The MSU Department of Economics is pleased to welcome Scott Imberman, Ph.D., as the new department chair. He is a professor of economics and has been serving as the Director of Graduate Studies. He previously also had a joint appointment in the College of Education. Dr. Imberman joined MSU in 2012, after beginning his academic career at University of Houston and receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland.
“I was drawn to economics by a fascination with the logic behind it and how it can help us understand the impacts of public policies,” Dr. Imberman said. “I have long had an interest in public policy issues, but in college I realized just how powerful a tool economics was to understand and influence policy. This is what drew me to economics, and labor/education economics specifically as one of the more policy focused subfields.”
As chair, Dr. Imberman’s first goal is to make sure the department produces an excellent education product.
“I am a firm believer that our research mission enhances our teaching mission and vice versa,” he said. “This means that we must ensure faculty and students have the tools and supports needed to produce high quality research. It means that we innovate and provide students with the best classroom experience.”
His second goal is to raise awareness about the department’s educational product, student successes, and how department research is impacting the community.
“These are the types of stories I want to tell, because today more than ever, higher education needs to justify why we are a great investment for individuals – students, alumni – and society so that we can rebuild public support,” he said.
His research focuses on the intersection of education, labor, and health economics.
“My primary passion has been and remains education and how we can use economics to improve it. I am a believer that, while there are many ways to improve the wellbeing of people, educating them is one of the most powerful tools as it provides benefits that last for a lifetime and passes into future generations. Economics provides us with a way of thinking and analytic methodologies that we can tap to help improve educational opportunities.”
He has researched and written on topics including school choice, teacher incentives, students with disabilities, COVID recovery, and returns to college major choice. His work has been published in the American Economic Review, American Economic Journal – Economic Policy, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, Journal of Labor Economics, Journal of Public Economic, Review of Economics and Statistics, and other outlets. Dr. Imberman is a research associate with the National Bureau of Economic Research, a co-editor of the Journal of Human Resources, and Faculty Program Coordinator for the MITTENSS interdisciplinary doctoral training fellowship.
Dr. Imberman replaces Dr. Steven Haider who served for five years as chair.
“Steven made numerous contributions to the unit including navigating the challenging COVID years, revamping the Economics website to showcase the unit, hiring fantastic new faculty members, and tirelessly advocating for the department,” said Dr. Brent Donnellan, dean of the MSU College of Social Science. “He leaves the Department in a wonderful position for Scott and continues the tradition of exceptional unit leadership in Economics. Scott is well versed in the workings of the department and understands how to collaborate across campus to advance the critical missions of MSU.”
One defining moment of Dr. Imberman’s career was assisting the Governor’s office by providing analysis for decision-making on when to reopen schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We were under a tight timeline and had to work hard and fast at an already stressful time,” he said. “But it was an amazing experience – the Governor used our work to inform her emergency orders on school reopenings, and we were even cited by the CDC. I felt like I had a real impact on policy in a way that normally, with academic research moving so slowly, we do not directly see.”
On a personal note, Dr. Imberman lives in Okemos with his wife, two kids and their dog. During his free time, you’ll find him unwinding in front of a screen.
“I’m going to go out on a limb and say I’m probably the first departmental chair to be a gamer,” he said. “I grew up with video games and still enjoy playing even though I’m well into middle age! It’s not just for kids anymore and it helps me relax and relieve stress, particularly after a long day in the office.”
Stop by and meet Dr. Imberman at the Econ Social on Wednesday, September 3, 5-7 p.m. in 3202 STEM Teaching and Learning Facility.