Robert Helsley

Robert Helsley is the Grosvenor Professor of Cities, Business Economics, and Public Policy at the Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia. He holds a B.S. from the University of Oregon and M.A./Ph.D. from Princeton University. His research focuses on urban economics, agglomeration economies, and the spatial structure of cities, with emphasis on topics like private provision of collective goods, urban political economy, and the economics of crime.

Education:

• B.S., University of Oregon
• M.A., Princeton University
• Ph.D., Princeton University

Research Interests:
Helsley explores how cities form, evolve, and function through lenses like social networks, land pricing, and urban policy. His work analyzes agglomeration benefits, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and the interplay between urban sprawl and blight. He also investigates governance structures such as private governments and gated communities.

Recent work trends reflect a focus on urban complexity, stochastic modeling of cities, and memorializing influential economists like Edwin S. Mills. His publications span prestigious journals like the Journal of Political Economy and Journal of Urban Economics.

Labs/Teams: While no specific lab is mentioned, his collaborations with co-authors like Strange and Zenou suggest active research partnerships in urban studies.

Courses taught include Managerial Economics I (MBA), emphasizing strategic decision-making in urban and business contexts.