawn to UO’s business program, but it was economics where he found his home. “Economics teaches common sense,” says Green. “It lets you think about the world in a new way.”
In addition, a major in economics allowed Green to take as narrow or as wide a focus as he wanted. He could apply his academic career to one specific type of economics, or he could use his classes and knowledge to evaluate the world. “I really appreciated that aspect of economics,” he says. “I liked the way that it is structured.”
Green, who won several scholarships on campus, including the Centurion Award and the University of Oregon Dean’s Scholarship, had an internship with the Eugene Water & Electric Board during his junior year. He was impressed that they tailored his internship to his interests, and he spent the time doing data analysis and contract research on the bargaining power of EWEB
Selected Faculty Work
Professor Trudy Ann Cameron teaches courses in environmental economics and econometrics. Her research interests are in the valuation of non-market goods.
Associate Professor William T. Harbaugh has two primary research interests: the economic behavior of children, and economic models of altruism. He teaches courses in public, behavioral, and experimental economics.
Professor Jo Anna Gray is interested primarily in explanations of the business cycle and the role of money and the financial sector in affecting real activity. She teaches intermediate macroeconomic theory, money and banking, and monetary theory and policy.
Professor Joe Stone teaches courses in international economics, labor economics, and applied econometrics. Current projects include a series of studies of wage and employment adjustment in local labor markets, and public and private schools.
Career Prospects
Economics draws on history, philosophy, and mathematics to confront topics ranging from how an individual household can make sound decisions on societal issues such as employment, inflation, and environmental decay. Career opportunities in economics are found in federal, state, and local government agencies; private industry; various nonprofit organizations; and journalism. A bachelor’s degree in economics provides an excellent background for admission to law school and business school.