Christopher Oconnor
Assistant Professor of Economics
Hello!
I am an Assistant Professor of Economics in the Economics and Accounting Department at College of the Holy Cross.
My research lies at the intersection of development, public, and behavioral economics, focusing on how institutional contexts, and the interventions
that occur within them, change incentives and shape the behavior and welfare of economic agents, with particular emphasis on distributional effects.
While economic growth makes development possible, there is no guarantee that it will improve the welfare of the most fragile groups in society,
including marginalized populations and those living in rural agricultural areas of developing countries. With market frictions often arising from
institutional barriers and self-reinforcing behaviors, policies and programs play a crucial role in addressing these failures. This motivation drives my work,
which uses both microdata and experimental data collected in the lab to understand how different contexts and interventions influence outcomes across diverse groups.
I have a PhD and MA in Economics from The University of Alabama, an MSc in Economics from the University of the West Indies, and a BSc in Economics and Statistics
from the University of the West Indies (Mona). Before beginning my PhD, I worked as a Policy Analyst/Economist in poverty and inequality at the Planning Institute of Jamaica.
In my spare time, I enjoy exploring new places and photographing of nature.