Jose Manuel Fernandez

Jose Manuel Fernandez, PhD, is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Economics at the University of Louisville. He serves as a faculty scholar at the Commonwealth Institute of Kentucky, contributes to the Kentucky Statutory Committee Consensus Forecasting Group, and held leadership roles in the American Society of Hispanic Economists and the American Economic Association.

• PhD in Economics, University of Virginia, 2008
• MA in Economics, University of Virginia
• MA and BA in Economics, University of South Florida

His research spans health economics, mental health, and policy analysis, with a focus on opioid-related healthcare utilization, the Hispanic health paradox, and behavioral economics of minimum wage policies. His work intersects public health, mental health, and economic policy.

The five most recent publications explore medical marijuana policies, suicide prevention, consumer behavior in entrepreneurship, and public opinion on labor economics. These articles reflect interdisciplinary approaches, combining health services, behavioral economics, and public policy analysis.

• Presidential Distinguished Service Award, 2022
• Cardinal Spirit Award, 2020
• Undergraduate Teaching Awards (2012, 2017)
• Fellow, Diversity Initiative for Tenure in Economics (2013-14)

Dr. Fernandez has secured multiple summer research grants (2008-10, 2012-13, 2017-18) and contributed to prestigious journals like the International Economic Review and Health Services Research. His media presence includes over 100 interviews, such as NPR’s Planet Money and The Indicator.