Nicole Smith

Nicole Smith is a Research Professor and Chief Economist at the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW), affiliated with the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University. In this role, she leads econometric and methodological research on education and workforce trends in the United States.

Education:

• PhD in Economics, American University, Washington, D.C.
• Master's in Economics, University of the West Indies (U.W.I.), St. Augustine Campus — recipient of the Sir Arthur Lewis Memorial Prize
• Bachelor's in Economics and Mathematics (with honors), University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus

Her research focuses on labor economics, intergenerational mobility, education policy, and human capital development. She has developed frameworks for occupational and educational projections that underpin influential reports like Help Wanted. Her work combines quantitative modeling with policy analysis to assess how education impacts career pathways and economic equity.

The recent articles highlight her focus on infrastructure-driven job creation, gender bias in politics, challenges for low-income students, and nursing as a mobility pathway. These reflect a consistent theme: how education interacts with socioeconomic structures to shape opportunity.

Scientific Awards:

• Sir Arthur Lewis Memorial Prize for outstanding Master’s research
• Co-recipient of the 2007 Arrow Prize for Junior Economists

Nicole Smith has previously served as a faculty member at Gettysburg College and the University of the West Indies, teaching econometrics, microeconomics, macroeconomics, and development economics. Her work at CEW involves leading research teams and contributing to national policy discussions on workforce development. She has not been mentioned as supervising specific students, but her leadership role implies mentorship and collaboration within her research center.

She is actively involved in projects mapping human capital development and career trajectories, influencing federal and state education and labor policies.