معرفی
Robert Petrunia serves as Professor at Lakehead University with dual appointments at the Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Mining & Exploration and the Department of Economics. His research bridges theoretical microeconomics with empirical analysis of Canadian industrial sectors, particularly focusing on resource-based economies and firm-level dynamics.
Education:
- BA (Honours) from University of Alberta (1996)
- MA from University of British Columbia (1997)
- PhD from University of British Columbia
Professor Petrunia's research centers on microeconomic structures with specialization in industrial organization and applied econometrics. His work investigates how financial constraints shape firm growth trajectories, analyzes labor productivity in extractive industries, and examines socioeconomic determinants of crime. Recent studies demonstrate methodological innovation through administrative employment datasets and historical policy analysis, particularly regarding Canadian mining and manufacturing sectors. His publications consistently address real-world economic challenges including resource curses, inequality impacts, and financial system stability.
Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals three dominant research streams: (1) Firm dynamics under financial constraints (40% of works), examining startup survival and growth limitations; (2) Resource sector economics (35%), with deep focus on Ontario's gold mining productivity; (3) Socioeconomic spillovers (25%), including inequality-crime relationships and payment system risks. His methodological approach combines nonparametric econometrics with historical case studies, increasingly utilizing large administrative datasets since 2015.
Research Infrastructure: Professor Petrunia leads research at Lakehead's Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Mining & Exploration, where he directs projects analyzing historical and contemporary mining economics. His work frequently utilizes Canadian administrative databases to study firm-worker matched dynamics and industry instability patterns.
