Christopher R. Bollinger

Christopher R. Bollinger is a Gatton Endowed Professor and University Research Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Kentucky’s Gatton College of Business and Economics. He holds a PhD from the University of Wisconsin (1993) and has served in multiple leadership roles, including Director of the Center for Business and Economic Research (2012–2018) and current Executive Director of the Kentucky Research Data Center. His research focuses on data quality, measurement error, and policy evaluation in labor, urban, and applied microeconomics. He has authored over 35 peer-reviewed articles and contributed to numerous policy projects with state and federal agencies.

Education: B.A., Economics (Michigan State University, 1988); M.S. and Ph.D., Economics (University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1990 and 1993).

Research interests include the impact of survey data quality on economic models, poverty research, and urban development policy. Key areas: measurement error in earnings and program participation, labor market dynamics, and immigration effects. Award-winning teacher and recipient of the Robertson Faculty Leadership Research Award (2010).

Recent grants include National Science Foundation-funded projects on earnings volatility and Kentucky state economic forecasts. Active in professional organizations, including editorial roles for the Journal of Econometric Methods and Southern Economic Journal.