Faculty & Staff

Department of Economics and Finance

Administrative Faculty and Staff

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JJ Arias

Dr. J.J. Arias

Chair, Professor of Economics
403 Atkinson Hall
478-445-2085
Education

PhD
Texas A&M University, Economics, 1996

BS
Pennsylvania State University, Economics, 1990
 

Research Areas

Applied game theory, Economics education, Monetary economics

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Susan Whittle

Susan Whittle

Administrative Assistant
402 Atkinson Hall
478-445-4023
Education

BBA
Georgia College & State University, Business Administration, 1986

Economics Faculty

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Dr. Chris Clark

Dr. Chris Clark

Professor of Economics
415 Atkinson Hall
478-445-2588
Education

PhD
University Of Kentucky, Economics, 2005

MS
University Of Kentucky, Economics, 2003

BA
Eastern Kentucky University, Economics, 2001

 

 

 

 

Research Areas

Economics of Education, Economic Education, Economics of Gambling, Sports Economics

Website
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Dr. Brooke Conaway

Dr. Brooke Conaway

Associate Professor of Economics
413 Atkinson Hall
478-445-1240
Education

PhD
Clemson University, Applied Economics, 2009

MA
Clemson University, Applied Economics, 2007

BS
Georgia College & State University, Economics, 2003

 

 

 

 

Research Areas

Pedagogy and applied microeconomics

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brent evans

Dr. Brent Evans

Associate Professor of Economics
433 Atkinson Hall
478-445-8644
Education

PhD
Mississippi State University, Economics, 2013

BS
Georgia College & State University, Economics, 2008

 

 

Research Areas

Sports Economics, Personal Finance, Economics of Gambling, Economic Education

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Jessi Folks

Jessie Folk

Senior Lecturer of Economics
414 Atkinson Hall
478-445-2415
Education

MS
University of Kentucky, Economics, 2003

BA
Eastern Kentucky University, Economics, 2001

 

 

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Thomas Frye-1 jpg

Thomas Frye

Assistant Professor of Economics
421 Atkinson Hall
478-445-1804
Education

PhD
Florida State University, Economics, 2023

MS
Florida State University, Economics, 2019

BS
Indiana University, Mathematics, 2018

Research

Experimental Economics, Law & Economics, Environmental Economics

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Dr. Kelly Lee

Dr. Kelly Lee

Lecturer of Economics
422 Atkinson Hall
478-445-2953
Education

PhD
Colorado State University, Economics, 2020

BS
Georgia College & State University, Economics, 2015

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Dr. John Swinton

Dr. John Swinton

Professor of Economics, Director of Center for Economic Education
416 Atkinson Hall
478-445-2591
Education

PhD
University Of Wisconsin Madison, Economics, 1996

MS
University Of Wisconsin Madison, Economics, 1991

BA
Oberlin College, Economics, 1986

Research Areas

Economic Education, Environmental economics, Economics of superheros

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Dr. Cullen Wallace - Department of Economics and Finance

Dr. Cullen Wallace

Assistant Professor of Economics
420 Atkinson Hall
478-445-2578
Education

PhD
Florida State University, Economics, 2020

MS
Florida State University, Economics, 2016

BS
Georgia College & State University, Economics, 2015

 

 

 

 

Research Areas

Public economics, Child welfare, Regional development

Website

Finance Faculty

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Dr. Leng Ling

Dr. Leng Ling

Professor of Finance
419 Atkinson Hall
478-445-2587
Education

PhD
Georgia State University, Finance, 2008

MBA
Georgia State University, Finance, 2002

BA
Wu Han University, China, Economics, 1995

 

 

 

 

Research Areas

Corporate finance, Mutual funds, and Behavioral economics and finance

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Dr. Xiaomeng Lu

Dr. Xiaomeng Lu

Assistant Professor of Finance
418B Atkinson Hall
478-445-5572
Education

PhD
Florida International University, Finance, 2022

MS
Florida International University, International Real Estate, 2017

MS
Syracuse University, Finance, 2016

BA
Anhui University of Finance & Economics, Economics, 2015

Research Areas

Empirical Asset Pricing, Political Finance, and Corporate Finance

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Navid Safari

Dr. Navid Safari

Assistant Professor of Finance
401 Atkinson Hall
478-445-4102
Education

PhD
Old Dominion University, Finance, 2023

MBA
University of Tehran, Business Administration, 2015

BS
University of Guilan, Physics, 2012

Research

Real Estate, REIT, Portfolio Management

We have eight Ph.D. economists, one Master’s degree economist, and three Ph.D. finance professors in the department. Our professors have diverse backgrounds, receiving their doctorates from these well respected universities: Clemson, Georgia, Georgia State, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Texas (Arlington), Virginia, and Wisconsin. This degree of faculty diversity ensures that students receive a variety of perspectives in their studies. In terms of research, our faculty are very active and regularly publish in a variety of peer-reviewed journals.

Emeritus

Jo Ann Jones | Economics

Kenneth Jones | Economics

Joseph Samprone | Economics

William Kendrick Farr | Economics | 2011