Research Interests

Economic History; Urban and Regional Economics; Trade and Development

Selected Publications

• “Expansion of Markets and the Geographic Distribution of Economic Activities: The Trends in U.S. Regional Manufacturing Structure, 1860-1987,” Quarterly Journal of Economics 110 (4): 881-908
• “Economic Integration and Convergence: U.S. Regions, 1840-1990,” Journal of Economic History 1998 58 (3): 659-683 (See NBER Working Paper #6335 for a longer version)
• “Regions, Resources and Economic Geography: The Sources of U.S. Regional Comparative Advantage, 1880-1987,” Regional Science and Urban Economics 1999 29 (1): 1-32
• “Decomposing U.S. Regional Incomes,” Journal of Economic History, 1999 59 (3): 779- 786
• “The Rise of Multiunit Firms in U.S. Manufacturing,” Explorations in Economic History 1999 36 (4): 360-386 (See NBER Working Paper #6425 for an earlier version)

Awards

• John M. Olin Foundation Faculty Research Fellowship, 1998-1999
• Faculty Research Grant, Washington University, 1997, 2005 
• Weidenbaum Center Research Grant, Washington University, 2001, 2005

Background

He received his Ph.D. from UCLA in 1993, joined the economics department in that same year, and was promoted to associate professor in 2000. He is also a Research Associate in the Development of the American Economy Program of the NBER. He has served as a board member for the Center for New Institutional Social Sciences (CNISS) and as a book review editor for the Regional Science and Urban Economics. His research focus is on economic history, urban and regional economics, trade and development.