Frank Fossen

Frank Fossen is a Professor of Economics and the Charles N. Mathewson Professor in Entrepreneurship at the University of Nevada, Reno’s Department of Economics. Previously, he held an Assistant Professorship in Public Economics at Freie Universität Berlin (2008–2016), where he earned his Ph.D. (2008) and habilitation (2015). His research focuses on entrepreneurship, public economics, labor economics, and applied microeconometrics, with over 40 peer-reviewed publications.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Economics (with distinction), Freie Universität Berlin (2008)
• Habilitation in Economics, Freie Universität Berlin (2015)
• Studies at University of Karlsruhe and University of Toronto

Research Interests:
Fossen explores how cognitive traits (e.g., risk preferences, cognitive reflection) influence entrepreneurial behavior and labor market outcomes. He examines policy impacts on entrepreneurship, such as taxation, health insurance, and non-compete agreements. His recent work addresses AI’s transformative effects on labor markets and entrepreneurship in developing and developed economies.

Publications:
His work spans entrepreneurship theory, public policy evaluation, and labor markets. Key themes include cognitive reflection’s role in socio-economic outcomes, health insurance’s effect on entrepreneurial entry, and AI-driven wage dynamics. Recent articles focus on gender differences in political preferences and the long-term effects of economic shocks on entrepreneurship.

Teaching:
Fossen teaches graduate courses in empirical public economics and entrepreneurship, as well as undergraduate microeconomics. He emphasizes applied econometric methods and policy analysis.

Labs/Teams:
While no specific labs are named, his collaborative work involves researchers in behavioral economics, development economics, and policy analysis.