Zach Ward

Zach Ward is the Herman Lay Chair of Private Enterprise and Associate Professor of Economics at Baylor University, with a secondary affiliation as a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). His research focuses on economic history, migration, intergenerational mobility, and labor economics. Notable projects include studies on historical patterns of mobility among women and men, the economic elite in American history, and the impact of violence on migration dynamics. Ward collaborates extensively with scholars like Kasey Buckles and Joseph Price on multigenerational studies. His work has been featured in top journals such as the American Economic Review and Journal of Economic History, and he contributes to public discourse through media outlets like The Weeds and Marginal Revolution. His research often combines quantitative historical analysis with contemporary policy relevance, examining topics ranging from Mexican migration to the long-term effects of educational access.