Katherine Eriksson

Katherine Eriksson is an Associate Professor at the University of California, Davis, specializing in applied microeconomics with a focus on economic history, labor economics, and development economics. She is a member of the American Economic Association, the Cliometric Society, and the Economic History Association, and serves on the UC Davis Graduate Placement Committee.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Economics from UCLA (2013)
• M.A. in Economics from UCLA (2008)
• M.S. in Agricultural Economics from Virginia Tech (2007)
• B.A. in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford (2006)
• B.S. in Mathematics and Philosophy from Virginia Tech (2004)

Professor Eriksson's research spans economic history, particularly examining the age of mass migration, and labor economics, with a focus on how education and language policies affect labor market outcomes. Her work in development economics investigates migration patterns and economic development in historical contexts. She employs rigorous econometric methods to analyze historical data, contributing to our understanding of long-term economic trends.

Her publications in top journals such as the Journal of Political Economy and the American Economic Review reveal a consistent theme: the interplay between migration, assimilation, and economic outcomes. Her research often uses historical datasets from the United States and South Africa to explore how factors like language of instruction and inheritance practices influence individual economic trajectories over time.

Her scientific awards include:

• Cal Poly Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Grant ($13,298) for 2014–2015
• Finalist for the Economic History Association's Alan Nevins Dissertation Prize (2013)
• Elise Burman Fellowship from UCLA (2012)
• UCLA Center for Economic History fellowship (Fall 2012)

As a member of the Graduate Placement Committee, Professor Eriksson plays a key role in guiding PhD students into academic and professional positions. She has secured research funding, including the Cal Poly grant, which supported her work on migration and economic outcomes. Her teaching includes courses on U.S. economic history and econometrics, reflecting her research expertise.