Amy Wolaver

Amy Wolaver is a Professor of Economics at Bucknell University in the College of Arts & Sciences, actively developing undergraduate research opportunities through the Bucknell Institute for Public Policy. She maintains an active research profile with recent publications spanning health economics, behavioral economics, and labor market analysis.

Educational Background:

• B.A. Political Economy, Michigan State University
• M.S. Economics, University of Wisconsin - Madison
• Ph.D. Economics, University of Wisconsin - Madison

Professor Wolaver's research focuses on geographic variation in healthcare utilization, non-environmental health impacts of Shale drilling, disparities in labor market effects of migration, and effects of college binge drinking on human capital acquisition. Her current research emphasizes the impact of public funding of family planning services on sexual activity, contraception use, and pregnancies. Her work demonstrates that expanding coverage of these services does not change the rate of sexual activity but does increase contraception consistency and decrease pregnancies.

Analysis of her recent publications (2010-2022) reveals a strong trajectory from traditional health economics toward behavioral economics and pandemic-related research. Her work increasingly incorporates experimental methods and examines political dimensions of economic behavior, particularly evident in her 2021-2022 publications on COVID-19 response and framing bias.

Research Support:

• Graham, J. & A. Wolaver. "Non-Environmental Health Impacts of Marcellus Shale Development," Bucknell Geisinger Research Initiative Seed Grant #1213-112, June 2013-June 2014.

Professor Wolaver teaches ECON 101 Principles of Economics, FOUN Seminar "The Future is Now," ECON 312 Health Economics, and ECON 202 Microeconomics. She has been instrumental in creating the Susquehanna Valley Undergraduate Social Science Research Symposium to foster student research opportunities in the social sciences.